With Pittsburgh’s season over, we look ahead to the 2021 NFL Draft. Here’s my first seven-round Steelers mock draft.
The Steelers 2020 season may have ended in disappointment, but the excitement doesn’t end here. There is certainly a lot we need to prepare for this offseason, and several major changes have already been made, including Pittsburgh’s decision not to re-sign offensive Coordinator, Randy Fichtner. In addition, the Steelers will soon be forced to make a handful of notable cuts to get their team back under the cap for the 2021 season, and some big names (even former Pro Bowlers) could get the boot.
Ben Roethlisberger and the whole Steelers offense was a major letdown over the final six games of the season, and most have mocked an offensive lineman to Pittsburgh in round one. While I have Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert addressing the offense frequently with their nine selections this year, I go a bit of a different route in round one. Here’s my first seven-round Steelers mock draft of 2021:
Round 1 (pick 24): Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri
Despite some of the needs on offense over the past few seasons, Pittsburgh has now taken a defensive player with their first-round pick in seven straight drafts (eight if you count Minkah Fitzpatrick. So while all eyes are on the offensive line right now, I have the Steelers bolstering their defense in an effort to keep this unit one of the strongest in the league in the midst of their losses.
Vince Williams is a 31-year-old linebacker who has gotten progressively worse in his ability to move in space, while Robert Spillane and Avery Williamson are both free agents. They could retain one of them (assuming they can find the money), that won’t solve all of their issues over the middle of the field. Pairing Devin Bush with a capable three-down linebacker could give Pittsburgh a major boost in the middle of their defense in 2021. Nick Bolton isn’t the athlete of Bush, but he’s incredibly savvy and very physical for a young player. He would be a perfect fit as a replacement for Vince Williams in the ‘Buck’ linebacker role.
Round 2 (pick 56): Creed Humphrey, C, Oklahoma
You wanted some offensive linemen early in the draft? You got it. Though the Steelers haven’t drafted an offensive lineman with as much as a second-round pick since doubling up on David DeCastro and Mike Adams in 2012, I think that changes this year. Forget the fact that Maurkice Pouncey has received Pro Bowls in 2019 and 2020 – he’s just not a good football player anymore, and Pittsburgh understands that he needs to be replaced.
Cue Creed Humphrey, who has the makings of a long-time NFL starter at center. Humphry also has a terrific frame for the position (6’5” and 316 pounds) and is capable of playing either guard spot in addition to center, but this is where Pittsburgh would no doubt keep him. The Steelers could cut Pouncey with this pick, as the former All-Pro has a cap hit of nearly $14.5 million in 2021.
Round 3 (pick 87): Jackson Carmen, OT, Clemson
In addition to addressing the interior offensive line, I have the Steelers taking what many consider to believe to be their biggest need this offseason: offensive tackle. Though the Steelers miss out on the top-flight tackle prospects early in the draft, they are fortunate to have Jackson Carmen fall into their lap in round three.
Carmen isn’t a complete player like some of the names who will go above him, but he has incredible size and strength for the position (6’5” and 345 pounds) and is still very young. The true Junior and former 5-star recruit was the blindside protector for Trevor Lawrence at Clemson this year.
Round 4 (pick 125): Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State
Don’t let the fact that I don’t have the Steelers taking a running back until the fourth round bother you. The fact of the matter is that this just isn’t a great running back class, and Pittsburgh has bigger fish to fry. Fortunately, addressing the offensive line and getting more creative with Matt Canada’s offense should help this group that finished dead last in the league from a season ago.
Chuba Hubbard is no slouch, and this would be a solid selection – assuming he is able to fall to the fourth round as the simulator predicted. Though Hubbard may not have a lot of special traits, he’s a patient runner with good vision and a well-balanced skill set. Even as a day three pick, he should offer an instant boost to this running back room, which isn’t saying all that much.
Round 4 (pick 140): Olaijah Griffin, CB, USC
I would be floored if Pittsburgh elected to ignore the cornerback position with nine selections in the 2021 NFL Draft. Though this group of cornerbacks for the Steelers has been one of the best in recent memory, it may not stay that way for long if Kevin Colbert and his crew neglect it this offseason. Mike Hilton and Cameron Sutton are both coming off some of the best football of their young careers. Unfortunately, both players are free agents.
In addition, the combination of Joe Haden and Steven Nelson is about to set back Pittsburgh approximately $30 million in cap space this year, and it’s likely that one of these players could get the boot. Olaijah Griffin is a former five-star recruit with good size, speed, and fluidity for the position. His technique needs to be cleaned up a bit, and we’re hoping the next defensive backs coach can help him with this. Still, Griffin is a young player with loads of upside and presents good value at this point in the draft.
Round 5 (pick 203): Luke Farrell, TE, Ohio State
I know that Eric Ebron and Vance McDonald used to be some big names at the tight end position. Ebron was the former 10th overall pick by the Detriot Lions, and both tight ends had excellent years in 2018. However, it’s funny how fast time catches up with you. In 2020, neither player was worth their keep and it’s impossible to justify having either on the roster next year with their unreasonable cap hits.
Though Pittsburgh is unlikely to part ways with both players (the most likely scenario is that McDonald is gone and Ebron stays), the Steelers are still in desperate need of depth at the position. Though they won’t find their long-term starter this late in the draft, Ohio State’s Luke Farrell is a guy who can help them out. He’s big, tough, and physical and can do the dirty work at the line of scrimmage. Farrell may have had a marginal role in the passing game, but he’s the type of player you look for at this point in the draft.
Round 5 (pick 223): Jamar Watson, EDGE, Kentucky
It’s entirely possible that the Steelers look to address the edge rusher position much earlier in round five, but they have plenty of needs to go around this year. While Alex Highsmith had an excellent rookie season, Pittsburgh will no doubt be losing Bud Dupree and their depth is razor-thin at the position.
Jamar Watson is a stout edge defender, but he’s built for Pittsburgh’s defense and he has some tools to work with. Watson may never develop into anything more than a rotational edge rusher, but he would offer some much-needed depth to the position.
Round 7 (pick 241): Frank Darby, WR, Arizona State
In four straight years, the Steelers have invested a second-round pick into a wide receiver. While I wouldn’t rule that out as an option in 2021 with JuJu Smith-Schuster likely signing elsewhere, Mike Tomlin has some bigger holes to fill. Depth could be an issue if wide receiver isn’t addressed, but Pittsburgh is still at least three deep at the position.
If the Steelers miss out on the first couple of waves of receivers this year, Frank Darby is a player they could potentially nab late in the draft. Darby is a decent athlete with body control and competitive toughness, but he doesn’t create a lot of separation. When picking this late, you can’t have it all.
Round 7 (pick 251): Lorenzo Neal, IDL, Purdue
Lorenzo Neal Jr. is the son of longtime NFL fullback, Lorenzo Neal – so the bloodlines are legitimate. However, he got his dad’s NFL body and then some. While his father was listed at 5’11” and 255 pounds, Neal Jr. measures in at 6’3” and 315 pounds; thus he is an ideal size for a nose tackle in Pittsburgh’s 3-4 front.
Unfortunately, there’s a reason you can get him in the seventh round. Neal has some flash to his game and owns an impressive swim move to go with his plus motor, but he isn’t consistent in anchoring and ends up on the ground too often. He would compete for a roster spot at defensive tackle.
The Steelers have many shoes to fill and plenty of draft choices to assist them in doing so. Expect them to bolster their offense in the first two days of the draft, but history shows us that we can’t rule out drafting defense in round one.