3 names Steelers fans should know in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft

As the 2021 NFL Draft draws closer, here are three names that could be on the Steelers radar in round one. 

Every year some names show up that the Steelers are highly rumored to be interested in. The first-round choice is always highlighted as the next best thing as the city holds high hopes. Fans want their choices to be heard when the team selects as their armchair General Manager days are still hopeful. It will be tough for the team to please everyone as there are many holes to fill. The draft needs to playout so Pittsburgh can take who they want to. Good players drop and some are seen as being drafted too soon.

This evaluation up to the draft will be different as there will be no NFL Combine this year. There will be some workouts and the Senior Bowl. It will be a very unique year for post-season player evaluation but the tape is there to watch. What matters most is how these players execute on the field and that will be a great litmus test for this draft class.

Najee Harris, RB, Alabama

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way. Najee Harris is mocked to the Steelers in the majority of experts’ drafts. It makes sense as the team desperately needs a spark in the running game. But those that choose Harris neglect to look at the real issue, the offensive line. The line has not been able to get a push-up front in the last two seasons. It does not matter who is running on your team when they just hit a brick wall right away. There have been no holes for the runner to go through. Harris would be a nice addition but this would be a high selection for a running back.

A trade down and selecting him even later in the first or sometime in the second round would make this a much better choice. Harris is a great player but he is going to be 23 as a rookie and that’s concerning for how he will age in the NFL. Rebuilding the offensive line seems to be a much higher priority but the team could go for Harris if he falls to 24. It is not out of the question that the Crimson Tide product could be in the black and yellow come April but this would be a pick with neglecting the actual issue in the running game. Plus don’t forget about Benny Snell and Anthony McFarland already on the Steelers roster.