Here is a seven-round Steelers mock draft for 2021
With the Super Bowl decided and teams no focusing on which players they are going to try to retain, the NFL has shifted completely into offseason mode. With that, the draft should be entering the minds of all NFL teams. With the Steelers set to have an offseason filled with loss, the draft will be critical in rebuilding this depth chart. Here is a Steelers seven-round 2021 mock draft.
Round 1:
When looking at the list of potential needs, cornerback isn’t one that would probably jump out as the highest need. Consider the fact that the team has two corners that essentially started for them set to hit free agency though. Add in Joe Haden possibly being a cap casualty and suddenly corner seems to be the highest need on the defense. If Jaycee Horn is still available at pick 24, the Steelers would be wise to pick him.
Horn had a solid career while with South Carolina and was one of the top lockdown corners in a competitive SEC. His biggest issues were his ball skills, but he seemed to turn that around this past season with his first two interceptions. He has good size and solid athleticism to be an outside cornerback, and having bloodlines to former receiver Joe Horn is also an aid in his case.
This cornerback class has quite a few quality options for the Steelers to consider in the first or second round, and Horn may have the highest potential of that mix. He will need a year or two before reaching his best play, but the team should be able to work with that. Even if the team keeps Haden, they could slide Steven Nelson in as the slot corner during subpackage and allow Horn to play on the outside. If one of the slot corners are retained with Haden being cut, then Horn is positioned to start on the outside earlier on. At the end of the day, if the team goes defense in round one, it will likely be on a cornerback to replenish this depth chart.
Round 2:
While I’m not high on offensive tackle being an early need for the Steelers, a player like Walker Little would have to be tempting in the second round. Had this class not been so strong with tackle at the top, Little would likely be seen as a late first-round pick given his dominant play despite the fact he hasn’t played the last two seasons for Stanford. With the questions at tackle being more long-term, adding Little in the second would be a huge win.
Little has the build the Steelers love in their tackles, as he is 6’7 and weighs a healthy 320 pounds. He is a solid pass protector that still needs to add a little more power to his run blocking. That said, given he hasn’t played since suffering a knee injury in 2019 and then opting out last season, Little would likely serve as the rotational backup during his rookie year. He can add some more bulk and get back into a rhythm that way.
Fans should remember that he was seen as a likely first-round pick before opting out this year, and some experts had him in their top ten. While there are some inherent risks with taking him due to the rust that he has from not playing, the Steelers wouldn’t have to count on him starting in his rookie year. Little would work his way back into the game before taking over at left tackle in 2022.
Round 3:
While many are scrambling to fill the center need early in the draft, the Steelers go another way in this class. More than likely a vested veteran will be signed on the cheap (here is to hoping the Bengals cut B.J. Finney) meaning the Steelers don’t have to reach for a center at 24. After the first wave of centers go, the team would be wise to target a mauler like Trey Hill in the third here.
Hill is the prototypical mauler that the team has missed along the inside in recent years. He plays with an immense amount of power as a run blocker, and his immense size makes it hard for him to get pushed around. His pass blocking isn’t as great, but he isn’t a bad pass blocker either. His biggest issue is with his overall athleticism and some injury concerns. His knees have been worked on already, and that isn’t great news coming from a 330-pound center.
That said, Hill should be a starter sooner rather than later at the NFL level. While he will never ascend into the upper echelon of starters due to his limited athleticism, he should be counted on as a consistent blocker for the majority of his career. He seems like a high floor and low ceiling as a starter, but for a third-round pick the team could do far worse than Hill.
Round 4:
With the Steelers set to lose JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency, finding a new slot capable receiver will be a must. The team could opt for a veteran given how youthful this receiving room is, but this draft class is extremely deep at receiver. This allows for a quality slot receiver like Elijah Moore to be available in the fourth round. If he is, he would be a great solution to the potential receiver problems for the team.
Moore is a smooth route runner with the ability to take any pass he catches to the house. Moore also has value as a returner, making him a weapon from multiple positions on the field. The team could pencil him in as a slot option early in his career before he becomes the starter their full time. He would be a good value here and would have a clear role with the team early on in his career.
Sticking with the offense here, the Steelers will look to add a running back at some point in the draft. While many fans are clamoring for a running back in the first, there is a decent chance this group doesn’t receive an addition until the third round or later. If the team opts to wait that long, grabbing a back like Kylin Hill would make sense. The senior back didn’t play much this past season, but he is a good runner with great hands out of the backfield.
The best aspect of his game is his pass-catching ability, as evident by his 67 receptions over his four years in college. Don’t sleep on his running ability either, as he had over 1300 rushing yards last season. Given his shorter size and bowling ball-like statue, his game honestly reminds me of a Maurice Jones-Drew type of player. He doesn’t have the overall talent yet, but his best traits could serve the Steelers well in a committee backfield.
Round 6:
With the Steelers set to lose Bud Dupree in free agency, adding some depth to the outside linebacker group will be a must. While Alex Highsmith will be the starter going forward, additional depth would go a long way in keeping this unit a strength. Shaka Toney would be a great late-round pick given his pass-rushing ability. While never the main threat at Penn State, Toney was always a potent pass rusher.
The biggest issue he will likely face as a player is his weight. He plays in the 240-ish range, and the team tends to like their pass rushers to be more towards 250-260. While he could certainly bulk up, it could limit his explosiveness that has made him such a good pass rusher. Even if he plays lighter, he will likely never be counted on to be a full-time starter. As a situational pass rusher and a special team’s ace, Toney could be a solid depth option later in the draft.
While I’ve been a proponent of the Steelers drafting a tight end early in the draft if it doesn’t work out that way finding a potential long-term number two option would be the next best bet. Kenny Yeboah isn’t much of an athlete, but he has solid hands and can block well, especially in the run game.
While he will never likely ascend to the role of full-time starter, he could end up becoming a valuable number two and serve as a decent blocker. Assuming the Steelers keep Eric Ebron, which seems to be a safe bet if they are drafting a tight end this late, then adding more of a blocking option would be the better bet. Yeboah isn’t a superstar, but he should be a good reserve and blocker for a team trying to re-establish the run.
Round 7:
The Steelers aren’t in desperate need of a safety but adding another body for depth would be a smart move. There are quite a few late-round safeties that could become decent backups, but Shawn Davis seems like the most versatile of the late options as he can play more like a box safety or more as a deep safety.
His biggest draw should be his ability to play on special teams. He has solid athleticism which should translate well to running down kicks and punts. This gives him instant value as a rookie which could help him land a spot on the opening day roster. Even if he doesn’t progress farther than that, you can never have enough special teams’ players.
This draft ends just like my previous mock draft ended with the selection of Paddy Fisher. The Northwestern linebacker has had an up and down career while in school, and a lot of his issues seem to stem from his decision making. That said, he has great size and athleticism which makes him an intriguing option to develop late in the draft.
At the very worst, he has the athleticism to make an impact on special teams early as he works on his decision making. If he can get his head on and process quicker, he could end up becoming a solid starter. At the very worst, he should be a core special teams player for the next few years. He may not amount to much, but he would still be well worth the investment.
With free agency just around the corner, the next few weeks will be critical for the Steelers in determining what needs will have to be filled in the draft. The class above does a good job of filling multiple needs and adding depth along the roster. While tight end and running back could be addressed higher, this draft does a good job of filling the needs this team will be stuck with.