5 day-three running backs the Steelers have to draft in 2021

The Steelers must find a way to improve the running back position. Here are five sleepers Pittsburgh should draft in 2021.

The Steelers will be in the market for a new running back in 2021, and while fans are clamoring for an early-round addition, the team could find a talented option in the later rounds of the draft. Given how deep this class is as well as how devalued the running back position has become, the team could land a contributor at the position on day-three while adding talent elsewhere with their early pick.

Taking a running back in the 2021 NFL Draft may lead to a Benny Snell starting the year, but the rookie could potentially take over down the stretch. Here are the five sleeper running backs that the team should draft this year.

The Steelers took a Louisiana offensive player last year on day three and it looks to have panned out, and they could look to do it again this season. Elijah Mitchell is a player that doesn’t do anything at an elite level, but he does a lot of things well overall. If the Steelers are looking to initially rely on more of a running back by committee style of backfield, adding a player like Mitchell later in the draft could pay dividends down the road.

Mitchell has good size and was a productive player while in college. He has good vision at the line as well as a good set of power moves despite not being as heavy as the typical power back. His biggest drawback is his lack of overall athleticism, but he makes up for it with his running style and ability to catch passes out of the backfield. Ultimately, I think he finds a Jordan Howard-like role, one where he can start if the position is desperate enough but would be well served as a power back in a committee.