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.
If the Steelers wanted to target a more complete back with more upside as a starter, Jermar Jefferson could be their guy. Coming from Oregon State, Jefferson has great size at the position and has sneaky athleticism for a man his size. On top of this, he can catch passes out of the backfield and do some damage as a third-down back.
His issues are simple. For starters, his long speed and elusiveness aren’t great. While he can make the first guy miss, he seems to struggle to put up a couple of broken tackles in a row. That limits his upside as an elite back, but he still has the skill set to succeed as a runner. The main issue is his inconsistencies in college. His freshman year was huge over 1,500 scrimmage yards. He had roughly the same output combined for his past two years.
A part of this has been the games he has been able to play in. This past year he was hampered with a COVID-19 reduced season and the year before he was wildly inconsistent. That said, if Jefferson gets into a good system and is coached properly, he could develop into a low-end starter. While he will never ascend into the upper echelon of running backs, he should be able to carve out a good career if he lands with the right team.
A back that has gained a lot of traction since he put up one of the most dominant rushing stretches in college football history, Trey Sermon could find a good home with the Steelers if they draft him. While a little slenderer than the typical power back, Sermon is an aggressive runner that punishes would-be tacklers. He was a human wrecking ball at the end of the college season, and he will look to continue that in the coming years as a pro.
As for his weaknesses, there aren’t really any. He can catch the ball and he has pretty good speed despite being more of a bruising back. The biggest flaw for him was his lack of college production, as he never logged a 1,000-yard rushing season and was typically a second option instead of a bell cow. That said, he looked flat-out dominant when given the chance, so taking him on day three isn’t much of a risk.
While Sermon lacks a truly elite trait, he also doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses. Because of this, he could easily come in as a day three pick and find himself the starter eventually. He is a complete player at the position as well given the fact he can make some catches as a receiver. He has been a popular name for the Steelers for a reason, and the fact they can likely get him on day three just adds to his value.
While a name that isn’t being talked about much due to his lacking production as a runner in his final year, Kylin Hill makes a lot of sense for the Steelers as a day three running back. He is a little smaller than the team typically likes their running backs to be, but he runs more like a bowling ball given his stout body type.
His obvious best trait on paper is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. In the pass-first offense he played in, Hill was consistently one of the go-to options as a receiver. Unfortunately, this past season didn’t make him look like much of a runner in the three games he played. His tape from his junior season was a different story but seeing him struggle as a runner makes his long-term starting potential unsure.
Though he has a thin frame, his play-style reminds me a lot of Maurice Jones-Drew. He likely won’t be the player that Jones-Drew became, but he could be used in a similar type of role. As well, he would instantly be an upgrade as a receiving back over the inept Jaylen Samuels. Hill wouldn’t become a huge threat on the ground for the Steelers, but he would further round out their backfield. He would be a great weapon to have even if it isn’t just as a pure runner.
If the Steelers really want to try and get a bell cow option at running back during day three, then Rhamondre Stevenson is the best bet for the team. The Oklahoma back is huge as he is listed at 6’0 and 246 pounds. He runs with decent speed and burst though, which makes him a load to try and tackle. While his power makes him hard to bring down, he is elusive enough in space to make guys miss as well. He can even function as a receiver out of the backfield.
The issue is his lack of production. After transferring from a JUCO school, he only logged just under 1,500 total yards while at school. On top of this, he had to serve a six-game suspension between the two seasons causing him to miss more opportunities as a runner. That said, this has limited his touches to under 200 for his college career, meaning there should be plenty of tread left on his tires.
While his lack of overall production will cause him to slip, he should make a team happy if they can land him on day three. Stevenson has legitimate starter potential if put behind a decent line, as his power and ability to catch the ball should make him an appealing option. If he is available to the Steelers in the fourth round, they shouldn’t hesitate to pick him.
While the Steelers have some work to do in order to revamp the running game, adding a running back before day three isn’t a necessity. There are plenty of players that could help fix the issues this team went through last season. Keep these five names involved when considering later round running backs during this draft.