Steelers most overlooked position to fill for the 2021 season

Cleveland Browns center JC Tretter (64) and offensive tackle Michael Dunn (68) and Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Tyson Alualu (94) Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Cleveland Browns center JC Tretter (64) and offensive tackle Michael Dunn (68) and Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Tyson Alualu (94) Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Christian Barmore (58) Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

The Steelers have some ideal options depending on where they would target their replacement.

The best prospect to replace Alualu would be Christian Barmore out of Alabama. The Draft Network has him listed as the 34th ranked prospect in the draft. This would be with the Steelers’ first pick in the draft, and they would get the best run-stuffing nose tackle in college football from 2020.

Barmore is young and hasn’t developed anything other than a swim move in passing situations. Yet he would give Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt a run for their money in rushing situations. He is still young which gives me hope that with some more experience and development his ceiling is sky-high.

If the Steelers were to target a DT in the 3rd or 4th round they should target Tyler Shelvin. Shelvin will be a dominant run-defender in the league for years to come. He was already handling double teams against SEC offensive linemen throughout his college career and has shown that he will be able to do so at the next level.

The reason he likely won’t go in the first 2 rounds is that he has been unable to show much of anything in passing situations. He doesn’t have a great burst off the line, and he doesn’t have any moves to get to a quarterback. He won’t be an every-down player but the Steelers don’t need another defensive lineman who can get after the quarterback. He can come in and instantly make the run defense better on a rotational basis.