4 best-case scenarios for Steelers in first round of 2021 NFL Draft

Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia

There aren’t many Steelers fans talking about Georgia’s Azeez Ojulari right now, and I’m not exactly sure why. I want Pittsburgh to look to address their offensive line as much as the next person, but outside of being able to take Darrisaw (which I already mentioned as a best-case scenario), what other realistic options are there?

Alijah Vera-Tucker is a player who is likely gone by this point, but even if he’s on the board, he may be forced to kick inside due to his small stature and concerningly short arms (32 1/8”) and wingspan (76 7/8”).  Being able to land top offensive tackle prospects Penei Sewell or Rashawn Slater just isn’t realistic, and the Steelers aren’t going to trade up for an offensive tackle.

Azeez Ojulari might not fill the biggest position of need for this team, but he’s indisputably one of the best defensive players in this draft class. Though he’s a bit on the smaller size (6’2”, 249 lbs), Ojulari has remarkably long arms (34 3/8”) and a variety of ways to win. According to Relative Athletic Scores, he also tested as an 81 percentile athlete, and he earned a 90.0 overall grade via Pro Football Focus at the age of just 20 this past season.

Ojulari is already terrific against the run and has a chance to be a special pass rusher at the next level. Alex Highsmith is a quality football player, but adding a player like Ojulari would give the Steelers depth at one of their most important positions and an immediate boost on defense.