We’ve seen the Steelers reach for players in the past. Here’s a very realistic scenario in which they surprise us again in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Every April, we all get this idea in our heads of what the perfect Steelers draft looks like. For me, this would be a draft that has Pittsburgh going the ‘best available player’ route and doesn’t include taking a running back in the first round (which goes against what many fans want).
While the Steelers have had some impressive draft classes in recent years, they’ve also had a few in between that left us scratching our heads or perhaps even hurling something at the television. In 2016, I was irate when Pittsburgh reached for positional need in selecting Miami cornerback, Artie Burns. I feel they did much of the same in 2018 when they shocked the nation by taking safety Terrell Edmunds in the first round.
Though there is plenty of reason to trust Pittsburgh’s ability to draft quality football players, they are not completely foolproof. Based on the players they have shown interest in this offseason, here’s an all-too-realistic Steelers mock draft that would be sure to leave us disappointed:
Steelers mock draft round 1: Baron Browning
Here’s a linebacker that isn’t currently drawing a lot of attention with Pittsburgh’s media, but there is plenty of reason to believe that he could be on their radar with the 24th overall pick. We know Mike Tomlin’s fetish with Ohio State players, and Pittsburgh took a Buckeye linebacker in the first round back in 2014 (Ryan Shazier).
At 6’2 1/2” and 246 pounds, Baron Browning is a downhill thumper that offers a bit of versatility with his ability to rush from the edge. He was thoroughly impressive at his Pro Day as he tested in the 99th percentile of all NFL linebackers, according to Relative Athletic Scores. We know how much Pittsburgh has coveted athletes in the first round in recent years, and Browning would immediately be able to step in at Buck linebacker next to Devin Bush.