The Steelers are going to have some tough decisions to make this April. Here’s when they should look to take a running back in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Since midway through the 2020 season, we knew that the running back position was something that was going to be high on Pittsburgh’s radar in the coming months. While the offensive line was clearly in shambles last year, James Conner and Benny Snell weren’t doing this team any favors and the Steelers were in desperate need of an upgrade.
Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert have met with some of the top running backs in the 2021 NFL Draft this offseason and president Art Rooney II made it a point to express that the team was going to fix the running game this season. The question is at what point do should the Steelers take a running back in the draft?
First-round is too rich
Najee Harris and Travis Etienne both seem to be very possible candidates in the first round for the Steelers. Tomlin, Colbert, and offensive coordinator Matt Canada have met with each of them at their Pro Days and both players have earned virtual visits with the team. However, pick 24 certainly feels a little rich for my blood.
If you recall, Jonathan Taylor, Cam Akers, and J.K. Dobbins all went in the second round last year. While you could argue that Etienne and Harris might be better prospects, there isn’t a whole round difference between them. The 24th pick should be reserved for a potential cornerstone player who could be a pivotal member of the Steelers at an important position for the next 8-10 years. Many early-round running backs don’t make it past their rookie contracts with the same team that drafted them, and most of the time, their best seasons come in during their rookie contract. Even if the Steelers have a shot at one of these two in the first round, they should pass.
Talent is thin in the second-round
Though I certainly don’t want the Steelers to take a running back in the first round because of the shelf life and importance of the position, the second round may be less than ideal as well. Heading into the draft, it stands to reason that neither Etienne nor Harris will make it all the way back to the Steelers at pick 55, and there may not be anyone else worth taking at that point.
North Carolina running back Javonte Williams is the next-best player on my board and will likely be the consensus number three running back this year. Even with his unspectacular Pro Day numbers, he could still be worth a gamble in the late second round. However, there’s a good chance he is gone by this point as well. If this is the case, I don’t believe there is another running back outside of the top three players worthy of being drafted this high.
The third round should be where the value lies for the Steelers
I know that many fans are hoping the team addresses the position before this point, but I really think the value could be in the third round for the Steelers. By this point in the draft, taking a running back isn’t necessarily a big investment, but they could still potentially find an upgrade over what they currently have.
Trey Sermon could be the top prospect here – assuming he is still on the board at this point. While he’s not as well-rounded as the top three backs in this class in terms of his receiving ability and pass protection, he is a terrific runner who can chew up yardage between the tackles and still has the ability to hit some home runs.
In addition, Kenneth Gainwell, Michael Carter, and Khalil Herbert would all present solid value at this point in the draft, and I can’t imagine all of these players being off the board. At worst Chuba Hubbard and Kylin Hill are a few other running backs who could help carry the load for this team if they missed out on all the other talent to this point.
In a day and age where running backs seem to be a dime a dozen, it’s hard to justify taking one with such a high pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. I think the Steelers would be wise to wait and address the position in round three, depending on how the chips fall.