4 worst-case scenarios for Steelers with pick 24 in the NFL Draft

The Steelers hold the 24th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Here are the four worst-case scenarios for Pittsburgh in round one. 

Nobody likes to think of the worst-case scenarios for the Steelers in the 2021 NFL Draft. That’s why I took the liberty of doing this for you. While Pittsburgh is still widely considered to be one of the best drafting teams of the past twenty years under the direction of general manager, Kevin Colbert, they aren’t without their monumental draft busts either.

Since 2013, the Steelers have swung and missed on players like Jarvis Jones, Artie Burns, and Senquez Golson. Obviously, we are all hoping they avoid these types of disastrous picks in 2021. However, when selecting late in the first round, there’s always an increased chance of busting on your top pick. Here are four worst-case scenarios for the Steelers at pick 24 in the NFL Draft:

Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri

Due to his less-than-stellar athletic testing, I’m really hoping that Nick Bolton isn’t a player the Steelers would seriously consider drafting until day two. However, after meeting with the team, we can’t entirely rule out the Missouri linebacker as a potential player on their radar.

Bolton would be a solid fit next to Devin Bush in Pittsburgh’s blitz-heavy offense, as he is a missile going downhill. However, for a linebacker on the smaller side (5’11”, 237 pounds) Bolton doesn’t have great change of direction skills – as evidenced by his 26th percentile agility scores at his Pro Day. For an undersized linebacker, Bolton is neither a great athlete or very good in coverage, and this might be the worst pick the Steelers could potentially make in the first round this year.