Best-case scenarios for every Steelers pick in 2021 NFL Draft

Round 7:

While the Steelers don’t need to take a receiver in this draft, if they do, I hope it is Dazz Newsome. The North Carolina receiver isn’t athletic or big, but his sharp routes and great hands allow him to win despite looking like he shouldn’t. If he is still around in the seventh round, the team needs to rush to the podium to get him.

He likely wouldn’t play much in year one but considering three of the five receivers have contracts that expire next season, the Steelers could do well to add a depth receiver in this draft. Newsome could play in the slot early on but has the chance to make the move to the outside later on. His game is similar to Antonio Brown, and if he works hard at it, Newsome could become a starter down the road.

Finishing off this best-case scenario draft, adding a player like Derrick Barnes this late could keep this inside linebacking group strong past this season. Luckily, the Steelers resigned Vince Williams, but they will need some long-term options to replace him sooner than later. Barnes is a player in a similar mold, as he is a strong downhill thumper on defense.

What seems to be keeping his stock down is that he is a tweener, as some teams see Barnes as more of an edge rusher. A team will draft him and have to settle him into a role. For the Steelers, it would make sense to keep Barnes on the inside and have him become that next run stopping linebacker. In the seventh round, that would be an amazing find.

While the Steelers will stick to their board during the draft, these are the absolute best-case scenarios for each pick. While it is almost impossible for this board to shake down like this, even one of these picks coming true for the team would be a win. You never know when a player will fall, so being ready for the best case to happen could turn a bad draft into a great one.