3 takeaways from Steelers picks on day two of the NFL Draft

The Steelers made a few interesting decisions on day two of the 2021 NFL Draft. Here are my takeaways from their selections. 

Whether you were a fan of the idea or not, we knew that the Steelers would be doing whatever they could to help out Ben Roethlisberger in what could very well be his final year in the league. With Big Ben returning, the team added voidable years to a handful of contracts as they entered ‘win now’ mode.

When it came to the NFL Draft, I don’t think anyone was surprised to see them appease their future Hall of Fame quarterback by loading up on offensive talent early. However, many questioned if some of the players they drafted were slightly overvalued. After trying to give the running game a boost by taking Najee Harris in the first round, Pittsburgh continued their efforts to improve the offense on day two. Here are my thoughts on their second and their round picks:

Pat Freiermuth was a solid, but unspectacular choice

We had heard that the Steelers liked Pat Freiermuth enough to consider him in the first round had Najee Harris not been available to them. Instead, Pittsburgh ran to the podium when he was available with the 55th pick in the second round. This would have certainly been a stretch to me. While I think Freiermuth is a quality tight end, I’m not sure he really has one trait that is special.

Freiermuth didn’t work out this offseason due to a shoulder injury, but we can tell by watching him on tape that he isn’t a phenomenal athlete, and he doesn’t have the speed that many of today’s NFL tight ends possess. In addition, he had a small route tree at Penn State and his blocking technique needs to be refined. What I do like about him is that he’s got great size for the position and he isn’t lacking in physicality – something Pittsburgh always puts an emphasis on.

It was interesting that Pittsburgh valued him above a player like Creed Humphrey at the center position; however, they would prove to address this need one round later. Pat Freiermuth is a solid player who can be a mid-level starting tight end, but I think he has been a little overhyped this offseason.