Predicting each rookie’s chances of making Steelers roster in 2021

TE Pat Freiermuth: 100%

I have to admit, drafting a player that suffered a shoulder injury, played just 4 games in 2020, and did no athletic testing prior to the NFL Draft is a bit concerning. However, Pat Freiermuth’s red flags certainly aren’t going to prevent him from being a roster lock on the Steelers in 2021.

For years, Pittsburgh has been hurting for talent at the tight end position. After Heath Miller’s retirement at the age of 33 back in 2015, the Steelers tried to fill the void with players like Ladarius Green and Vance McDonald. Both players showed some promise in their own right, but injuries were the stories of their careers. Eric Ebron probably isn’t a long-term answer for this team, and Freiermuth could prove to be the best tight end in black and gold as early as his rookie season.

C Kendrick Green: 100%

There are three players the Steelers drafted that quite literally are roster locks this year. Kendrick Green is the third. Green is an undersized, but athletic interior offensive lineman who will make the switch to center full-time for the Steelers. Though he has three years of Big Ten experience, he has just a few hundred total snaps at the center position.

Still, the Steelers really liked Green – so much so that they took him over a player like Quinn Meinerz in the third round. With his foot quickness and athletic traits, he shares many similarities with former Steeler Maurkice Pouncey, and Green should fit like a glove in Matt Canada’s zone offense. Green will have a chance to crack the starting lineup as a rookie.