Predicting which Steelers 2021 rookies will have successful NFL careers
The Steelers went with a position of need approach in the 2021 NFL, but here are the players who could have successful NFL careers.
Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin seem to be incredibly pleased with their draft choices in 2021. Fans and analysts may not like all the selections for various reasons, but in general, most seem satisfied. Interestingly though, when you listen to the general managers on other teams, you hear a lot of the same, or when fans of other teams call NFL radio go on about how this pick or that pick was great.
Hearing how great each team’s draft was can make one think. Yes, on paper, every team’s draft looks great. In reality, a year from now, we will look back and wonder about the draft and say why did they draft that guy. Not just the Steelers; it could be any team. The short of it is not every team’s draft will be as great as they think, while other teams will have struck pay dirt. It’s an inevitable part of football. Even the Steelers, in retrospect, have had some horrible draft years. 1983 comes to mind; 2008 is considered one of their worst.
It will be somewhat fascinating to see who the eventual winners and losers of the 2021 draft will be. We will have to wait until September when the season starts to see how each of the draftees starts panning out.
How many draft choices make the final roster?
In the NFL, according to averages, approximately 41.7% of 7th round draft choices remain on a roster when the season starts. 30% of 6th rounders are gone before the season begins. Two in ten 5th rounders get cut. When it comes to the 1-4th selections, it ranges from 99.7%-91.4%. By year three, nearly half of all picks made in that year’s draft from the 3rd round on are no longer in the NFL. After five seasons, only 70% of 1st rounders remain on a team’s roster, half the 2nd round selections are gone, and less than 20% of players drafted in the 3rd round or later remain for any team.
Since the averages are for the NFL on the whole, by the start of the 2021 season, of 128 players chosen through the first four rounds, 127 should remain. Of the 96 players selected in the 5th round and later, only 67 might stay on a roster
By 2023, of the 224 draft choices, only 124.48 will remain on an NFL roster. Then by 2025, only 61.604 of players drafted five years earlier will remain in the NFL. About two draft choices per team will remain. Looking at it from that perspective shows not every team could have had a great 2021 draft.