The Steelers have gotten a lot of play out of their rookie class, but the team missed out on these four rookie gems.
The Steelers have seen their rookie class play an unprecedented number of snaps so far this season. While most of their players have done well, the rest of the league has also unearthed some gems in the middle and late rounds of the draft. Had the team found a way to land these gems, they would have been all the better for it.
Here are four rookies that the Steelers missed out on from the 2021 draft.
Steelers missed on Mitchell
Drafted 194th overall
To be clear up front, these rookies that the Steelers missed out on aren’t indicative of the team’s current rookies being bad, but there could have been better options to be had. For example, Najee Harris has looked good as a rookie so far, but the 49ers have gotten a far better value pick in Elijah Mitchell. The sixth-round pick has been electric when on the field and has run with a good blend of speed and power.
Even if the Steelers had kept Harris as their first pick (the final rookie on this list will make the argument otherwise), the team could have still used a backup like Mitchell. The team saw just how shallow their running back room was after Harris went down. The team wasn’t confident in any of their backups to try and run late in the game against the Chargers. It made the offense predictable.
Mitchell would have been a great pick even with Harris serving as the lead back. The Steelers would have been able to design their offense around pounding the rock more, and even if Harris had to miss a few snaps, the running game wouldn’t have missed a beat. Again, the final rookie on this list will make the argument that he should have been the pick over Harris, but even if you keep him in the first, Mitchell would have been a valuable addition.
Steelers missed on Smith
Drafted 226th overall
The question was never talent with Trey Smith, it was fit and health for the former Tennessee tackle. Smith was seen as one of the top prospects in the nation before a heart issue set him back. He was cleared to play, and he did well in his final season with the volunteers, but the needed move to guard caused more questions for the lineman. That said, him falling to the sixth round was a shock, to say the least.
Now, at the time, the Steelers appeared to be set at guard, as David DeCastro and Kevin Dotson were set to start. An unfortunate foot injury led to the release of DeCastro though, and while Trai Turner hasn’t been bad in his place, having a young stud like Smith would give the team a brighter future along the interior of the line.
Given that Smith was a late sixth-round pick though, the Steelers wouldn’t have drafted him with the expectation of him starting. When the eventual DeCastro release occurred, Smith would have been waiting to take on the starting role. Already, Smith is seen as one of the premier guards in the league and is talented when on the move. The team really missed here, especially considering the fact that the team needed some talent along their offensive line this offseason.
Steelers missed on Hobbs
Drafted 167th overall
The Steelers defensive backs have been put to the test so far this season. Losses in the offseason and injuries this year have left this group depleted at times. Nate Hobbs has been one of the bright rookie defensive backs this season. He has shifted comfortably inside to the slot for the Raiders, and he has been a consistent and steady presence there ever since.
Longtime Steelers slot cornerback Mike Hilton left for the Bengals in the offseason, leaving a gaping hole there for this season. While Arthur Maulet and Tre Norwood have done ok there, the constant rotation has been tough at times on the defense. Hobbs would have been able to start there from day one as he has done with the Raiders.
Hobbs has been that utility player for the Raiders defense that the Steelers are lacking. He can cover, can blitz, and is a solid tackler from his slot spot. He has also contributed heavily on special teams for the Raiders, further adding to his value as a player. While Norwood has been a solid rookie addition, Hobbs would have been a more valuable starter far earlier for the team. He would have been a steal in the fifth round.
Steelers missed on Humphrey
Drafted 63rd overall
The Steelers had an obvious hole at center this offseason after Maurkice Pouncey retired, and they seemed to have focused in on landing Kendrick Green as their center of the future in the draft. While Green has shown some positive traits, he has struggled with both snapping the ball and gaining leverage after the snap. Due to this focus on Green in the draft, the team missed out on the current highest-rated rookie and highest rated center in the NFL in Creed Humphrey.
While both Harris and Pat Freiermuth have played well so far, neither of them have been as good as Humphrey. Neither filled as big of a hole either. Humphrey should have been the Steelers first-round pick this year. While Harris has looked good, getting an elite center would have been the better value. A player like Mitchell later in the draft behind Humphrey would have been better for the team.
This may honestly be a draft move that the Steelers are kicking themselves over for the next few years. Humphrey has been elite early in his career, and a line that is lacking a top player could have used a dynamic center like Humphrey. There isn’t an area of his game that the rookie struggles with either. He is a complete player and would have been a huge addition to the roster had he been drafted.
While the Steelers’ rookie class has been solid so far, they clearly missed out on these four draft picks. Two of them in particular would have been additions to the offensive line that has been lackluster so far this season. Be thankful for the class that the team got, but always remember that there were some players that were missed out on.