With the Steelers season wrapped up, here is a reflection and re-draft of the Steelers 2021 draft class.
The Steelers had one of the more productive draft classes from 2021, but even with the heavy number of snaps, the team still could have done better. While the team saw some production from their picks, major holes were still present on the team, mainly along the offensive line.
With the offseason now underway, it seemed like a good time to reflect and see what the team could have done better. Here is a re-draft of the Steelers 2021 NFL selections.
Steelers Round 1:
Original Pick: Najee Harris, RB
Re-Draft Pick: Creed Humphrey, IOL
While Najee Harris has been a tough runner and a productive pick, the Steelers have seen some horrible play from their line, and mainly from their center position. While Harris should become one of the better backs in the league, the best choice here for the team is clear. Creed Humphrey wouldn’t have just filled the team’s biggest need; he would have brought his dominant play to a team that has lacked it along the line.
Creed Humphrey hasn’t just been one of the top rookie players in the league, he has consistently ranked as one of the top centers in the whole league. He has paved the way for a potent Chiefs passing attack and has helped open more holes in the running game. He is already playing at an elite level and his career has only just begun. Considering just how bad the center play has been for the Steelers this season, adding Humphrey in the first round is a must.
Steelers Round 2:
Original Pick: Pat Freiermuth, TE
Re-Draft Pick: Pat Freiermuth, TE
With center taken care of and running back planned out for later, Pat Freiermuth is a pretty easy keep in this draft. While he hasn’t been flashy, his throwback, physical play style has already earned the admiration of Steelers nation. He can chip in as a blocker, make the tough catches, and has been a great red-zone threat for the team.
Tight end was an underrated need heading into the 2021 draft. Eric Ebron was set to play one last year with the team and rookie tight ends typically need a season or two to develop before they can be counted on to start. This seemed likely for Freiermuth as well, as he was a junior at Penn St. and had been injured in his last season, limiting his overall play. That said, he has come on strong this season and is primed to be a security blanket for the next quarterback.
While the tight end isn’t a vital position, Freiermuth has more than earned his spot on the roster so far. He will likely be the starter for the next five to six seasons at least, and he can still develop more as a blocker to further add to his value. This has been the team’s best pick of the draft so far. Freiermuth should be a fixture in this offense for the next few seasons and is easily worth the second-round pick.
Steelers Round 3:
Original Pick: Kendrick Green, IOL
Re-Draft Pick: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR
Even if the Steelers hadn’t landed Humphrey in this re-draft, there is no way that I would have kept Kendrick Green in this draft. Simply put, there is next to no reason to bring him along. For every positive trait, he has two equally negative ones. While he can still develop as a pro, his size can’t change, and he looks overmatched along the line. While it is too early to call him a bust, Green will almost certainly be on a short leash next season.
Amon-Ra St. Brown wasn’t an instant star in the league, but he has come on in a major way for the Lions in recent weeks. Playing almost exclusively out of the slot, St. Brown has become a major threat for that offense and has a bright future on a team that should be adding a lot of talent this offseason. Had he been the pick for the Steelers, he could have been penciled in to be the starting slot receiver for 2022 and beyond.
While the receiving room was filled before the draft, injuries quickly made this team shallow at the position. Had St. Brown been drafted, he could have filled right in for JuJu Smith-Schuster after he was lost for the season. This offseason, the team will likely have to add two capable receivers. St. Brown would have given this offense another threat and would have made the team better for 2022.
Steelers Round 4:
Original Pick: Dan Moore, OT
Re-Draft Pick: Dan Moore, OT
This is a tough one, as the Steelers already spent high capital to land a lineman and will spend some more in the draft in the later rounds (more on that next). While Dan Moore has been far from perfect, he has shown steady progression through the year. This was highlighted against the Browns in week 17, as he consistently held Myles Garrett in check.
Moving forward, Moore should be penciled in as the team’s next left tackle. He will have a full offseason to add some strength and refine his technique. With so many other questions surrounding this offensive line, keeping Moore around and being able to rely on him in 2022 will be huge. It has been an impressive stretch for Moore so far and he is worth the pick in the fourth round.
Original Pick: Buddy Johnson, ILB
Re-Draft Pick: Nate Hobbs, CB
One of the Steelers’ biggest needs in the draft was a slot cornerback, yet they ignored the position almost entirely, spending a seventh-round pick on a safety with the hope he could play in the slot. This has led to the team relying on Arthur Maulet to be the top slot option, and while his run defense is fine, his coverage is below-average. Picking Nate Hobbs would have solved all of those issues.
Hobbs is already in the conversation as one of the best slot cornerbacks in the league. He has been dynamic in coverage and has been a physical threat in run defense and blitzing the quarterback. He is a complete package and would have been a huge boost to this defense. He does have some off-the-field issues by way of a DUI and a weird incident where he was sleeping in his car, but in the fourth round taking a risk on Hobbs would be well worth it.
Steelers Round 5 and 6:
Original Pick: Isaiahh Loudermilk, DE
Re-Draft Pick: Elijah Mitchell, RB
With the team solidifying their offensive line in this draft with Humphrey, now is the time to select their running back. Elijah Mitchell burst onto the scene with some dynamic plays early in the season, leapfrogging third-round pick Trey Sermon. He has everything you want in a back: good speed, a tough attitude, and the ability to make a defender miss.
The only real issue with Mitchel is his ability to stay healthy. He only played in 11 games this season as he struggled to stay healthy consistently this season. That said when on the field, Mitchel has been arguably the second-best rookie running back. He gets the nod with the best center in the draft as opposed to a better back in Harris but a horrible center in Green.
Original Pick: Quincy Roche, EDGE
Re-Draft Pick: Trey Smith, IOL
Let’s get this out of the way early, I think the Steelers regret releasing Quincy Roche at this point, as the rookie has been productive in a reserve role with the Giants. That said, even knowing his role, the team would have to select Trey Smith here. The rookie guard has completed an impressive rebuild of the Chiefs offensive line, and he has been one of the best interior linemen in this draft class.
While not known at the time, David DeCastro was set to be cut shortly after the draft. While Trai Turner has been ok in his place, he isn’t a long-term solution. Add in the injuries this group has suffered (John Leglue, the team’s fifth guard, is starting), and having Smith would have been a huge win. He, Humprey, and Moore would have provided three young linemen to build around for the next stage of the Steelers.
Steelers Round 7:
Original Pick: Tre Norwood, DB
Re-Draft Pick: Tre Norwood, DB
The last of the original picks, Tre Norwood has had an up and down rookie season, but overall, his play easily warrants the seventh-round pick. He has been versatile and has served as a chess piece for the dime defense. He has exceeded expectations and has done well at just about every position except for free safety.
While Hobbs would be the designated slot cornerback, Norwood would be able to play as the dime defender in a more permanent role. Long term, he likely won’t be a starter for this defense, but he should be able to fill in at multiple positions. He has been a solid pick, and for a seventh-rounder with little fanfare, he has far exceeded expectations.
Original Pick: Pressley Harvin, P
Re-Draft Pick: Naquan Jones, NT
While Naquan Jones ultimately fell out of the draft, he would be a far better pick for the Steelers in the final round of the draft. His poor testing led to him falling out of the draft, but he has played far better than most expected him to. He has become the starting nose tackle for the Titans and has been productive.
Compare that to Pressley Harvin, who has been wildly inconsistent as a punter, and there is no debate here. Jones is already looking like a relative steal as an undrafted rookie, and Harvin may not even be on the roster next season. While Jones isn’t some sort of dynamic talent, he is a steady presence and could have started at nose tackle this season.
The Steelers had a decent draft overall, but with the season now over, it seems like a good time to reflect on the 2021 draft class. The team did make some mistakes, and these corrections would benefit the team. What do you think of this redraft? Comment below with what you like or dislike about this redraft.