With the 2021 NFL Draft fast approaching, it is a good time to take a step back from looking at just individual players and instead look at position groups as a whole. The depth and talent at each position varies year by year, so each draft will have certain players taken earlier or later than expected due to the value the Pittsburgh Steelers may or may not be able to get later in the draft.
Here we are taking a deeper look into the running back position for the upcoming draft.
Top Tier Talent: B-
This grade isn't necessarily reflective of the talent that is at the top of this draft class, but the lack of early round talent in it as a whole. There may only be three total running backs selected in the first two rounds of this draft, as well as a chance no running back is selected in the first round all together.
There is also no elite talent in this group, even though there are some really good early round options. There is no Saquon Barkley or Ezekiel Elliott among them however, which should give the Steelers some caution when looking at this position early in the draft to make sure they have the guy they want.
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Middle Round Talent: B+
There are several solid options that can become lead backs in the NFL who are projected to be selected in the middle rounds of this year's draft. Teams that wait until later in Day Two or early in Day Three likely will be happy they did, as a lot of the guys selected in this range are likely to become a #1 back for their team.
If the Steelers elect to wait until the middle of the draft to select a running back, they will likely be pleased with the production they're able to get out of him.
Late Round Talent: B-
When teams look to add a player late in the draft, they tend to focus more on individual traits a player can build on. In this draft, a lot of the backs that are expected to be drafted later are more average backs who are well rounded vs. guys with great speed or bruising size.
While the Steelers have a couple guys on the roster who have strong individual traits, they don't appear to have a back currently on the roster that has shown to be a good every down back. If they select a running back in this draft it would be wise for them to spend an earlier pick on one due to the lack of upside that appears to be available late in the draft.
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Potential Early Round Targets: Najee Harris, Travis Etienne, Javonte Williams
All of the potential targets are very different runners, but it is anyone's guess who the Steelers and their new offensive coordinator Matt Canada will prefer. Harris and Etienne likely have to be taken with their first round pick if they're the Steelers choice, but there is a chance Williams will be available there in round 2 when the Steelers come back on the clock.
Potential Mid-Round Targets: Trey Sermon, Michael Carter, Khalil Herbert, Kenneth Gainwell
The Steelers could definitely get someone in the middle rounds who can step in and contribute early in the season. Both Sermon and Herbert are well rounded backs who possess great contact balance, while Gainwell and Carter are both exceptional in the passing game, and they are capable of running between the tackles as well. There is some really good value here with some of these guys being able to be had as late as round 4.
Potential Late Round Targets: Kylin Hill, Elijah Mitchell, Pooka Williams Jr., Rhamondre Stevenson, Chuba Hubbard
Above are the guys who all have some unique skill sets that if utilized correctly by the Steelers, can really cause a defense headaches. Both Hill and Stevenson are incredibly violent runners who just punish defenders, while Mitchell and Williams Jr. are both burners that can take it to the house on any play. There are some interesting options late in the draft, but they are far from a sure thing that will fix the Steelers running game in 2021.
Overall the 2021 Draft Class possesses some good players at the running back position that can help the Steelers improve upon their miserable performance running the ball in 2020. However, they might not want to wait too long as the middle round running backs may be gone sooner than expected with lack of options to contribute early being available late in the draft.
Let us know if you think the Steelers will target a running back in the 2021 NFL Draft and where you see them looking to draft one!
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