After roughly two weeks since the start of free agency, the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2021 NFL Draft plan is starting to take shape. With the limited amount of cap space they have to work with for the rest of free agency, you can expect any of the next free agent signings to be cheaper depth options who won't impact their strategy. Below are my Top 3 positions of need in the draft for the Steelers, which are not necessarily the positions they should target in the first round.
1. Center
It is my personal belief that it would be a costly mistake for the Steelers to head into the season with just JC Hassenauer and BJ Finney battling to be the starting center. Hassenauer was underwhelming in the handful of action he saw in 2020. My biggest concern is his size, listed at 6'2" 295lbs, Hassenauer had his worst games where he saw the most snaps giving the notion the game might be too much to handle down the stretch. It doesn't help he is undersized on a line that struggled to be people movers in the run game. Finney, although his track record with the Steelers was positive, had a poor track record in 2020 as well. He failed to see the field for the Seattle Seahawks, thus resulting in his trade to the Cincinnati Bengals where he didn't see the field either. Both were teams who had big question marks on their offensive line. It surely wouldn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling if the Steelers neglected this position. Lucky for them, this position has a good amount of depth where they could snag a Day 1 starter in the first 4 rounds.
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2. Running Back
This is the position I would go with first if I am the Steelers. They need the next running back they draft to be an absolute home run, someone who can be a true three down back. Benny Snell, while I love his toughness and bruising style, I just don't think can elevate to another tier. He lacks breakaway speed and there are questions about his vision. I love him as a change of pace/goal line back but from the 20-yard line to the 20-yard line, I lack confidence. Anthony McFarland struggled to show why the Steelers drafted him in the fourth round in 2020. He was unable to show off the game breaking speed that got him drafted. He may need time to adjust but the Steelers need someone right now. I think I echo the sentiment of the organization as Head Coach Mike Tomlin and General Manager Kevin Colbert were both present at the Clemson Pro Day with eyes on Travis Etienne, arguably the top running back in this class. Tomlin and Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada even had a Zoom call with Etienne on how he could possibly fit within Canada's new offense. The Steelers also have interest in the other guy considered the best back in this class, Alabama running back Najee Harris. During the Senior Bowl as well as Alabama's first Pro Day this past week, the one where Harris' flight got delayed and he drove nine hours to support his teammates, Tomlin and company were in attendance. The reason I say this is their first round pick, if you look at their draft history since 2016, they have drafted a running back in rounds 3-5 every year. The position is usually a dime a dozen and they did hit with James Conner, maybe not the boom they wanted, but he didn't stop the revolving door. They can't risk missing out on one of the top guys given their track record of drafting running backs lately.
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3. Tight End
They have Eric Ebron and that is it, not literally but you get my point. Ebron, a player who's positivity I truly enjoy, struggles at blocking, that isn't a secret. So if the Steelers want to actually succeed in running the ball this season, they are going to have to find a tight end in the draft who can block. Ebron is a great receiver and a hell of a mismatch with defenders, I even think he would star as a TE2 in 12 personnel where he can line up in the slot or as the second tight end on a side. The Steelers just need to have the ability to have one tight end on the field and not lose a blocking threat. They also cannot regress to the tackle eligible phase. The Steelers need to spend Day 2 draft capital on this position if they want a chance of finding our tight end of the future. If not, it could be another swing and miss.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? What are the most important positions the Steelers need to address? Drop a comment below!
