Steelers Mock Draft 1.0: Pittsburgh Addresses Offensive Line Issues Early
It's time to start thinking NFL Draft and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
I'm sad to report: There are no more football games to be played. Super Bowl LV was undoubtedly a let-down for 31 fan-bases in the NFL, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ran away in a game that frankly wasn't close after the first quarter.
However the cookie crumbled, all 32 teams are now officially in offseason mode.
With every year in the league, the time period between the Super Bowl and opening night of the following season will be filled with storylines thanks to free agency, the NFL Draft and everything in-between. 2021's version of that features a handful of franchise quarterbacks potentially on the move, headlined by the saga between Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans organization.
Although the spotlight won't exactly be on the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team indeed enters their own offseason full of questions. We still haven't heard anything official on the status of Ben Roethlisberger/Maurkice Pouncey's potential retirements, the offensive line needs a massive overhaul and the likes of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Bud Dupree appear all but set to see if the grass is indeed greener on the other side.
With the Senior Bowl already a memory of the past and no official NFL Combine set to take place this year, the likelihood of the 2021 NFL Draft going to plan (prediction wise) appears to be slim to none.
That makes for a fun task when completing mock drafts, such as my first of the year. I would lead you down the road of what went into the process of each pick, but similar to articles you click on for cooking/baking recipes, you're only here for the nitty-gritty. Nobody cares how you discovered the ingredients on a crisp autumn morning with the window open.
Without further delay, the first of many mock drafts from myself and/or the great people of AllSteelers:
Round 1, Pick 27: Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama
Using the great mock draft machine of Pro Football Network, I was able to sim the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft until it was my turn with pick number 24. Already pre-set on taking the best offensive lineman available, the Baltimore Ravens offered me picks 27/58 for 24/84. Drop down three spots and move up from a third-round pick to a second-round pick? Yes, please.
Trading down or not, you'll see Leatherwood mocked frequently to the Steelers purely based on talent and need, working under the assumption that Alejandro Villanueva is not brought back.
Will the Steelers start both Chukwuma Okorafor and Zach Banner at tackle in 2021? While that remains a possibility, Leatherwood's showing at left tackle in 2020 gives hope he can be a franchise player at the position, while also starting and performing well on the interior of the line during his time at Alabama.
Many will cling to the hope of fellow Alabama teammate Najee Harris landing here. While Harris is a phenomenal running back, a running back at the next level can only be as good as his offensive line is. The Steelers take Leatherwood to start the much-needed youth movement up front.
Round 2, Pick 55: Creed Humphrey, C, Oklahoma
With Maurkice Pouncey on the verge of retirement (nothing is official quite yet, however), the Steelers now have quite the hole in the middle of their offensive line. With J.C. Hassenauer not necessarily impressing in Pouncey's absence, the 2021 NFL Draft presents the perfect opportunity to overhaul what was once considered the league's best offensive line.
Enter: Oklahoma's Creed Humphrey, one of the few prominent left-handed center prospects to enter the draft in recent memory. Also, he took part in one of the best endzone celebrations to date.
Following an impressive Senior Bowl where Humphrey proved himself to be the athletic, body-moving center we saw during his tenure at Oklahoma, Humphrey finds himself as one of the top interior prospects coming into the draft. While Humphrey isn't nearly the prospect Pouncey was entering the draft, the ability to move defensive linemen was sorely missing with or without Pouncey in the lineup last season.
The Steelers find an eventual long-term starter with the first of two second-round picks thanks to the theoretical trade with Baltimore.
Round 2, Pick 58: Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama
I'll be the first to say that I'm a very big fan of Vince Williams. I think his leadership and physicality within the interior of the defense is very welcomed, and there's not many other who love strapping up the pads to wear black and gold like he does.
However, the modern era of football requires extremely athletic linebackers to deal with a variety of offensive issues, from mobile quarterbacks to covering tight ends consistently. While the Steelers have that prized possession in Devin Bush, an athletic upgrade next to Bush may be a possibility in the draft thanks to Williams becoming a popular cap-cut.
Should the Steelers take that route, Alabama's Dylan Moses provides a rangy presence at inside linebacker, with closing speed to track down nearly any ball-carrier. While his pass-coverage skills can use some work, there's no doubting the athletic blueprint to refine those skills exist within Moses.
Moses, who is still fully recovering from a torn ACL in 2019, was looking to be on track to become a first-round pick prior to his injury. While questions still surround Moses about returning to his true form pre-injury, Moses could become the steal of the draft in the later parts of the second-round, while also solidifying Pittsburgh's interior linebacker corps for the foreseeable future.
Round 4, Pick 122: Chuba Hubbard, RB, OK State
A likely future without the likes of James Conner carrying the ball in Pittsburgh, the Steelers are a popular destination for pretty much any running back available. Could the Steelers draft a running back very early in the 2021 NFL Draft? Absolutely.
However, I'm a sucker for positional value, and I also hold the belief that Pittsburgh could find a solid ball-carrier if they just waited a round or two. As it turns out, home-run hitter Chuba Hubbard was available in the fourth round, and I just couldn't pass up on the opportunity to take a running back with tremendous speed and keen vision.
With Benny Snell's power and Anthony McFarland's abilities in the open field, Hubbard fits the mold as a back that sort-of fits between the two current Steelers' running backs.
There's no doubting Pittsburgh needs to run the ball better heading into 2021. With two new pieces added to the offensive line, Hubbard's acceleration and ability to blow past defenders would be a much-welcomed sight in black and gold.
Round 6, Pick 194: Tamorrion Terry, WR, Florida State
With the potential departure of JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency, the Steelers will look to add another wide receiver to the depth chart. The good news? Thanks to a talented receiving corps of Chase Claypool, Diontae Johnson and James Washington, the need to draft a pass-catcher can wait for other positions to be addressed first.
Although the Steelers may not wait until the sixth round to draft a receiver, Florida State's Tamorrion Terry provides an interesting prospect for the Steelers to develop. Terry proved himself to be a valuable deep threat for the Seminoles, showcasing the ability to blow past cornerbacks and take the top off the defense.
Terry's build (6-4, 203 lbs) also provides Pittsburgh with another lengthy pass-catcher, with room to put muscle on and develop into a stellar option to play opposite of Claypool on the boundary.
There's no doubting Pittsburgh's lack of big plays and inability to push the ball downfield hurt the offense last season. Terry's ability to get open deep could be a potential elixir for that problem.
Round 7, Pick 212: Chris Rumph II, EDGE, Duke
You can always use more depth when rushing the passer.
The Steelers found that out the hard way in 2020 after Bud Dupree went down for the season, cycling through unknown depths of the depth chart to put bodies on the field in crucial games down the stretch.
While I'm a big believer in Alex Highsmith and the prospects of him replacing Dupree next year, it's fairly obvious the team needs capable bodies behind Highsmith and T.J. Watt.
You're not going to find a lot of diamonds in the rough here in the seventh-round, yet Rumph's career at Duke displayed some promise in getting to the quarterback. What Rumph lacks in size, he makes up for in effort. Perhaps earning a spot through special teams and learning under one of the best edge rushers in the league would be a solid career for a seventh-round pick.
Round 7, Pick 221: Darren Hall, CB, San Diego State
Similar to the last pick, this is purely based on needing depth at the position.
When cornerback Joe Haden was injured late in the season, Pittsburgh's lack of depth on the boundaries reared its ugly head. Justin Layne looked incapable of being on an NFL field, while James Pierre's inexperience also showed in the few snaps he took.
While Cam Sutton is a solid option to man the boundary when not playing in the slot, the Steelers still need capable bodies in the defensive back's room.
SDSU's Darren Hall is unlikely to emerge as the next Jalen Ramsey. However, I am a fan of his anticipation in reading routes. Pittsburgh seemingly cannot draft useful defensive backs, so I'd much rather them take a stab at one in the last round of the draft rather than waste a pick earlier (that's not great logic, I know).
In reality, cornerback isn't a huge position of need entering the draft, yet the Steelers do need to be weary of how ugly things could get if the injury bug strikes again. Hall adds a bit of potential with low downside if he doesn't pan out.
Donnie Druin is a Staff Writer with AllSteelers. Follow Donnie on Twitter @DonnieDruin, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.
