2021 NFL Draft: Jets, Jaguars make trades in new 2021 NFL mock draft
By Kyle Edmond
Steelers draft nose tackle
Pick Analysis. DT. player. 55. Scouting Report. Washington. Levi Onwuzurike. 31
The Pittsburgh Steelers have had strong defensive lineman for years now. Whether it be Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel or Stephon Tuitt and Cameron Heyward, the defensive line has always been solid. Now with Tuitt and Heyward, Pittsburgh can add another player to the mix to line up between them and replace Tyson Alualu.
For Washington, they’ve become a nose tackle factory of sorts. First, it was Danny Shelton, then Vita Vea and now Levi Onwuzurike. Of those three, Onwuzurike is the smallest at just 6-foot-3, 288 pounds, but he still fits what the Steelers need in the middle of the defensive line.
Onwuzurike has the potential to log a handful of sacks and tackles for loss over the course of the season, but he fills his role in the way of drawing double-teams and opening up the pass rush that comes behind him.
Pittsburgh’s defense is already one of the best in the league, if not the best, and they have the opportunity to make it even better with the addition of a player like Onwuzurike. He can open lanes for T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree to get to the quarterback faster, which is a very scary thought to think about for opposing teams.