Pittsburgh Steelers: 2021 NFL Draft positional needs

Pittsburgh Steelers 2021 NFL Draft needs

4. Quarterback*

There is a reason for an asterisk being on this need for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2021 NFL Draft. From recent reports, it seems likely that Ben Roethlisberger will be suited up in a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform this season.

With the reports of the Steelers hiring from within for the Offensive Coordinator spot seems like the chances for Ben coming back are higher than they were once the Browns game ended on Wild Card weekend.

Now for why there is an asterisk — quarterback is still a need for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ben’s contract does expire after the 2021 season and it seems he will not resign once that contract is completed. It seems to be with Josh Dobbs being a free agent this season and Mason Rudolph having mediocre play last year they are not the guys for the future. The real question is do the Steelers like the quarterbacks in this draft class to take one in an early-round or do they want to draft a position that can help right now and worry about the future in 2022?

It is not a crazy idea that the Steelers would take a quarterback in the first round, look at Green Bay who will be competing for a ticket to the Super Bowl this coming weekend and their first selection was Jordan Love who hasn’t even dressed this year.

So it is all on Kevin Colbert and the rest of the Steelers staff to make that decision to take a guy like Mac Jones or Kyle Trask at the 24th pick or trade-up for a Trey Lance for the future of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2021 NFL Draft.

5. Running Back

In the 2020-21 NFL season, the Pittsburgh Steelers ranked dead last at 32 in rushing. Also James Conner their lead back is a free agent this off-season and doesn’t seem like a likely return with an injury-prone backround. Even with him being a beloved Pennsylvania native and playing at Pitt you could likely see the Steelers drafting his replacement in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Behind Conner, you have Benny Snell, the receiving scatback Jaylen Samuels, and the rookie Anthony McFarland. Snell saw most of the action when Conner was hurt for some of the year, but had some flashes of potential and also some signs saying he is not an every-down back.

McFarland saw some action but never really got unleashed to the Steelers fans and definitely a player to watch progress next season. Regardless of the guys there they didn’t show great production as a group which is a key reason why running back is a need in the 2021 NFL Draft for the Steelers.

With a pretty solid class this year for the running back position the Steelers have plenty of choices at the position. They could go first round or trade into early second and select Najee Harris out of Alabama or the electric back from Clemson Travis Etienne.

They can also wait until day two at their pick and go with the promising Javonte Williams to fill that need. The running game helps the pass and if Big Ben does come back they need that element of the offense to flourish to have any type of success next year.