Pittsburgh Steelers prep for the future in 7-round 2021 NFL mock draft
By Kyle Edmond
Pittsburgh Steelers 7-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft
The upcoming draft will be a pivotal one for the Pittsburgh Steelers and fans of the team should be looking at every 2021 NFL mock draft they can find. From retirements to salary cap issues, sometimes both regrading the same player, the Steelers are nearing a crossroads for the franchise.
They can either ride out the coattails of the last round of success or they can begin building for the future.
The unfortunate reality is that given the state of the team’s cap, it will be increasingly hard to do both. The contract and age of Ben Roethlisberger are weighing heavily on the team, especially with no clear successor on the roster. Other issues, like the retirement of Maurkice Pouncey or players leaving in free agency, will leave this roster with multiple holes entering this 2021 NFL mock draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will enter this year’s draft with eight selections currently. Note: This mock draft was completed using The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Machine.
Pittsburgh Steelers 2021 mock draft: Round 1, Pick 24
Pick Analysis. QB. Alabama. Mac Jones. 1. Scouting Report. 829. player
The Pittsburgh Steelers have yet to give a strong commitment to Roethlisberger for the upcoming season and with the quarterback carousel that we’re witnessing anything could be on the table for the next man under center in Pittsburgh. However, regardless of whether or not the Steelers stick with Big Ben in 2021, they need to address the future beyond him.
Picking in the bottom half of the first round, there isn’t a guarantee that a top quarterback prospect falls to the Steelers, but here one does. Mac Jones was one of the shocking stories of the 2020 college football season. With a similar playing style to Roethlisberger when he first came into the league, Jones might be the perfect fit for Pittsburgh.
It’s unlike the Steelers to look for a quarterback in the first round. In the team’s history, they’ve selected a total of just six first-round quarterbacks and just three since 1970. However, the landscape of the NFL has shifted and with that Pittsburgh might have to adjust.
Landing Jones increases their chances of sustaining their success exponentially while also having less risk with it being a late-first-round pick.