Pittsburgh Steelers prep for the future in 7-round 2021 NFL mock draft
By Kyle Edmond
Round 4, Pick 129
DT. Florida. 4. 840. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Tedarrell Slaton. player
Another pick, another position group that could see multiple players leave in free agency. The Pittsburgh Steelers operate mainly out of a 3-4 base defense, so having big defensive linemen to stop the run specifically is important. They’ve done that in the past, but three defensive linemen could head elsewhere, including starter Tyson Alualu and veteran Chris Wormley.
If the Steelers want a big guy to plug the run, then they might not find a better candidate than Tedarrell Slaton. At 6-foot-5, 340 Slaton would fit the bill for the nose tackle position left behind by Alualu.
On the stat sheet, Slaton didn’t blow anyone away, but still contributed well. Over 38 games at Florida, he totaled 99 tackles, including 10 for loss and 3.5 sacks. He also managed to snag an interception and recover a fumble.
Round 4, Pick 141
Cameron Sample. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. EDGE. Tulane. 4. 2115
With two picks in the fourth round, the Pittsburgh Steelers opt to double-down on the front seven with an edge rusher. While T.J. Watt was impressive this past season, he was even better when Bud Dupree was healthy off the other edge. Like many others on the roster, and what’s becoming a recurring trend here, Dupree is set to become a free agent.
While at Tulane, Cameron Sample put up consistent numbers that showed improvement along the way. During the 2020 season, playing in 11 games, he logged 7.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.
Now, that’s a far cry from what Pittsburgh got from Dupree, but the fact of the matter is that there are going to drop-offs at some positions. With so many possible needs, prioritizing positions will become a must in the upcoming draft.