Steelers Pre-Senior Bowl 7-Round 2021 NFL Mock Draft

After an AFC North division title, the Steelers are in a precarious position towards the NFL Draft. With the Browns handing them a difficult loss in the Wild Card Round, the Steelers’ Super Bowl window is closing. They have several vital free agents who will leave and only a limited amount of space to work with that off season. In this Pittsburgh Steelers 7-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft, I will try to navigate the muddy waters that will enter this offseason.

Ben Roethlisberger seems to be at the bottom, although he can still run again. Leading free agents, including Bud Dupree, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Alejandro Villanueva, Cameron Sutton, James Conner, Tyson Alualu and others can hit the market, and holes in this team can be plentiful.

However, with the news that Roethlisberger is likely to return, in addition to the elevation of quarterback coach Matt Canada to offensive coordinator, there are clear signs of draft and upheavals. In this class, they try to build around a designed core.

Steelers Pre-Senior Bowl 7-Round 2021 NFL Mock Draft

• Round 1, pick 24: Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama
• Round 2, choose 55: Creed Humphrey, OC, Oklahoma
• Round 3, pick 87: Amari Rodgers, WR, Clemson
• Round 4, choose 118: Kylin Hill, RB, Mississippi State
• Round 4, choice of combination: Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan
• Round 6, choose 188: William Bradley-King, EDGE, Baylor
• Round 6, choice of combination: Aaron Banks, OG, Notre Dame
• Round 7, choose 209: Quintin Morris, TE, Bowling Green
• Round 7, choose 218: Justin Hilliard, LB, Ohio State

Steelers 2021 NFL Mock Draft pick-by-pick analysis

Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama

A senior guest at the Bowl, Alex Leatherwood is a name that will sound familiar to many people. Its propaganda train is the one that has been growing in recent years.

For the Steelers, that choice makes a lot of sense. Villanueva and Matt Feiler are likely to leave the team through a free agency this off-season. However, even with that in mind, the Steelers’ weakness this season was their offensive line. While pass protection did an excellent sustaining job, the Steelers were the league’s worst race lock unit.

Related | Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama – NFL draft player profile

Leatherwood immediately comes on board and helps to correct this problem. In addition, when it comes to the race blocking problem, Leatherwood is big, powerful and aggressive. Therefore, the combination of these three characteristics creates a perspective that will move the guys.

Leatherwood is polished and a real plug-and-play on the left tackle on the first day. However, it comes with the added luxury of positional flexibility, as it also has extensive guarding experience. In this 7-round Steelers Mock Draft, they pull the trigger on Leatherwood.

Creed Humphrey, OC, Oklahoma

The focus on the offensive line and the racing game, in general, has to be clear in this off-season. Roethlisberger is not the previous quarterback and can no longer carry a team on his back. The environment around you should improve to help facilitate your best self. With their best friend and longtime player, Maurkice Pouncey, potentially calling it a career, the Steelers have a gap to fill.

As such, type Creed Humphrey. Humphrey is a prospect that will confuse some fans. Listen, he’s not going to give you the flashy pancakes that end up on the highlight rolls. However, what Humphrey brings to the table is stability. He’s big, strong, smart and precise in everything he does. Essentially, Humphrey is a commander and an excellent communicator.

Thus, he is already a somewhat veteran presence. He may not be the best athlete, but he is not a loss either. Humphrey is an easy choice in this 7-round Steelers 2021 NFL Mock Draft.

Amari Rodgers, WR, Clemson

I’m sure this one will turn heads, given the Steelers’ needs. Will I really select another receiver on Day 2?

The answer is yes. In this 7-round Steelers Mock Draft, they attack a wide receiver for two reasons. One, Smith-Schuster could walk in this off-season. If that happens, it leaves an awkward alignment of receivers left in the room. Second, this team needs more speed and YAC skill in the room.

Related | Amari Rodgers, WR, Clemson – NFL Draft Player Profile

These characteristics are precisely what Amari Rodgers brings to the table. A true slot receiver, Rodgers can take on the role of Smith-Schuster, but take a turn. Instead of a big role in the slot machine, which Chase Claypool can fill when asked, Rodgers adds another YAC threat to complement Diontae Johnson. Rodgers reminds me of Deebo Samuel. The fit with the Canadian attack and the jet sweeps is a glove-like fit. Rodgers can step in and add another dimension to the Steelers’ attack around Roethlisberger.

Kylin Hill, RB, Mississippi

The choice of running back is finally here! The Steelers can get one before that, but the value on the other teams was too much to pass on. Therefore, it is better to settle for what is available to the Steelers. With an uninspiring running back room, possibly losing James Conner on top of that, they have to choose a running back at some point in this draft. Kylin Hill could be that guy.

Honestly, what intrigues me the most about Hill is how he makes chicken salad with chicken shit so often. The hill is bricked and shredded. He invites contacts and punishes defenders in the hole. Still, another important thing is that Hill impacts the reception game. Hill may not come in and be a leader right back, but he may well emerge as that guy at the end of the year.

Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan

Steelers’ fourth cornerback is solid on paper when entering this Steelers 7-round Mock project. However, Mike Hilton and Sutton are free agents this year. Consequently, they are likely to lose one of these guys, and Joe Haden is not getting any younger. James Pierre’s promise and Justin Layne’s potential are great, but you can never have enough cover corners in a team.

Ambry Thomas it was an exclusion option this season that should interest the Steelers. He can really get there and be bad at press coverage. It seems to be where Thomas feels most comfortable.

Fortunately, he doesn’t get lost in covering the area. There is a feeling for route combinations within Thomas. In addition, Thomas has the IQ of football and the speed to get where he wants and play with the ball. Add in your ball skills and Thomas is a solid cornerback option in the fourth round.

William Bradley-King, EDGE, Baylor

With Bud Dupree likely to leave, the Steelers will need to add someone to their edge depth. Alex Highsmith is an excellent starter, but they can’t have him and TJ Watt on the field in 95 percent of the snaps. So William Bradley-King makes sense for the Steelers in this simulated Steelers 7-round project.

Related | William Bradley-King, EDGE, Baylor – NFL draft player profile

Bradley-King fits what the Steelers like about their top guys. It is tense, long and touches violently. Most importantly, Bradley-King has a number of moves that he can deploy. Bradley-King is heavy and punches. Therefore, he can win with normal speed rush and dip-rip or with his hands. The club’s ripping play is great in his arsenal. Bradley-King goes early in a typical edge class, but a deep edge class helps the Steelers to bring a guy like him here.

Aaron Banks, OG, Notre Dame

Following the same theme of attacking the offensive line, Aaron Banks is a true blue brand for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A people mover and mauler, Banks has the mindset that made fans fall in love with Kevin Dotson in 2020.

In addition, he is the guy who will put the opponent’s defensive striker straight on the ground. Banks is just a good football player who can overcome his draft position. In this Steelers 7-round NFL Draft Mock, Banks adds additional guard depth behind Dotson and David DeCastro.

Quintin Morris, TE, Bowling Green

In the seventh round, you look for a guy with an advantage. For example, Steelers especially need this in their tight end room. With the disappearance of one by Vance McDonald or Eric Ebron, the Steelers need to invest in this room to some extent. Undoubtedly, it can come before that, but they wait until later in this draft, given the way the stock fell.

And hey, Quintin Morris is a beautiful consolation prize. Essentially, Morris is totally optimistic. A former basketball player, Morris has legitimate speed, and like an F-receiver or even a flex-Y, Morris fits the Steelers’ attack perfectly. Above the rim, Morris is consistent, thanks to his basketball experience. Even as a blocker, Morris grew with his intensity and use of his hands. In this Steelers 7-round Mock Draft, they bet on continuous improvement and Morris characteristics.

Justin Hilliard, LB, Ohio

The depth of the Steelers linebacker has been decreasing this season. In addition, they are likely to lose Avery Williamson to the free agency. This is a position in which they need some depth, despite flashes from Marcus Allen and Robert Spillane.

Thus, Justin Hilliard is a solution to help alleviate these problems a little. From the point of view of pure impact, Hilliard is an excellent tackler and will contribute in special teams. You can never have enough solid contributors on special teams.

More importantly, Hilliard went downhill to make plays in the backfield to close the gaps. In addition, it shows some side to side stripe. Hilliard plays hard and has characteristics that go with it. Thus, the Steelers will love you.