3 players Pittsburgh Steelers need to target in 2021 NFL Draft
OT. Alex Leatherwood. . player. 55. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Alabama
On the other side of the trenches, the Steelers may be ready to move on from one if not two reliable veterans who have been key in providing protection for Ben Roethlisberger.
Thirty-two-year-old Alejandro Villanueva is an unrestricted free agent in the offseason and, along with Dupree, is an obvious candidate not to be re-signed in an offseason where all teams are likely to have to make sacrifices.
Right guard David DeCastro is a free agent in 2022 but the Steelers can part with him in 2021 and save over $8 million in cap space, according to Spotrac.
Leatherwood, who eschewed the 2020 draft in favor of another year with the Crimson Tide, has the capability to fill the void left by either having operated at both tackle and guard. He won the Outland Trophy in 2020 for the best interior lineman in the nation, his aggressiveness and success in driving defenders off the ball helping to open running lanes for Najee Harris.
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Concerns over how he deals with twitchier and more flexible pass rushers who can bend around the edge may lead many to tab him as a guard at the next level. Regardless of where they see him playing, the Steelers should take a hard look at Leatherwood when they assess the situation on the offensive line this offseason.