Bud Dupree replacements Pittsburgh Steelers can find in NFL Draft

Azeez Ojulari could be the best pass rusher in the entire 2021 NFL Draft

While this may not be the best pass rusher class in recent NFL Drafts, one player who has the potential to be a superstar at the position right around where the Steelers are picking is Georgia Bulldogs outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari. Steelers fans, you have to trust me when I say Ojulari is no Jarvis Jones. Take Leonard Floyd’s athleticism, but with better instincts, and there you have it.

Yes, Ojulari played on a Georgia defense that will see several of his teammates drafted this year, including cornerbacks Tyson Campbell and Eric Stokes. However, Ojulari’s skillset is the one from this Kirby Smart Georgia defense that will translate the quickest and most effectively to the NFL level. His innate abilities to get after the passer and disrupt a quarterback’s timing are remarkable.

Simply put, Ojulari is probably a tad overqualified coming out of Georgia to be a No. 2 pass rusher. However, most NFL teams do not have a superstar at the position group already like the Steelers have in Watt. If any pass rusher drafted by the Steelers was able to get 10 or more sacks during his rookie year, Ojulari would have to be your best bet. The only issue is if he will even fall to them.

There are other teams who may be interested in drafting Ojulari before the Steelers are on the clock. Among those clubs include the Miami Dolphins picking at No. 18 and the Tennessee Titans picking at No. 22. While Miami could entertain potentially drafting Ojulari with their second first-round selection, it would be a shame if Ojulari joined Dupree in Nashville instead of in Pittsburgh.

Overall, the Steelers do not necessarily have to go with a pass rusher at No. 24 to address the position group. They have two other top-100 picks this year at No. 55 and No. 87. Players like Wake Forest’s Carlos Basham Jr., Oklahoma’s Ronnie Perkins and Pittsburgh’s Rashad Weaver could be in the mix for the Steelers with either of their day-two selections this spring as well.

How should the Steelers go about replacing Dupree’s pass-rushing production in the NFL Draft?