2021 NFL Draft grades: Biggest winners and losers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are committed to propping a 39-year-old Ben Roethlisberger up at quarterback for one more season, and after his precipitous decline over the second half last season, added a pair of dynamic playmakers to his supporting cast for 2021 during this draft.
Najee Harris has the chance to compete for Offensive Rookie of The Year, but more importantly take significant pressure off Roethlisberger. Harris is a slasher as a runner, and versatile contributor on offense, who averaged 5.8 yards per carry last season and also caught 43 of 53 targets for 425 yards and four touchdowns to go with his 1,466 rushing yards and 26 scores.
Later, the Steelers nabbed Penn State Football tight end Pat Freiermuth, who didn’t drop a pass in the red-zone during three seasons in Happy Valley and is a big-play threat down the seam as well as a willing blocker.
Both Harris and Freiermuth should benefit from the space created by Dionte Johnson, Chase Claypool, and JuJu Smith-Schuster at wide receiver, and found out a high-powered supporting cast around Roethlisberger.
Grade A-
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns’ defense barely breathed on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the AFC Divisional Playoffs back in January, and general manager Andrew Berry clearly has used that performance as an offseason measuring stick.
Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome at No. 26 overall immediately steps in on the outside, opposite former No. 4 overall pick Denzel Ward forming an insanely athletically gifted secondary. Last season, Newsome only allowed 10 receptions on 35 targets, intercepted a pass and didn’t surrender a touchdown. Good lucking throwing to the perimeter against this Browns secondary.
Friday night, in Round 2, Berry added another piece on defense, Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, viewed by some as the most gifted WILL in this class. In two seasons in South Bend, Owusu-Koramoah produced seven sacks and generated 26 pressures. This pick was clearly made with making life even marginally more difficult on Mahomes, should these teams meet again in the postseason.
Based on the Browns’ aggressiveness in free agency, and the talent Berry has added this weekend, Cleveland feels like a safe bet to at least return to the AFC Divisional round in 2021 and perhaps are now best-suited to challenge the Chiefs on the road to the Super Bowl.