3 best moves that Steelers made in the NFL Draft
By John Buhler
The Pittsburgh Steelers made many great picks in the NFL Draft, but these are the best three.
With the 2021 NFL Draft officially over, let’s look back on what the Pittsburgh Steelers did this year.
Pittsburgh added Doak Walker award-winner Najee Harris to the backfield with its first-round selection on Thursday night. With their two picks on Friday, the Steelers added Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth in the second round and Illinois guard Kendrick Green in the third round. When it comes to the three best picks general manager Kevin Colbert made in 2021, here they are.
Pittsburgh Steelers: 3 best picks of the 2021 NFL Draft
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 806. TE. Penn State Nittany Lions (No. 55). Pat Freiermuth. 3. player
Drafting a Penn Stater like Pat Freiermuth is never a bad thing for Pittsburgh
Even though Steelers legend Franco Harris mispronounced his fellow Penn Stater’s surname at the draft podium live from Cleveland on Friday night, there is a halfway-decent chance Pat Freiermuth becomes a stud in this Pittsburgh offense. Though the Steelers are better known for developing wide receivers, look for Freiermuth to benefit from playing alongside those wideouts.
Because Ben Roethlisberger no longer possesses a gun at the quarterback position, having a reliable safety valve at the tight end position is so crucial. While it may take a little while for Freiermuth to get caught up to speed, the Steelers clearly valued his pass-catching ability by taking him inside of the top 60 in the second round. He could be a Week 1 starter for them.
Once the Steelers do finally pivot off Roethlisberger as their franchise quarterback, everybody knows that a tight end is a young quarterback’s best friend. It helps him build confidence in the passing attack before the game finally slows down for him. Look for Freiermuth to help usher in a new era of Steelers football in a few years, as well as help Roethlisberger maybe go out on top.