Tag Archives: Buddy Johnson

Grading the Steelers 2021 Draft Five Years Later: Why Pittsburgh’s Playoff Drought Deepened

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The picks are in and we’re in the thick of OTAs. Now it’s time to grade the Steelers draft class.

The Steelers 2021 Draft Class.

Yes, 5 years is a long time to wait to grade a draft class, but if a 5-year wait was right for Chuck Noll, then it’s right for me.

The Steelers 2021 Draft Class was Kevin Colbert’s penultimate one and while this draft wasn’t as bad as some of ones that sandwiched it, that isn’t entirely a good thing. Let’s dive into why.

Pat Freiermuth, Najee Harris, Steelers vs Bears

Pat Freiermuth and Najee Harris represent the yin and yang of the Steelers 2021 Draft Class. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Round 1 Najee Harris – Another Rookie Tease

Critics condemned Colbert and Mike Tomlin for “Wasting a first rounder on a running back” as soon they drafted Najee Harris.

After holding his draft party at a Bay Area homeless shelter, his rookie season suggested Harris could prove the critics wrong. And then some.

Harris played his rookie year behind an offensive line built with spit, duct tape and bubble gum, yet he still rushed for 1200 yards, scored 7 touchdowns and caught 74 passes for 467 yards.

  • Unfortunately, he failed to build on his rookie success.

Yes, he played well in fits and spurts. Yet at other times he subjected us to “Sludge Ball,” resulting in 3rd and longs which the offense couldn’t convert.

Najee Harris, Steelers vs Chargers

Najee Harris breaks one in the 4th quarter. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

That inconsistency makes it easy to forget his 4 consecutive 1000 yard seasons, his additional 1000 yards receiving, 34 touchdowns and 68 consecutive starts. Those numbers show that the Steelers did get some value out of Najee Harris even if his overall draft grade is Disappointment.

steelers, draft, grades, evaluations, bust, Kevin Colbert

True NFL Draft grades only come with years of hindsight

Round 2 Pat Freiermuth – Muuth!

If Najee Harris spent his rookie season teasing that he might live up to his first-round status, Steelers fans watched 2nd round pick Pat Freiermuth during his rookie year and asked if he might be the next Heath Miller.

Pat Freiermuth, Jordan Battle, Steelers vs Bengals, Steelers vs Bengals TNF

Pat Freiermuth stiff arms Jordan Battle en route to the end zone. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Truthfully, Pat Freiermuth hasn’t and will likely never reach that level. Instead, at a time when the Steelers have fielded some outright JV offenses, Freiermuth has always been a consistent Varsity player. Grade: Over Performer

Round 3 Kendrick Green – It Isn’t Easy Being Green

Anyone who ever needs a reminder of why you never want to enter an NFL draft with an absolute need to pick a starter, look no further than Kendrick Green.

Thanks to Maurkice Pouncey’s surprise retirement while the Steelers were in Salary Cap Armageddon the Steelers were forced to draft a starting center in the 2021 NFL draft. So they drafted Kendrick Green.

Kendrick Green struggled until Mike Tomlin benched him for J.C. Hassenauer in week 16. Green made the roster in 2022, but never earned a game day helmet.

The Steelers gave him some work at fullback at St. Vincents in the summer of 2023. But he couldn’t do enough to prove he needed a roster spot, so they traded Green to the Houston Texans where he’s started four games. Grade: Bust

Round 4 Dan Moore – More Than Expected

The Steelers didn’t only need to draft a starting-capable center in the 2021 NFL Draft, they also needed a tackle. So they drafted Dan Moore Jr. in the 4th round. Dan Moore won the left tackle starting job in training camp, and then proceeded to start all but one game for the next four years.

  • Moore suffered growing pains, and could never make the shift to playing right tackle.

But he improved with each passing year, although not enough to deter the Steelers from drafting Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu. But drafting an offensive tackle in the 4th round who becomes an immediate starter and then proceeds to start 66 games is an outstanding success by any measure. Grade: Over Performer

Round 4: Buddy Johnson — The 4th Round Throw Away

As a non-draftnic all Steelers draft picks start with a clean slate. I do listen to experts, but take their wisdom with a grain of salt. Still, the eye rolls that accompanied Buddy Johnson’s pick perked up my ears.

  • And it didn’t take long to understand the eye rolls.

Buddy Johnson appeared in 4 games for the Steelers as a rookie, played 6 defensive snaps and 59 special teams snaps. The Steelers cut him the next summer. So fellow 4th rounder Dan Moore made 66 starts whereas Buddy Johnson played 65 total snaps. Grade: Bust

Round 5: Isaiahh Loudermilk – The Rookie Tease

With no 5th round pick, the Steelers traded their 2022 4th rounder to grab Isaiahh Loudermilk. The Steelers drafted Isaiahh Loudermilk counting on having both Stephon Tuitt and Tyson Alualu.

  • Tuitt never played a down and Alualu was lost after just 6 quarters.

Thanks to those injuries, Loudermilk got playing time immediately. And in hindsight, it is easy to forget that Loudermilk actually had a fairly promising rookie year, batting down 3 passes, and recording a sack while playing 29% of the defensive snaps.

  • But like Najee Harris, Loudermilk failed to build on his rookie year.

He averaged about 19% of the defensive snaps over the next three years, and his career highlight was blocking a field goal in the 2024 Sunday Night Football loss to Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys. The Steelers brought him back for a 5th year, but he got injured after two games. Grade: Disappointment

Round 6: Quincy Roche – The Preseason Flasher

Quincy Roche started the summer off at St. Vincents strong enough for Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell to include him in a group of rookies who were “are rounding out another exceptional draft.”

By summer’s end, the Steelers coaches didn’t quite agree, as they cut Quincy Roche hoping to sneak him on the practice squad.

The New York Giants signed him, and Roche appeared in 14 games, made 3 starts, recording 2.5 sacks.

Alas, he spent his second year bouncing on and off New York’s practice squad and was cut loose in January. The Steelers brought him back to Pittsburgh, but his highlight was getting pancaked during Friday Night Lights by “fullback” Kendrick Green. He got cut 25 days later. Grade: Bust

Round 7a – Tre Norwood – Short-Term Swiss Army Knife

Officially the Steelers drafted Tre Norwood as a safety, but Mike Tomlin immediately labeled him a “Swiss Army Knife” indicating that he’d play both safety and corner. Tre Norwood saw action in all 17 games as a rookie, logging a full third of the defensive snaps.

Tre Norwood tops off Ben Roethlisberger's final game at Heinz Field by intercepting Baker Mayfield's pass after Minkah Fitzpatrick tipped it his way.

Tre Norwood intercepts a Baker Mayfield pass at the end of Ben Roethlisberger’s final game at Heinz Field. Photo Credit: Caitlyn Epee, Steelers.com

While no one was suggesting a name change to Donnie Polamalu or Troy Shell the early returns were good, with Norwood deflecting four passes and hauling in an interception to secure Ben Roethlisberger’s final win at Heinz Field.

Like other members of the Steelers 2021 Draft class, Norwood never sustained his rookie momentum, and was gone after 2022. Grade: Serviceable Pickup

Round 7b:  Pressley Harvin III — Mr. Inconsistency

The Steelers used their final pick in the 2021 NFL Draft on Pressley Harvin III, a punter out of Georgia Tech, hoping to find a long-term upgrade at the position. Pressley Harvin punted for 3 seasons, was good at times, but he lacked consistency and was gone after 2023. Grade: Disappointment.

Steelers 2021 Draft Class Helps Explain, Extend Playoff Drought

When the 2021 Steelers unexpectedly made the playoffs, Jim Wexell’s initial assessment of “another exceptional draft” looked smart. Everyone, except Kendrick Green and Buddy Johnson had shown concrete reasons for hope – as had Roche with the Giants.

  • Sadly, only Pat Freiermuth and Dan Moore built on their rookie success.

The others did enough to hang on as backups, or even starters, but none developed into anything exceptional. In many ways, his draft class was similar to the Steelers 2018 Draft Class, which set the seeds for stagnation.

For its part, the Steelers 2021 Draft Class deepened the roots of the franchise’s current playoff drought by adding players who, with the exception of Freiermuth, never developed into differnece-makers and who instead excelled at being ordinary. Overall grade: C.

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Subtraction & Addition: Steelers 2022 Roster and Practice Squad @ a Glance

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The Pittsburgh Steelers made final cuts reducing their roster to 53 members, but had to do some addition to complement their subtraction.

To shore up the thin depth behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, the Steelers traded a 6th round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft to the Denver Broncos for outside linebacker Malik Reed and Denver’s 7th round 2023 pick.
They also traded a conditional 7th round pick to the Miami Dolphins for offensive lineman Jesse Davis, strengthening what is the weakest area on the depth chart going into the season.

Mike Tomlin

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

Some Surprising Cuts

To get to 53 men the Steelers made a number of surprising cuts Joe Haeg, John Leglue, Buddy Johnson, Marcus Allen, Anthony McFarland, and Justin Layne all got visits from The Turk. As expected, Marcus Allen returned to the 53 man roster after the Steelers put safety Damontae Kazee on the short-term injured reserve list. Anthony McFarland and John Leglue have returned via the practice squad.

Still, considering how versatile he was last season and how frequently he was called into action, Joe Haeg’s departure is a minor surprise as is their decision to part ways so quickly with Buddy Johnson. What’s most surprising about Justin Layne’s dismissal isn’t that the Steelers said goodbye, but rather that he was picked up off of waivers by the New York Giants.

First Look at the Steelers 2022 Roster

Quarterback
Mitch Trubisky
Kenny Pickett
Mason Rudolph
– No surprise for those who understand franchise philosophy.

Running Back
Najee Harris
Benny Snell
Jaylen Warren
Derek Watt
– Tomlin’s decision to revert to a backfield that’s 3 deep is a bit disappointing

Wide Receiver
Diontae Johnson
Chase Claypool
George Pickens
Calvin Austin
Gunner Olszewski
Miles Boykin
Steven Sims
– Sims beats out Tyler Vaughns for the last slot, Boykin’s experience and special teams ability helps him.

Tight End
Pat Freiermuth
Zach Gentry
Connor Heyward
– Excited to see Connor Heyward, but sad to see Kevin Radar go.

Offensive Line
Kendrick Green
Kevin Dotson
Mason Cole
James Daniels
Chukwuma Okorafor
Jesse Davis
J.C. Hassenauer
– Will “New” = “Improved”?

Defensive Line
Cam Heyward
Tyson Alualu
Larry Ogunjobi
Chris Wormley
Isaiahh Loudermilk
Montravius Adams
DeMarvin Leal
– Hopefully Alualu’s health holds

Outside Linebacker
T.J. Watt
Alex Highsmith
Derrek Tuszka
Malik Reed
– Clutch those rosary beads and ask for intercession for Watt and Highsmith’s health

Inside Linebacker
Devin Bush
Myles Jack
Robert Spillane
Mark Robinson
Marcus Allen
– Make or break year for Devin Bush

Cornerback
Cam Sutton
Ahkello Witherspoon
Levi Wallace
James Pierre
Arthur Maulet
– Steelers have invested heavily here. Time to for it to payoff

Safety
Minkah Fitzpatrick
Terrell Edmunds
Tre Norwood
Miles Killebrew
– Losing Kazee is a blow. But let’s hope Norwood can shirk the sophmore slump.

Specialists
Chris Boswell (K)
Pressley Harvin (P)
Christian Kuntz (LS)
– You didn’t remember Kuntz’s name did you? That means he’s doing his job.

Steelers 2022 Practice Squad

Anthony McFarland, Running Back
John Leglue, Offensive Line
Carlos Davis, Nose Tackle
Cody White, Wide Receiver
Hamilcar Rashed, Outside Linebacker
William Dunkle, Offensive line
Ryan McCollum, Offensive line
Elijah Riley, Safety

During COVID-19 the NFL expanded practice squads to 16 and has kept that size, so the Steelers should be adding new players soon.

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Steelers 2022 Draft Needs @ Inside Linebacker – Time to Beat Around the Bush?

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Perhaps no area on the Steelers roster has seen more turmoil over the last 5 years than inside linebacker. That turmoil began with Ryan Shazier’s injury which set off a series of free agent signings, draft day trades, surprise retirements, training camp trades and more free agent signings.

The question is, have the Steelers done enough to address this position, or must they again dedicate draft capital in the position in 2022?

Devin Bush, Darren Fells, Steelers vs Texans

Devin Bush breaks up a touchdown pass intended for Darren Fells. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Steelers Depth Cart at Inside Linebacker: The Starters

3 years ago, before COVID-19 changed our world and Ben Roethlisberger’s elbow surgery accelerated the arrival of his “Life’s Work” Kevin Colbert made a mammoth trade to get Devin Bush.

Devin Bush started his Steelers career with a bang. As a rookie he made 2 interceptions, recovered 4 fumbles and had a sack, while making 109 tackles. More importantly, he did those at critical moments in games, including his touchdown against the Chargers and his forced fumble against the Bengals that Minkah Fitzpatrick recovered, turning the tide in a critical division game.

Bush was back, starting throughout 2021, but he was clearly not the same player. While he did make two sacks and forced a few fumbles, his tackle count was only 79, a sharp drop off from his rookie year.

Expected to start alongside Bush in 2022 is Myles Jack, a free agent signing the Steelers made from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jack brings the Steelers 82 starts worth of experience and should provide much needed stability.

Steelers Inside Linebacker Depth Chart: The Backups

Behind Bush and Jack, the Steelers have Robert Spillane and Marcus Allen, both of whom are returning as restricted free agents. Robert Spillane stepped in for Devin Bush in 2020 and performed far better than anyone had a right to expect.

However, during the 2021 preseason, he struggled in pass coverage, leading the Steelers to trade for Joe Schobert, whom they’ve subsequently waived. Marcus Allen is a converted safety playing inside linebacker who has seen little more than spot duty at his new position. Ulysees Gilbert III is also in the mix, as the 2019 6th round pick finally got healthy enough to see some playing time in 2021.

Finally, the Steelers have Buddy Johnson. The Steelers drafted Johnson in the 4th round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but he only saw spot duty in 2 games.

The Steelers 2022 Inside Linebacker Draft Needs

steelers, draft, needs, priority, 2022 NFL DraftWhat do the Steelers really have in Devin Bush?

Is Devin Bush’s ACL injury, like Rod Woodson’s before him, one of those ACL injuries that takes over a year to heal completely? Or did the Steelers misjudge his talent? Or is it a compilation of both?

Looking beyond Bush, the Steelers also need to ask whether Buddy Johnson can make the 2nd year leap. Given that he was a 4th round draft pick, he wouldn’t have been expected to contribute much, but the fact that Johnson didn’t play much on special teams is worrisome.

Given that Myles Jack is playing on a two year contract and that Devin Bush and Robert Spillane are playing on their final years, the Steelers need at inside linebacker should be considered Moderate-High.

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Still Fretting over Steelers Drafting Najee Harris & Pat Freiermuth? Please, Stop.

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Since we’ve actually reached the month of November (so hard to believe), and the Steelers 2021 regular season is now seven games old, you’d think most folks would have long since forgotten about what took place during the 2021 NFL Draft last spring.

Najee Harris, Steelers vs Browns

Najee Harris goes Air Mail express into the endzone. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune Review

Wrong.

People are still fretting about how the Steelers should have drafted an offensive lineman in the first round and how running backs are a dime a dozen. And even if you’ve now grown to accept the fact that Pittsburgh decided to select Najee Harris, running back, Alabama, 24th, overall, damn it, why didn’t the team take center Creed Humphrey, center, Oklahoma, one round later when he was still ripe for the picking?

Did you see Sunday’s game, a 15-10 victory over the Browns at Cleveland’s FirstEnergy Stadium? Did you witness the powerful runs by Harris and his Walter Payton-like leap into the end zone from about the four-yard line? Did you notice who scored the other touchdown? That’s right, it was Freiermuth. Did you appreciate the body control and the concentration, as he fought off the Browns’ defender, cradled the football and got both feet in bounds before falling to the turf?

A center couldn’t have scored either one of those touchdowns. You might argue that a running back and tight end drafted much lower still may have, but I wouldn’t bet on it.

  • Those two rookies are special. Those two youngsters are studs.

The Steelers were smart in selecting them, and I get the feeling it’s going to continue to pay off for them for quite some time.

As for the offensive line that was very much in need of an infusion of young talent, Kendrick Green, the center Pittsburgh selected out of Illinois in the third round, has been starting since Day 1. Dan Moore Jr., the left tackle drafted out of Texas A&M in the fourth round, surprised everyone with his development over the summer and has also been starting since Week 1.

  • Has Green been pushed around a bit over his first seven games?

Yes, he’s undersized. He’s also green (no pun intended). He barely played center in college. But what I like about Green is that he’s not afraid to push back. Same for Moore, who clearly had his hands full on Sunday while trying to block Myles Garrett (Moore probably wished he had another pair of hands in order to deal with Garrett). But Moore survived. If he can get through a game against perhaps the best edge rusher in the NFL, he can get through anything, right?

So, just to be clear, the Steelers went into the 2021 NFL Draft in need of a running back, a tight end and multiple offensive linemen. They addressed all four areas with their first four picks and all four selections have contributed heavily to the Steelers’ offense through seven games.

  • What more could you ask for?

If that’s not enough, Isaiahh Loudermilk, a defensive lineman who the Steelers traded a 2022 fourth-round pick to the Dolphins in order to draft in the fifth round, is starting to make strides and turn heads. Tre Norwood, a Swiss Army Knife of a defensive back who the Steelers drafted in the seventh round, has been more than a valuable member of the secondary so far in his rookie season. Oh yeah, and Pressley Harvin III, the punter out of Georgia Tech who Pittsburgh also selected in the seventh round, won the job over Jordan Berry in training camp.

Throw in Buddy Johnson, an inside linebacker from Texas A&M who made the team as a fourth-round pick, and that’s quite a successful 2021 draft class. To review: the Steelers 2021 draft class consisted of nine players. Eight made the team, five are already starting (a punter is considered a starter) and seven are contributing heavily.

  • Again, how can you ask for more than that?

It’s time to stop thinking about what the Steelers could and should have done in the 2021 NFL Draft and start talking about what the players they drafted are actually doing.

The end.

 

 

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5 Non-Offensive Line Questions Steelers Must Answer @ Training Camp 2021

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The Pittsburgh Steelers begin training camp today as players have begun working out with their first padded practices coming in a week.

Again, as they did a year ago, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Steelers will not be able to hold training camp at St. Vincents, instead splitting activities between their facility on the South Side and Heinz Field.

  • Unless you’ve been under a rock, the offensive line is the main story line this summer.

With the retirement of Maurkice Pouncey and the departure of David DeCastro, the Steelers will feature an almost completely re-made offensive line. While the offensive line was a liability last season, at least in the running game, cohesion is critical there and any hopes for better season lie with an improve offensive line.

But the development of the offensive line, while critical, is hardly the only pressing issue the Pittsburgh must resolve. Here are 5 others.

Devin Bush,

Steelers Devin Bush on the fields of St. Vincents 2 years ago. Photo Credit: AP, via Yahoo! Sports

1. Who Will Provide Depth at Inside Linebacker?

The news that Devin Bush is back and ready to practice was tempered by the surprise retirement of Vince Williams. The Steelers cut Williams and then welcomed him back on a smaller contract.

  • That move seemed to give the Steelers needed depth on the inside.

Robert Spillane did well enough to earn a starting slot along side Devin Bush, and Williams seemed to be the perfect veteran backup. Instead, he will start “Life’s Work.”

That leaves converted safety Marcus Allen, veteran journeyman Miles Killebrew, 4th round pick Buddy Johnson and Ulysees Gilbert (remember him?) as the primary contenders to replace him. Killebrew is the immediate favorite.

But the Steelers contingency plans to shore up the center of their defense just got more complicated.

2. Can Pittsburgh Escape a Tight Spot @ Tight End?

With Eric Ebron the Steelers are in a “What you see is what you get” position. Ebron is an asset in the Red Zone. He can be an effective receiver – when he catches the ball. As for blocking? Well you or I might be able to do a better job. OR at least make more effort.

With a shaky offensive line, the Steelers need a presence at tight end that can block effectively. They also need someone who can catch underneath passes once wide receivers have stretched the field.

The Steelers drafted Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth in the 2nd round and on paper he should meet that need. Kevin Radar showed himself to be a solid blocker in limited action during 2020. Zach Gentry is at the point in his NFL career where he needs to start replacing potential with production.

3. Can the Steelers Square Their Depth Chart at Cornerback?

In 2020 fielding a competitive defense means fielding 3 starting caliber cornerbacks. The Steelers said good bye to two starters this off season. Cam Sutton has been an under the radar type player for the Steelers for the last two, if not three seasons.

  • The Steelers are betting that he can make the next step.

It says here that the Steelers bet will likely payoff. What about the third and 4th cornerback slots? The Steelers brought in James Pierre last season and thought enough of him to move him ahead of Justin Layne for the playoffs. The decision to part ways with Steven Nelson was as much a vote of confidence in Pierre as it was anything else.

As for Justin Layne, he appears to have escaped legal trouble for his latest off the field incident, but one wonders if he can find the maturity he needs if he hasn’t already. If that’s the case then the Steelers need someone to emerge from the tangle of bodies below this group, be it Shakur Brown, DeMarkus Acy or Stephen Denmark.

4. Who Can Emerge as Defensive Lineman Number 4?

Officially the Steelers remain a 3-4 team, but each season sees the Steelers play in their base defense less and less. Hence, Cam Heyward is listed as a defensive tackle, even though he typically has a linebacker to his left and a defensive lineman to his right.

  • The Steelers caught a break when they got Tyson Alualu back.

But Alualu is 34. Ideally Carlos Davis, Isaiah Buggs, Henry Mondeaux or even rookie Isaiahh Loudermilk, would supplant him as the starter and allow Alualu to become the 4th man in Karl Dunbar’s rotation.

Regardless, the Steelers need to find a 4th man this summer.

5. Who Will Be QB Number 3?

Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph

Ben Roethlisberger and Mason Rudolph on the sidelines at Heinz Field in 2019. Photo Credit: AP via

IF the Steelers are to have ANY chance of making a run at a Super Bowl this season, Ben Roethlisberger quite simply must get more comfortable with the “bionics” of his new arm and thereby improve on his deep and intermediate passes.

  • It really is that simple.

Armed with a new contract, Mason Rudolph will be the Steelers backup quarterback this season. The big question this summer is whether Dwayne Haskins and prove he was worth the flyer the Steelers took on him or whether he becomes a footnote in Steelers history.

This is important, because of Haskins can show himself to be worthy of a roster spot, then he has the physical tools to challenge Mason Rudolph next summer (regardless of whether Roethlisberger retires.)

Haskins was just in the news. Again. At this point there’s nothing to suggest Haskins did anything illegal, but he’s making headlines for the wrong reasons. Again. Something tells me Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin are happy they hedged their bets here.

 

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Its Too Early for Results, but Steelers Strategy in 2021 NFL Draft was Sound

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After months of speculation, mock drafts, rumors, Pro Day visits and Zoom interviews, the 2021 NFL Draft has finally come and gone.

  • The Steelers newest draft class is complete.

It’s obviously still too early to know how any of these NFL trainees will do, but it’s more than acceptable to talk about the approach the Steelers took in procuring their latest batch of players.

  • So, what grade would I give Pittsburgh’s strategy?

How about an A? Too strong? OK, what about a “Thumbs Up”? Is that too wishy-washy? Should I have gone with “Two Thumps Up”? Too strong, like I’m fully endorsing every pick?

  • Fine, how about a smiley face? Does that work? It does? Good.
Najee Harris, Steelers 2021 First Round Draft Pick

Pittsburgh Steelers 2021 1st round pick Najee Harris. Photo Credit: MC NFL

Like it often does, the Steelers’ latest draft had a theme: Starters. It was no surprise that the organization went into this past weekend’s extravaganza in search of multiple players who could possibly start as early as Week 1 of the 2021 regular season. The only question was, which positions would Pittsburgh prioritize first? Or, maybe it wasn’t the positions so much as specific players. Or, perhaps the team would emphasize both positions and players who could help improve a certain area.

The Steelers told us something with their first three selections: they want to improve the ground game, and they want to find players who can fit into new offensive coordinator, Matt Canada’s scheme.

After the selections of running back Najee Harris in the first round (24th, overall), tight end Pat Freiermuth in the second round (55th, overall) and guard/center Kendrick Green in the third round (87th, overall), I must say, mission accomplished.

Harris was the best running back on the board by most accounts; not only was he productive at Alabama — Harris was the school’s all-time leading rusher with 3,843 yards — he’s the type of versatile three-down back who can fit well in Canada’s dynamic offense.

As for Freiermuth, he’s the kind of in-line tight end who can take the place of the recently-retired Vance McDonald. While Freiermuth isn’t quite the ferocious, old-school blocker Heath Miller was back in the day, he has potential. But it’s as a pass-catching threat where Freiermuth, who is a great athlete and loves to punish defenders, can truly be valuable. Since Canada’s offense calls for a lot of 12 personnel packages (aka two-tight end sets), the Steelers will need a talented in-line tight end who can contribute right away. Freiermuth has the potential to be that.

Kendrick Green, Steelers 3rd round pick 2021

Kendrick Green has Matt Robinson’s back. Photo Credit: Getty Images, via Tribune-Review

Then, of course, there’s Kendrick Green, a mean (in the best sense), nasty and physical lineman who relishes blocking for the run and is quite the athlete (he was clocked at a 4.85 at his Pro Day in March). While Freiermuth was dubbed “Baby Gronk” during his days at Happy Valley, in Green, it looks like Pittsburgh may have found the nephew that the recently-retired Maurkice Pouncey didn’t know he had.

In all seriousness, Green sort of looks like Pouncey; he definitely plays like him. He even wore the No. 53 at Illinois. Green was the third-straight player the Steelers drafted over the weekend who has a golden opportunity to walk into training camp and immediately find himself at the top of the depth chart.

It’s less likely that a team finds even future starters once it gets past the first three rounds of a draft. But in tackle Dan Moore Jr., fourth round, Texas A&M; inside linebacker Buddy Johnson, fourth round, Texas A&M; and outside linebacker Quincy Roche, sixth round, Miami, the Steelers picked up three players who could develop into major contributors — and even starters.

Again, it’s early. The draft is an inexact science, and it’s rare for a team to find more than a couple of major contributors from any particular class. All an organization can do is select quality players at positions of need and trust in their ability to scout, coach and develop.

The Steelers almost always take a sound approach to the annual draft.

2021 was no different.

 

 

 

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Steelers 2021 Draft Class Balances Offensive Yang Against Defensive Yin

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Grades for the Steelers 2021 Draft Class will have wait a few years. But there’s already one word that can describe this group of 9 players chosen by Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin: Balanced.

  • The Steelers 2021 Draft class is a group where the defensive yin balances out its defensive yang.
  • The addition of a special teams player at the tail end wraps a bouquet around the balance concept.

Whether they strengthened themselves enough at offensive or boosted their defensive depth sufficently remains to be seen. But the Steelers went all in on their plan. So lets take a glance at exactly who falls on the side of yin and how falls on the side of yang.

Steelers Yin an Yang

Image credit: Sybildeckerdf via Pin Interest

Steelers 2021 Draft Class at a Glance

1st Round: Najee Harris, running back, Alabama
2nd Round: Pat Freiermuth, tight end, Penn State
3rd Round: Kendrick Green, center, Illinois
4th Round A: Dan Moore Jr., offensive tackle, Texas A&M
4th Round B: Buddy Johnson, inside linebacker, Texas A&M
5th Round: Isaiahh Loudermilk, defensive end, Wisconsin
6th Round: Quincy Roche, outside linebacker, Miami
7th Round A: Tre Norwood, cornerback/safety/Swiss Army Knife, Oklahoma
7th Round B: Pressley Harvin, punter, Georgia Tech

Has there ever been a draft when the Steelers have gone down their needs and ticked them off in almost clockwork like fashion? I don’t know, but if there is the Steelers 2021 Draft class will provide immediate competition.

  • For two years, decline has diseased the Steelers offense.

Black and Gold Yin and YangSure, Ben Roethlisberger’s injury and the need to alternative between Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges in 2019 exacerbated that condition. But the unit lost its way. The Steelers offense’s MO shifted from sacrificing itself by feeding the ball too much to its feature back, to throwing 50 times per game.

  • Attempts to convert 4th and inches became utter embarrassments.

In Najee Harris, Pat Freiermuth and Kendrick Green the Steelers have three players who could and should start on opening day. If you believe offensive line coach Adrian Klemm, Dan Moore could also be in the mix to start.

After focusing exclusively on their offensive yang, Pittsburgh pivoted to fulfilling their need for defensive yin in the middle of round 4. There they went and addressed four straight defensive positions.

  • Perhaps they didn’t quite come in the ideal order, but each pick addressed a clear area of need.

And unlike the offense, even if these defensive players exceed all expectations, it is very hard to see any of them earning a starting spot or pushing for non-spot duty playing time. An injury or two could change things in a hurry. Think back to the 2013 opening day. But on paper, the defensive players were picked to provide depth and play roles on special teams.

2021 Draft’s Immediate Impact

Going into the 2008 season, Steelers Digest editor Bob Labriola reminded readers that improvement would have to come from within, that it would be a mistake to count on the Steelers 2008 Draft class to deliver the difference.

  • Labriola was right. The 2008 Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII, and the rookie class contributed nothing.

With that in mind, should we interpret the fact that the Steelers drafted 3 potential starters as an ominous sign? Hard to say. Other than Jack Lambert, other Hall of Famers the Steelers drafted in their legendary 1974 Draft class, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth and Mike Webster, were role players on the team that won Super Bowl IX.

On the flip side, the 2016 Steelers got immediate contributions from the top three members of their 2016 Draft class, and that season ended with them knocking on heaven’s door in the AFC Championship.

Suffice to say, the Steelers need 2021’s draft class to be more like 2016 than 2008.

 

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Steelers Draft Buddy Johnson with 4th Round Compensatory Pick, Two ‘n a Row for Texas A&M

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Last year it was Terrapins from the University of Maryland. This year its Aggies from Texas A&M. At least in the 4th round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

12 picks after calling Don Moore Jr.’s name with their own 4th round pick the Steelers went to the Texas A&M well a second time when they picked Aggies inside linebacker Buddy Johnson.

The decision to look to inside linebacker departs from the (definitive) Steelers Draft Needs Matrix which rated cornerback as a higher need, which in no way suggests that this move is a mistake. While a best case scenario for both Buddy Johnson and the team will be for Johnson to shine on special teams this year, the Steelers certainly need depth at inside linebacker.

As the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Chris Adamski pointed out, Buddy Johnson was the leading tackler on the best defense in what is considered to be the NCAA’s toughest conference. But, Adamski reminds us that none of those statistics meant anything to Jerry Olsavsky, the Steelers inside linebackers coach.

Jerry Olsavsky, himself a former Steelers inside linebacker taken as a 10th round pick out of Pitt in the 1989 NFL Draft, explains his attraction to Johnson:

I don’t look at the production numbers, OK” I look at the film and I see production, and I say, ‘Oh, this guy’s a good player.’ I didn’t know (about Johnson’s stat superlatives). … The SEC is great football. But if you watch one game, you would be like, ‘Wow, this guy is active.’ And that’s what I’m looking for.

One would expect no less from Jerry Olsvasky. While Olsvasky has worked with superior athletes such as Lawrence Timmons, Ryan Shazier and Devin Bush, he was once described by the Monday Night Football broadcast team as “One of those players who isn’t big enough, isn’t fast enough, but just simply good enough.”

Buddy Johnson, Steelers 4th round pick 2021 NFL Draft

Buddy Johnson during the LSU-Texas A&M game. Photo Credit: Post-Gazette

Buddy Johnson Video Highlights

So just what is that that Jerry Olsvasky sees when he looks at the tape of this 6’, 229 pound, 23 game starter for the Aggies who led Texas A&M in tackles for the last two years? Well, let’s take a look:

That’s a nice tape. What is particularly encouraging is that Buddy Johnson appears to have sound tackling technique. While the Steelers tackling has been better of late, failure on this fundamental skill has been at issue in the not too distant past.

How Buddy Johnson Fits In

The Steelers obviously have a lot invested in Devin Bush’s development, but with Vince Williams and Robert Spillane playing on one year deals, Pittsburgh clearly needs to think of the future. While Johnson will get a fair shake and a reasonable shot at earning a helmet on game day, he doesn’t need to come in and made an immediate impact.

That can change in a hurry, as Vince Williams learned during his rookie year, but for now Buddy Johnson adds depth in the present, offers potential for the future and hopefully can begin contributing on special teams immediately.

Welcome to Steelers Nation Buddy Johnson.

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