The 2021 NFL draft is almost here and I guarantee everyone is tired of the mock drafts by this time of the year. There seem to be about 5-10 mock drafts every single day that is put out from all over the place with everyone speculating who the Pittsburgh Steelers might draft. The majority of the mock drafts have the Steelers selecting either an offensive lineman or running back in the first round of the NFL draft. Some say there is no way the Steelers should select a running back with their first-round pick because it normally never works out good down the road in terms of value.
Well, Dane Brugler of The Athletic who covers the Pittsburgh Steelers thinks the Steelers are going to select a running back in the first round of the NFL draft. He feels the Steelers will take Alabama's RB Najee Harris with their 24th pick. He feels the Steelers are in win-now mode so they have no choice, but to fix their running back position by getting a top-tier running back in the 2021 NFL draft. Brugler would like to see the Steelers select a legit starting running back right now instead of reaching for a Tier-3 Lineman who will be available by the time they pick in the first round of the NFL draft.
Heading into the second round of the 2021 NFL draft Brugler has the Steelers selecting center Quinn Meinerz with their number 55 pick. This would make sense because the Steelers desperately need a center after Maurkice Pouncey has decided to retire in the 2021 offseason. The Steelers have brought in BJ Finney, but he is very injury prone and if he goes down the Steelers are in big trouble. Brugler acknowledges Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert love their Power 5 prospects, but Quinn Meinerz fits the Steelers mold even though he is a D-III player.
Meinerz Whitewater Head Coach Kevin Bullis told the Athletic he always asks himself how they ended up with a quality player like Quinn. He says Meinerz is a heck of a story and during the Summer he goes up to an island in Canada and trains up in the woods all by himself. He called Quinn a 'grinding maniac.'
If the Steelers ended up with Najee Harris in the first round and Quinn Meinerz in the second round that would be great picks. They both can bring physical football back to Pittsburgh and get their running game back on track just like Art Rooney II is looking for Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert to do in the 2021 offseason.