Top 5 things the Steelers should NOT do in the 2021 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft, and many in the fan base are enamored with what the organization should do when it is their turn to pick during the three day event.

But what about what the Steelers shouldn’t do? What about the aspects of the draft the Steelers should avoid at all costs?

Thursday night during the Steelers Preview podcast, myself, Dave Schofield and Bryan Anthony Davis answered this very question with a list of five things the Steelers should not do during the draft. Some of the lists are the same, while some are completely different.

Check out our lists of what the Steelers should avoid during the draft process, and be sure to let us know what you think the Steelers should avoid in the comment section below:

Jeff Hartman

• Don’t draft by position

This is one you’ll see in all of our lists, and it can be exemplified by players like Artie Burns and Terrell Edmunds. Don’t be fixated on a position, it never ends well.

• Don’t trade out of the first round for a mid round pick

If you are going to trade out of the first round, you better be improving your situation in the early rounds. In fact, if I were to go a step further I would suggest not losing a first round pick, but simply swapping a first round pick and then getting another pick later in the draft.

• Don’t take a quarterback out of Round 1.

If you do take a quarterback, it should be because one of the top tier quarterbacks who fell to No. 24, or if you trade up, not because you are reaching at a prospect.

• Don’t select a defender in the 1st round who is labeled as a project

If the Steelers need anything in Round 1, it is a player who can provide an immediate impact. Not a project. Think about some of the other projects they have taken on the defensive side of the ball in Round 1. Players like Cam Heyward and Bud Dupree. If the Steelers are going to go defense in Round 1, make it be a proven commodity, not a project.

• Don’t pick a player solely based on where they went to school/conference

While the Steelers love their Power Five conferences in the first round, Alex Highsmith of Charlotte is the perfect example of ignoring where a player went to school. Rather, focus on the potential and film. Don’t let someone going to an SEC or BIG 10 school cast a shadow on a smaller school player who is brimming with potential.

Extra: Be aware of off field issues, and don’t risk a high pick on a player who could be a detriment to the organization. Examples of this would be Mike Adams and Martavis Bryant.

Dave Schofield

• Don’t lock in on a position in Round 1

Two words: Artie Burns. It’s fine to eliminate positions the Steelers don’t need in the first round, but don’t narrow it down to only one position they have to take.

• Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and make the call

If the Steelers really want someone and they think they can move up to get him, go for it.

• Don’t ignore the phone when it rings

If pick 24 rolls around and somebody else really wants to move up, listen to what they have to say. The Steelers don’t even have to add more picks, they can simply improve their position in other rounds.

• Don’t feel like a WR is an option in Round 1

The room is full right now, and even though two wide receivers are set to be free agent next year, it’s not the most pressing need to take as the Steelers top selection.

• Don’t draft a TE in Round 1 unless Pitts is in his last name

No one else is worthy. Although it would be a dream scenario where Pitts falls to a point where the Steelers could get him via trade or their natural pick, it’s not going to happen. He’s the only one worth going with in round one.

Bryan Anthony Davis

• Don’t draft for a particular position
• Don’t ignore the injury report. Be cognizant of it.
• Don’t pick a quarterback later than the first round of the draft.
• Don’t panic. Have different scenarios ready to go. You can mix or match needs and players to each round
• Don’t put way too much stock in late risers.

Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the black and gold as the team prepares for the rest of NFL Free Agency and the NFL Draft.