Pittsburgh Steelers News

If the Steelers don’t get a tackle early, Samuel Cosmi could be their guy

For teams who are looking for an offensive tackle in the 2021 NFL Draft, Samuel Cosmi might be a prospect to keep an eye on.

By Jeff.Hartman@BnGBlitz Apr 19, 2021, 1:30pm EDT

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of many NFL organizations who could be looking at an offensive tackle in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. However, unlike the other franchises who are looking to add to their current offensive line depth chart, the Steelers possess the 24th overall pick.

Not really conducive to getting a top tier prospect, but after players like Penei Sewell and Rashawn Slater, there are a lot of talented tackles who could be available to the Steelers at pick No. 24, or in later rounds.

There is the chance the Steelers choose to take a tackle to bolster their offensive line depth in 2021, and if Texas tackle Samuel Cosmi is available when the Steelers pick, is he an option as a mid round talent?

I did some digging on Cosmi, and put together a brief synopsis of the kind of player he is, and will be when becoming a professional. Below you’ll see draft profile breakdowns, film room breakdowns and game film for you to enjoy.

Don’t listen to me, or anyone else, form your own opinion on Cosmi. I plan on doing this for other prospects as the draft approaches. If there is a specific player you’d like to see covered, simply let me know and I’ll be glad to put it together!

Let us know your thoughts on Cosmi in the comment section below, and be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the new league year, NFL Free Agency and the 2021 NFL Draft.

Draft Profiles

The Draft Network

Cosmi started in 34 of 35 games at offensive tackle for the Longhorns. Experiencing 14 games at right tackle and 21 at left tackle, he’s has a wealth of experience playing on both sides of the offensive line. At 6-foot-7 and 310 pounds, he’s a lean offensive tackle that has plenty of room left on his frame to fill out. With plenty of capacity on his body structure, he has the build to pack on 10-15 more pounds of muscle. As a run blocker, he climbs to the second level with ease in order to latch and eliminate targets. On the other hand, his lack of play strength on the first level shows up at the point of attack as he isn’t a frequent people mover. Cosmi is a shield blocker that’s able to position his frame into winning alignments in order to create running lanes. In pass protection, his length gives him an advantage against defenders that are attempting to bend and turn the corner against him. Possessing above-average athleticism, he’s able to overcompensate and get away with the current technical flaws that he has. Cosmi will need seasoning as a pass protector as he needs to gain strength as well as refine his lower half. Frequently leaving his hips parallel to the sideline and the overreliance on out-athleting his opponent will be habits that need to be eliminated. Leverage is another flaw that must continue to be worked on as he has tendencies to play sky high and it results in defenders being able to get underneath of him. The former Longhorn blocker is an athletic offensive tackle that has many ingredients already present, but needs the proper coaching in order to blend them all together and possibly add more in order to reach his final state.

Ideal Role: Cosmi is a right tackle that has the potential to eventually slide over to the left side if able to correct the flaws in his lower half and continue to gain muscle mass onto his frame.

Scheme Fit: Zone Blocking Scheme

Walter Football

Strengths:

Skilled pass protector
Quality athlete
Left-tackle feet
Quickness
Gets depth in his drop to neutralize speed rushers
Can get the depth needed to cut off the corner
Good height, length and weight
Doesn’t have to reach for rushers
Improved anchor to hold his ground against bull rushes
Fast to the second level
Showed improved strength to sustain blocks
Agile; not stiff
Can move in space
Flashes strength
Flashes tenacity to finish defenders off
Walls off and ties up defenders in the ground game
Experienced

Weaknesses:

Inconsistently physical
Not consistent with finishing defenders
Not a bull dozer in the ground game
Struggles to knock defenders off the ball
Lacks heavy hands
Not explosive on contact

Player Comparison: Jake Matthews. Some team sources say Cosmi reminds them of Matthews, and they think Cosmi could be a poor man’s Matthews in the NFL. Matthews has been a good left tackle for Atlanta, and some team evaluators believe Cosmi could turn a solid starter in the NFL.

Fan Nation

Overview:

No Texas player has been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2015 (Malcolm Brown) and no offensive lineman has been selected on the first day since 2001 (Leonard Davis). That has a good chance to end once the 2021 draft takes place. Over the last two seasons, Cosmi developed into one of the premier offensive linemen in college football. Body beautiful standing in at a hair over 6-foot-6 and 309 pounds, evaluators will be hard-pressed to find a more desirable frame in the class. With prototype length and athleticism, Cosmi has a big upside as a blind-side pass protector. His movement skills show up in the run game, where he is able to transition fluidly laterally and to the second level. Cosmi has put on a substantial amount of weight during his Longhorns career and the power behind his pads is still a work in progress. As he continues to develop physically, a clearer picture will be gained on just how dominant he can become. Cosmi is firmly be entrenched in the first-round conversation.

Background:

Cosmi has started in 34 games over the course of his Texas career, seeing time both at right and left tackle. Was named a freshman All-America in 2018 and first-team All-Big 12 in both 2019 and 2020. He was coached by Craig Stump at Atascocita High School in Humble, Texas. Was an all-state selection and two-time all-district honoree.