2021 NFL Draft: Know your new Steelers enemies after Day 2

Get to know the players that were drafted into the AFC North and are now instant rivals of Steeler Nation.

By Bryan Anthony Davis@btscbad May 1, 2021, 12:30pm EDT

College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Capital One - Alabama v Notre Dame

The second day of the NFL draft brought more Pittsburgh Steelers for Steeler Nation to cheer for. But with that, it serves up more players to serve as instant rivals to boo. This time around, I am going to enlist scouting report help from Andrew Wilbar (steelerfan11), Ryland B. and SNW (Itz JustNoah). These guys do a phenomenal job with prospects on the BTSC Big Board. Here’s who will oppose Pittsburgh as new members of the AFC North.

Round 2 Pick 38

Cincinnati Bengals trade pick to the New England Patriots for No. 46 (Round 2), No. 122 (Round 4) and No. 139 (Round 4).

With the trade, the New England Patriots selected DL Christian Barmore from Alabama and the Bengals score to fourth rounders.

Round 2 Pick 46

Cincinnati Bengals select OL Jackson Carman - Clemson

6’5”/345 lbs.

College Football Playoff National Championship - Clemson v LSU

Carman protected Trevor Lawrence’s blindside at Clemson and did a pretty decent job of keeping the overall top pick alive. The powerful run blocker also paved roads for Travis Etienne. Carman is good at picking up the blitz, but lacks polish. May move to guard in the pros.

steelerfan11: Carman may have the highest upside of any tackle after Penei Sewell, but inconsistency has been the story of his collegiate career. Carman was playing at about 345 pounds at Clemson, which allowed him to be an absolute mauler in the run game. That size became a double-edged sword, however, as he was often unable to win battles against speedy edge rushers one-on-one. His first step is slower than what you would like in a blindside protector, and his pad level could use a little work in the run game. He has every tool you could ever want, but I really think he needs to drop 10-15 pounds if he is going to reach that potential at tackle. If not, I think that a move to guard at the next level is inevitable (Note: Carman weighed 317 pounds at his pro day. Sounds like he wants to stay at tackle).

Round 2 Pick 51

Cleveland Browns trade up to select EDGE Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah - Notre Dame

6’1”/215 lbs.

JOK ain’t no joke. This guy could cause a lot of headaches for the Steelers. Gotta beef up that line.

steelerfan11: While not the biggest linebacker in the world, Owusu-Koramoah has serious range in coverage and outstanding versatility. His lack of size occasionally bites him when trying to tackle a well-built running back or tight end, but the burst he displays when rushing the passer makes up for it. His versatility also allows him to play safety in certain packages, and he has had no trouble covering receivers and tight ends out of the slot. Adding some weight would only help him, but he will be a valuable piece for a defense that can use his versatility correctly

Round 3 Pick 69

Cincinnati Bengals select Joseph Ossai - Texas

6’4”/254 lbs.

Cincy needed to add to that defense that has been getting softer with guys like Geno Atkins, Carl Lawson and Carlos Dunlap not in tiger stripes. This does it.

Itz JustNoah: I absolutely love Ossai. He has pretty much everything you want in a 3-4 OLB. He’s very quick off the line, his balance is phenomenal, he uses his hands extremely well and he has a wide range of pass rush moves. The stats may not show it but he is almost always in the backfield whether it be a run or a pass. Unlike a lot of the other edge rushers in this class, Ossai is very versatile. He can easily drop back into zone coverage or even play man against some tight ends or running backs, so he is the perfect 3-4 edge. I see a lot of TJ Watt in him because of his quickness, balance and his knack for creating turnovers. I’ve seen him fall out of the first round in some mocks but I think that any team that uses a 3-4 should take him before any other edge rusher.

Round 3 Pick 91

Cleveland Browns select WR Anthony Schwartz - Auburn

6’0”/175 lbs.

My ultimate draft crush is gone and now I have to hate him for ending up in the cess pool of an organization known as the Cleveland Browns. This dude is so fast and dangerous. Didn’t expect him to go this early. Let’s just hope he’s a product of draft hype. Ugggh!

steelerfan11: Schwartz is one of my favorite prospects in this entire class. There is fast, and then there is freakishly fast. Tyreek Hill fast. Schwartz honestly disappointed me with his 4.26 40 time at his pro day. Listed at only 179 pounds, Schwartz could probably afford to add ten pounds and not lose his world class speed. Schwartz has pretty good hands for a speed guy, and he is not afraid to work the middle of the field. He can line up on the outside or in the slot, although his best fit in the NFL will likely be the slot. I wish that he was a more willing blocker and had a little more shiftiness to his game, but the sky’s the limit for a guy with Schwartz’s speed.

Round 3 Pick 94

Baltimore Ravens select G Ben Cleveland - Georgia

6’6”/343 lbs.

The scuttlebutt on Cleveland is that he is a massive and powerful dude that can stop defenders cold. But he is said to be slow of foot and his commitment to football has been questioned in the past. All in all, the Ravens do get an anchor here.

steelerfan11: Cleveland is a powerful guard who has good hand usage and above average power. He doesn’t have a ton of positional versatility, and his lateral mobility is nothing to write home about, but he finishes his blocks when he locks on to his defender, and he has good overall awareness. He may be limited to power running schemes, but he is a good competitor that will bring loads of physicality to the team that drafts him.

Round 3 Pick 104

Baltimore Ravens select CB Brandon Stephens - SMU

6’/213 lbs.

Stephens is a converted running back with the size that the Ravens like out of their cornerbacks. The transfer from UCLA has the versatility to play the slot and on the outside and could eventually move to safety for B-more.

What do you think of the players who are going to be new to the division? Let us know in the comment section below, and be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as the 2021 NFL Draft continues.