There are an awful lot of reasons to get excited about the Steelers' latest draft class. Incoming players such as Broderick Jones and Joey Porter Jr. very well could be foundational players at crucial positions for this organization for years to come. Keeanu Benton could really solidify the Steelers defensive line and Darnell Washington might immediately create mismatches in the middle of the field and red zone while showing vertical stretch ability. Heck, Cory Trice Jr. could be one of the steals of this draft from any NFL team.
But, history shows us that rookies take time to learn their craft and to make an impact in the league. But more importantly, history shows that is very difficult for NFL players to stick for an extended stretch and have successful careers.
We now have two full seasons to evaluate the Steelers' 2021 draft class and many of these players face a true crossroads in their career. To refresh your memory, this is the Steelers' haul from the 2021 NFL Draft:
• Round 1 (24th overall): Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
• Round 2 (55th overall): Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State
• Round 3 (87th overall): Kendrick Green, OC, Illinois
• Round 4 (128th overall): Dan Moore, OT, Texas A&M
• Round 4 (140th overall): Buddy Johnson, LB, Texas A&M
• Round 5 (156th overall): Isaiahh Loudermilk, DL, Wisconsin
• Round 6 (216th overall): Quincey Roche, EDGE, Miami
• Round 7 (245th overall): Tre Norwood, DB, Oklahoma
• Round 7 (254th overall): Pressley Harvin, P, Georgia Tech
Without hopefully too much revisionist history, let’s examine that draft class with a real focus on several players that are now at a critical career crossroads.
If you recall, the Steelers' selection of Harris in the first frame came as little surprise. And for the most part, the team should be happy with Harris overall, including his value as a young leader. But, if you are going to take a running back in the first round, for it to truly be worth that much of an investment, that running back must be one of the top players in the entire league at that position. Harris isn’t that.
When the 2021 draft arrived, the Steelers' biggest needs were clearly at running back, across the offensive line and at tight end. Kyle Pitts was far and away the best tight end prospect in that (or pretty much any) draft class and wasn’t in play for the Steelers. And there was no reason to consider Freiermuth, the clear No. 2 tight end, with the 24th overall pick. That would have been a reach. The first offensive lineman to fall off the board that year after the Steelers' first-round pick was Landon Dickerson, who went 37th overall to Philadelphia. Dickerson has been a guard for the Eagles, as has Teven Jenkins, who went two picks later to Chicago after failing at offensive tackle for the Bears.
We can argue after the fact that the Steelers should have traded back in the first round. But also, somewhat in hindsight, there wasn’t an option that jumped off the table as someone they should have grabbed instead of Harris.
What about the great Chiefs center Creed Humphrey, you ask? After two seasons, Humphrey is one of the two best centers in the league. He is a star on the Super Bowl champions. And the Steelers, who had a huge need at center at the time, had two cracks at Humphrey, who Kansas City landed with the 63rd pick overall.
Having Humphrey would be amazing for the Steelers and, frankly, when they were on the clock in the second round, Humphrey seemed as though he should have been the very obvious selection. If we could go back in time, taking Humphrey in the first round and Freiermuth in the second would have been the way to go. But folks, that isn’t how the world works.
However, Freiermuth, who has also been a raging success for the Steelers, was clearly the top tight end prospect available at that point. In fact, the third tight end off the board (Hunter Long) in 2021 wasn’t selected until the 84th pick in that draft.
Having Humphrey would be wonderful, but that doesn’t mean that that the drafting of Freiermuth wasn’t a huge success. The areas in which the Steelers passing game struggled most last year were between 10 and 20 yards downfield and in the red zone. But don’t blame Freiermuth for those struggles. He is far more the answer to those problems than the cause. Freiermuth is a foundational piece for the Steelers.
On the other hand, it was a center-rich draft class. Dickerson was a center at Alabama, and if it wasn’t for the great Jason Kelce, could very well be the Eagles' starting center right now instead of playing guard. Humphrey wasn’t even the second center off the board, as Green Bay took Josh Myers one spot ahead of the Chiefs selection of Humphrey. The Steelers were then able to read the league and wait to nab Green in the third round. Denver also took Quinn Meinerz in the third round and he's been an excellent young player at the pivot for the Broncos.
2021 didn’t have a slam dunk first-round pick at the center position, but it was a very deep center class, and that isn’t a position that every team in the league is actively pursuing on the first two days of the draft. It just so happens that of those five centers that were selected on the second day of the draft in 2021, Green has clearly been the worst of them in the NFL.
That brings us to those current Steelers from that draft class that are at a truly critical point of their careers already. Johnson and Roche were already let go by the team, although Roche was brought back and has a chance to stick around depending how he performs at training camp and in the preseason as a depth player on the edge and as a special teamer.
Is Harvin’s job safe? It's possible, but he has been very up and down in a Steelers uniform. Braden Mann could give Harvin a run for his money between now and cut down day.
Moore will inevitably be replaced by Jones, but don’t expect him to go away quietly. Other than Harris and Freiermuth, Moore has the most value of anyone else in this draft class right now. While Moore will never be a star and go to Pro Bowl after Pro Bowl, he keeps getting better and looked very good at OTAs. He is putting in the work and that should pay off for Moore, whose future could be as a swing tackle or even possibly as a starting guard. Moore also could conceivably be Chukwuma Okorafor’s replacement at right tackle a year from now. Even if he is just a depth piece, Moore has a lot of value, especially when considering his age and salary.
But it is truly put-up-or-shut-up time for Green, Loudermilk and Norwood, all of whom looked like they could be part of the long-term plan early in their careers. It appears as though Green will solely concentrate on center, as Mason Cole’s backup. That is a sensible move with the Steelers' depth at guard.
Maybe, just maybe, Green can put it all together. But this is a player that didn’t see the field for a single snap in 2022 after playing 975 as a rookie. That being said, he still has an awful lot of ability and tools to work with.
On a team that usually keeps six defensive linemen, and sometimes seven, can Loudermilk stayed employed with Cam Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, Benton, DeMarvin Leal, Breiden Fehoko, Montravius Adams and Armon Watts in his way? Loudermilk too has athletic ability and traits, but finding a spot for him could be challenge. Loudermilk made just four tackles in 2022 while seeing the field for 116 snaps, which was less than half as many as his rookie season.
Here is a clip of what Loudermilk could potentially bring to the table, but such highlights have just been too far and in between. Despite his very large frame, Loudermilk shows the quickness off the ball to split the blockers and close quickly on the ball carrier in the backfield.
As for Norwood, has he proven to be valuable enough on special teams, as a deep safety and/or as a slot option to keep him around? The fact that he can contribute in all three of these aspects does have value through and it certainly helps Norwood’s cause. 77 percent of Norwood’s snaps as a pro have come as a free safety or slot defender. He is probably competing with defenders such as Tanner Muse, Miles Killebrew, and Elijah Riley to make this team, and Muse and Killebrew project as core special teamers. Plus, it isn’t inconceivable that the Steelers add a veteran safety or linebacker that eliminates a roster spot for which Norwood is competing.
Norwood hasn’t always been a consistent tackler since joining the Steelers, but this is a fine play on a great player. Norwood reads the crossing route to D.K. Metcalf expertly and is very quick to attack, stunning the star receiver well short of the sticks, forcing Seattle to punt.
Norwood played 388 defensive snaps as a rookie, but just 243 in 2022. Seeing this trend with Green, Loudermilk, and Norwood? The more the Steelers’ coaching staff has been around these third-year players, the less they have seen the field.
Please get excited about the Steelers' 2023 draft class. It could be a fantastic influx of young talent to this roster and pay off for years to come. But never forget, NFL stands for “Not For Long”, something the majority of the 2021 draft class is finding out in a very abrupt and unforgiving manner.
