Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, recently a guest on “The Michael Irvin Podcast,” was asked what direction he thinks Pittsburgh will go with its first pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
Smith-Schuster feels the Steelers will go defense simply because that’s their M.O. “I think the last one we have [drafted] on offense is [David] DeCastro,” he said. “Hopefully, we get someone on offense to help us out.”
DeCastro was the last offensive player that Pittsburgh selected in the first round (2012). Before that, it was center Maurkice Pouncey in 2010.
Speaking of center, the Steelers need one since Ben Roethlisberger’s “comfort blanket,” Maurkice Pouncey, retired in February.
Smith-Schuster says the Steelers need offensive linemen since Pouncey, Alejandro Villanueva and Matt Feiler aren’t returning in 2021. But the receiver also knows Pittsburgh needs a particular skill position — running back.
You could hear Smith-Schuster’s smile when he said, “Najee Harris, man, one of the best running backs out there that would fit for our team. If we had him, it would be cool.”
The Steelers are in desperate need of a ground game injection, no doubt. Will they buck the trend and not only go with an offensive player in the first round but draft a running back at No. 24?
In the Kevin Colbert era, the Steelers have only selected a running back at No. 1 once: Rashard Mendenhall (2008).
