Steelers Reportedly “Locked In” On Three Players In Round One

[Steeler Nation]

With the draft less than two weeks away, there has been much speculation about what position the Pittsburgh Steelers may go with at pick 24. They have publicly announced they are committed to getting the ground game back to its prominence, and according to draft expert Tony Pauline, the team is locked into three picks that would definitely back that up:

Per his very good sources, NFL draft guru @TonyPauline says on @937theFan the Steelers are locked in on 3 players at pick 24:

RB Najee Harris
OT Teven Jenkins
C Landon Dickerson

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) April 19, 2021

There has been a lot of debate about if the Steelers should go offensive line or running back with their first pick, but all three of these players would immediately boost the run game and likely be day one starters. Pittsburgh has finished bottom 3 in the run game the past three seasons, and the absence of the run game was visible down the stretch this past season. Building off a 12-4 season that ended abruptly in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, Pittsburgh is all in on competing for a championship this season, and any of these three will be a huge part of working towards a seventh Lombardi Trophy.

Take a look at the draft profiles we have for these three below:

Najee Harris

Tevin Jenkins

Landon Dickerson



What do you think, Steeler Nation? Are one of these three the key to a championship this year? A building block for years to come? Do you have someone else in mind? Let us know in the comment section on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

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[SteelerSask2]

I've been pretty successful at picking the Steelers first pick of the draft, but they have never been a team to tip their hand like that. They show interest in the guy they take no doubt but cannot see them leaking the three guys they are interested in. BS story I think.

 

[steelerscotty]

Can Dickerson stay healthy?
Can Jenkins play LT?
Can Harris avoid the supposed "bust curse" of 'Bama RB's? IF so, can he wear #32?

I have questions, questions that need answering!

 

[SteelerFan448]

Everything I read is that Dickerson has first-round talent and if not for the injuries would be ranked much higher. Tough to ignore the injury history. If he's healthy he'll be a stud.

 

[Paul G]

Who in the hell is Tony Pauline anyway ???

 

[Drink IRON City]

I would be completely happy if we ended up with these three.!!!

Harris will be fine but I'm leaning a little towards Eintene (sp)

Jenkins brings the **** YOU in attitude and our OL needs that plus I think he is day one starter

Dickerson but if gone and we get HILL (maybe later round) I'd still be happy

Harris and Jenkins could both easily be on our roster and I think Dickenson is outside chance (not a knock but he could be gone & thats where HILL comes into play)



Salute the nation

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

Jenkins looks like blaster from thunderdome

 

[Punxsutawney]

I hope they take one of the linemen.

A RB is useless behind bad blocking

 

[Paul G]

I would be completely happy if we ended up with these three.!!!

Harris will be fine but I'm leaning a little towards Eintene (sp)

Jenkins brings the **** YOU in attitude and our OL needs that plus I think he is day one starter

Dickerson but if gone and we get HILL (maybe later round) I'd still be happy

Harris and Jenkins could both easily be on our roster and I think Dickenson is outside chance (not a knock but he could be gone & thats where HILL comes into play)



Salute the nation

Etienne is from French origin meaning "crown" let us hope if drafted he helps bring #7 ......

 

[SteelerSask2]

A guy with Dickerson's talent/injuries you hope you land in the second and he holds together. Way too much risk there pass in tge first. No way.

 

[Steel Maniac]

Only one year do I remember the Steeler tipping their hand. It was the year they wanted Willie Jackson and the Bengals took him to stick it to us.

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

i would not touch dickerson until the 4th round at earliest. The guy had a season ending injury in 4 out of 5 years with 2 ACL tears. There are other good G prospects. No ******* way i draft this guy.

 

[Litos]

The only thing the Steelers should be locking on is to their value chart, I trust they can find the next gem as they did with Watt, juju, Claypool, dotson as long as they don't reach for need.
See Artie Burns, Jarvis Jones, even edmunds was a reach but nos as bad as the previous, just like Sean Davis.

 

[FSF]

I've been pretty successful at picking the Steelers first pick of the draft, but they have never been a team to tip their hand like that. They show interest in the guy they take no doubt but cannot see them leaking the three guys they are interested in. BS story I think.

Colbert was a little easier to read earlier in his run, but he’s not been one to reveal his preference since Mike Pouncey (which I’ll flip more to being a reflection of savvy people probing Maurkice Pouncey. And Mike Pouncey had no chance of lasting till #31.

I do think the interest about Darrell Revis got out in 2007, prompting the Jets to trade up to #14.

This was all well and good when Colbert did not have a trading up reputation and the Steelers were poised to take Troy in 2003. Other teams were banking on the Steelers draft day history of not trading up in 1st round over Colbert having different style. Colbert tried hard to get Pennington in 2000, made draft day deals in 1st and 2nd round in 2001. In 2004, he traded up in 2nd round and 2006 he traded up in 1st round.

Colbert has clenched up in his 2nd decade—not revealing much. Think DeCastro was predictable due to his high ranking on big board but his being a Guard — lower value position. DeCastro was not an insight as much as it was very logical.

Other than that—the only thing about our pick this year is just how glaring the weakness at OL & RB so it’s pretty obvious the what is needed.

 

[FSF]

I hope they take one of the linemen.

A RB is useless behind bad blocking

In my draft series I can emphatically say that the Steelers have had immediate dominant impact from a 1st/2nd round pick in OL to Dermontti Dawson, Maurkice Pouncey & Alan Faneca.

Leon Searcy was a backup year one. DeCastro stepped up year 2. Marvel Smith stepped up year 2. Kendall Simmons started almost immediately but was never overwhelming. Marcus Gilbert took a few years & Mike Adams never did (but was beaten out by late round Kevin Beachum.

Examples above go back over 20 years—the likelihood of getting a fierce OL who impacts round 1 vs. a RB who impacts round 1 is pretty much a non argument.

The Steelers will need a surprise step up from an OL — something that has happened far more often than a RB. The OL coaching is another factor cuz it was awful last year. Getting cohesive on the line is going to need more than the half baked coaching of last year.

 

[slashsteel]

Who in the hell is Tony Pauline anyway ???

Some hack who thinks he knows who the Steelers will pick. He probably looked at a value board and guessed three. It is the cooch method of prediction. If he hits on one of them it is see see I told ya so! If they are locking into three it would be time for the GM to retire. That isn't how it is done. But nah this is an attention piece put out for clicks.

 

[TDX27]

Harris is a big YES. Immediate starter and impact player.
Jenkens is a YES IF he can play LT well enough since RT is his natural position. I know he played some LT in college but....that is college and we need an immediate starter out of round 1. If he can play LT, you have a fixture and anchor to the OL for the next decade.
Dickerson would be a NO in Rd. 1 for me. Too many injuries and if we don't have OTA's and if camp and preseason are limited in any way, I see him getting injured in his first year. I would take him in the 2nd round even if we moved up a few spots to get him but not in the 1st. He's too risky at that point.

 

[slashsteel]

Harris is a big YES. Immediate starter and impact player.
Jenkens is a YES IF he can play LT well enough since RT is his natural position. I know he played some LT in college but....that is college and we need an immediate starter out of round 1. If he can play LT, you have a fixture and anchor to the OL for the next decade.
Dickerson would be a NO in Rd. 1 for me. Too many injuries and if we don't have OTA's and if camp and preseason are limited in any way, I see him getting injured in his first year. I would take him in the 2nd round even if we moved up a few spots to get him but not in the 1st. He's too risky at that point.

I think Jenkins is an upgrade at RT but that leaves you with Banner and Chukes fighting it out for LT. I think Chukes can handle the pass protection part of the equation but might come out looking like a carbon copy of big Al. Not the old version the latest version still on the market. I don't see Banner as a LT. Not even a little bit and I like the kid.

 

[TDX27]

I think Jenkins is an upgrade at RT but that leaves you with Banner and Chukes fighting it out for LT. I think Chukes can handle the pass protection part of the equation but might come out looking like a carbon copy of big Al. Not the old version the latest version still on the market. I don't see Banner as a LT. Not even a little bit and I like the kid.

My mind says we need one of the top RB's but I really will have an open mind to what they do in this draft. OL in Rd. 1 will be fine. Even a stud on D will be OK. It will be interesting to see how they truly begin to retool this team for the future. That's really what this draft is all about. It's not all about our franchise QB anymore since he is on his way out. I still think our biggest needs are RB and OL with or without Ben in the picture.

 

[Djfan]

BPA has been working for us. I say stick to that.

 

[bermudasteel]

i would not touch dickerson until the 4th round at earliest. The guy had a season ending injury in 4 out of 5 years with 2 ACL tears. There are other good G prospects. No ******* way i draft this guy.

SEC hate again...

Dickerson WILL NOT last until the 4th round. Let me remind you that Pouncey was injured TWICE early in his career - he will be a HOF guy. Write it down. I'm not saying that Dickerson is Pouncey but he certainly brings IMMEDIATE value to the team.

If it were me, I pray Najee is there at 1.24 and find a way to jump back in late in the 1st round to grab Landon...

 

[Superman]

Dickerson in the 1st is a reach, what with his injury history.
if we have to take a C in the 1st (which, IMO, is still early) it should be Humphrey.

 

[Steeltime]

Only one year do I remember the Steeler tipping their hand. It was the year they wanted Willie Jackson and the Bengals took him to stick it to us.

And when Tomlin drooled over Darrelle Revis, so the Jets traded up and jumped the Steelers for the pick.

 

[Ike Kelly]

Per his very good sources, NFL draft guru @TonyPauline says on @937theFan the Steelers are locked in on 3 players at pick 24:

RB Najee Harris
OT Teven Jenkins
C Landon Dickerson

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) April 19, 2021

Per anything Fillipponi states is worth as much as one can throw him.

Harris is obvious, but wouldn’t be surprised by the other two RB being picked instead.

Jenkins is a player, but has never played LT, nor has shown he can. Right now we have two RT who can start. IMO, any OT in the first will have starting LT experience if selected.

Dickerson is a stud, but injury history is there.....and him cartwheeling at Mac Jones pro day doesn’t mean anything. Getting him in the 2nd is more plausible.

 

[steelhurt]

I would be completely happy if we ended up with these three.!!!

Harris will be fine but I'm leaning a little towards Eintene (sp)

Jenkins brings the **** YOU in attitude and our OL needs that plus I think he is day one starter

Dickerson but if gone and we get HILL (maybe later round) I'd still be happy

Harris and Jenkins could both easily be on our roster and I think Dickenson is outside chance (not a knock but he could be gone & thats where HILL comes into play)



Salute the nation

I like Eintene too over Harris. More of a complete back that I think fits better under Canada’s scheme. First round though Drink since these guys won’t be there when we pick in the second. Then take best OL in round two.