Steelers get younger, new QB of future in 7-round mock draft
By Scott Gorman
Round 4, Pick 123: Amari Rodgers, WR Clemson
There is no team in the NFL that is better at finding wide receiver talent in the Draft than the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers drafted starters JuJu Smith-Schuster, Chase Claypool, and Diontae Johnson on the second day, and each of them have become stars on this Pittsburgh football team.
The team may be moving on from Smith-Schuster shortly with the emergence of Claypool in 2020, and Rodgers is a great option here in Round 4. Rodgers stepped up as the number one receiver this season alongside quarterback Trevor Lawrence. He is quick, gritty, and sure-handed and can play inside and outside for the Steelers in 2021.
Round 6, Pick 179: Lorenzo Neal, DT Purdue
Tyson Alualu was a terrific find for this Steelers team as a free agent in 2017 from the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has served as a fantastic depth and spot starter upfront on the defensive line next to stalwarts Cameron Hayward and Stephon Tuitt. However, he is a free agent in 2021, and the Steelers could be moving on from the 33-year old.
Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network gives his thoughts on Neal:
"“He’s a terror when he’s able to club or swim past blockers at the point of attack. His splash plays are impressive and his motor and mobility for a big dude is impressive — he’s a terrific natural athlete for an IDL with his stature… Neal Jr. has good short-area quickness and lateral agility, allowing him to slant and crash through gaps at the snap and create chaos in a gap penetration style role.”"
Neal has fantastic NFL bloodlines, as his father started as a Pro Bowl fullback for the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints. Neal missed the 2019 season but has returned in 2020 to make countless big plays in the middle for the Purdue defense. He will compete with Lavon Hooks to start in the middle of the Pittsburgh defense.