Looking back, it’s pretty remarkable that the Pittsburgh Steelers had gone a full 13 draft classes without significantly addressing the tight end position. between 2008 and 2020, the team did not select one single player from the position earlier than the fifth round, and even then only twice, with Jesse James and Zach Gentry.
The seventh round was more their comfort zone, bringing us the likes of David Johnson and Rob Blanchflower, David Paulson and the like. At least, that was the case up until this Spring, when they finally used a second-round pick on Pat Freiermuth, their first day-two pick at tight end since Matt Spaeth in the third round back in 2007.