After the Pittsburgh Steelers were humiliated by the Cleveland Browns in the AFC Wild Card Game, speculation swirled much earlier than expected about what the team would address in its looming offseason. With James Conner a free agent and little firepower at the position, running back became a sure-fire need.
As March arrived and GM Kevin Colbert eschewed available backs such as Aaron Jones, Marlon Mack, Kenyan Drake and Chris Carson, it became evident that the Steelers intended to address their woeful run game in the 2021 NFL Draft.
A good portion of Steelers Nation is anguished about picking a running back in the first round, and rightfully so: the position has grown increasingly fungible in the modern NFL.