For the past few seasons, I compared the Pittsburgh Steelers’ top draft picks against rookies drafted in nearby rounds and playing similar positions selected by other teams. Last year, I tracked Chase Claypool and Alex Highsmith with their contemporaries from the 2020 NFL draft class. This season, we’ll track Najee Harris, Pat Freiermuth, and Kendrick Green to see how they stack up.
There was no player combine this year due to the pandemic, but I have included performances from the Pro Days. Here are the comparisons of the players selected in the first three rounds. I’ll summarize the rest of the draft class as the 2021 season progresses and provide updates on the past three draft classes midseason.