Mid-Round Tight End Option Who's a Perfect Match For Steelers

This mid-round pick might be the Pittsburgh Steelers' best bet at finding a tight end for now and later.

PITTSBURGH -- Mock Draft Mondays with Around The 412 brought one player to light that the Pittsburgh Steelers might be keeping a closer eye on than we think.

For a team with plenty of needs, the one that seems to be swept under the rug is tight end. Outside of Eric Ebron, who has been known to struggle in run blocking, the Steelers don't have a reliable tight end on the roster. 

Right now, the depth chart would go Ebron, Zach Gentry and Kevin Rader - two of which have a combined seven games of NFL experience. So, Pittsburgh should be in the running for a tight end, and the NFL Draft might be their best place to find one. 

Former NFL head coach Jim More told AllSteelers that Hunter Long out of Boston College might be the team's best mid-round option for depth at the position, but Mock Draft Monday might have found a better suitor. 

With the 87th pick during Around The 412's virtual mock draft, hosts Zachary Smith and Tyler Weeks - and myself - decided on Notre Dame tight end Tommy Tremble as the Steelers' third-round selection. And honestly, it all clicked. 

Tremble provides reliable hands with a big 6'4 frame. Only playing two years at Notre Dame, Tremble caught 35 passes for 401 yards and four touchdowns. Maybe not the best college career, but one that left enough upside to feel confident about his potential. 

He's also known to be a blocking tight end. The Steelers need to replace Vance McDonald with a strong-bodied end. Right now, they don't have any options to turn to that they, or the fans, would feel comfortable with. That would change with Tremble. 

There's also a ton of upside for the future. With Ebron's contract expiring at the end of the 2021 season, the Steelers could be on the search for a new starter at the position. Working behind Ebron for a season gives Tremble all the tools to turn his NFL career into a strong one, leaving the Steelers with a decent option next offseason. 

He also won't be a reach when the team turns to pick him. The Fighting Irish stud should be available in the third round but could find himself sliding to the fourth depending on how day two turns out. The Steelers can sit back and wait for a backup tight end, allowing them to approach positions like running back and offensive line beforehand. 

Tight end hasn't been a hot topic surrounding the Steelers this offseason. It's known that they need one, but when to find out seems to be up for debate. If Tremble is around in the middle of the NFL Draft, he might be the best option they'll have - or had - all offseason. 

Watch all of Mock Draft Monday with Around The 412 here: 

Mock Draft Monday (4/19) https://t.co/K3bWerkLZa

— Around The 412 (@AroundThe412) April 19, 2021

Noah Strackbein is a Publisher with AllSteelers. Follow Noah on Twitter @NoahStrack, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.