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PFF Projects Steelers Get Bud Dupree Replacement at No. 24 in 2021 NFL Draft

By Larry Rupp

PFF projects the Pittsburgh Steelers to take Gregory Rousseau in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
PFF projects the Pittsburgh Steelers to take Gregory Rousseau in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. / Mark Brown/Getty Images
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The NFL offseason is already in full swing and that means it is soon time for the 2021 NFL Draft to kick off. In PFF's latest mock draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers are projected to take Miami edge defender Gregory Rousseau and add to what is an already strong defense.

Rousseau lines up to be a perfect replacement for Bud Dupree given his all-around athleticism and pure power. Dupree was one of the leaders of this defense and losing him to free agency was tough for the Steelers. Drafting Rousseau is one way they can quickly turn it around.

Gregory Rousseau Steelers

Rousseau opted out of playing in the 2020 college football season, but excelled back in 2019 totaling 54 tackles (19.5 for loss) and 15.5 sacks. He also forced 2 fumbles and proved to be a menace on defense. He has what it takes to step in as an immediate starter in Pittsburgh.

Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 260 pounds, Rousseau is bigger than a lot of players at his position. However, he has the speed necessary to beat both tight ends and offensive linemen on the line of scrimmage. Plus, Rousseau has shown flashes of coverage abilities as well.

Pittsburgh has built a reputation for taking raw defensive players and turning them into stars. This could be another one of those cases. If the Steelers can unlock the potential that surrounds Rousseau, he can become a nightmare matchup for opposing NFL offenses.

Assuming he can improve on his flaws, watch out for Rousseau at the next level.

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Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

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