2021 Draft Profile: Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth

[Steeler Nation]

Leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft starting on April 29th, we will be releasing several draft profiles of prospects who could potentially see themselves on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Next up…

Pat Freiermuth (Tight End), Penn State, Junior​

The Need:

The Steelers have been looking for a long-term answer at the tight end position since Heath Miller retired after the 2015 season. Vance McDonald called it a career earlier this offseason, so the team is in need for a TE2. TE1 Eric Ebron is set to become a free agent after the 2021 season, and the only TE the Steelers have under contract after the 2021 season is Zach Gentry. Freiermuth could be the long-term answer at TE that the Steelers have been looking for. Even though TE isn’t an immediate need for the team this year, he can provide immediate help and hone his skills this coming season working side by side with Ebron. Freiermuth would give Ben Roethlisberger another weapon to play with in what could be his final season! Steelers’ TE Coach, Alfredo Roberts sure looked pretty thrilled with Freiermuth’s performance at Penn State’s pro day.

Based on body language alone, sure seems Steelers' TE coach Alfredo Roberts was happy with Pat Freiermuth's workout. Put him through a ton of drills/routes. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/YjBVrz9Kww

— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) March 25, 2021

Freiermuth measured in at 6’5″ and 251 lbs at Penn State’s pro day on Thursday. He is projected as a late 1st-2nd round pick. Freiermuth has a few things to clean up in the blocking part of his game, but he is a sure-handed tight end that is capable of being an explosive weapon for many years to come in the NFL.






Pros:

• Excellent hands; just doesn’t drop passes.
• Tough to tackle
• Excellent ball skills, can catch a pass anywhere in his vicinity
• Mismatch waiting to happen
• Physical after the catch
• Go to red zone target
• Creates separation in tight spaces
• Sufficient blocker currently
• Experience; 3-year starter for the Nittany Lions

Cons:

• Not an “excellent” blocker YET
• Coming off of shoulder surgery
• Needs to buy into blocking with more intensity and utilize his size better when asked to put his hand in the dirt
• Not as athletic as some other TE options
• Lacks vertical leaping ability

Check out Freiermuth’s career highlights at Penn State below:


What do you think of Penn State’s Pat Freiermuth? Sound off in the comment section below, or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

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[TDX27]

If he was sitting there in the 2nd round, I would have a real hard time not taking him. A good TE is huge in today's game. He can run all kinds of routes, has good hands and can block (not great yet, as you noted, but he can block unlike many other pure receiving TE's). He could be a fixture of the offense for the next decade.

 

[Atlsteelers]

If he was sitting there in the 2nd round, I would have a real hard time not taking him. A good TE is huge in today's game. He can run all kinds of routes, has good hands and can block (not great yet, as you noted, but he can block unlike many other pure receiving TE's). He could be a fixture of the offense for the next decade.

If we want him in the 2nd then I think we will have to move up. Maybe give up one of our 4th’s? I don’t see him falling to us but crazier things have happened.

 

[TDX27]

If we want him in the 2nd then I think we will have to move up. Maybe give up one of our 4th’s? I don’t see him falling to us but crazier things have happened.

Agreed. I think he is the 2nd or maybe 3rd rated TE in the draft. He'll probably be long gone. The Steelers don't usually pass up top-skill players on their board. If that No. 1 TE (can't recall his name) slides to us in the 1st round, they very well could pull the trigger.

 

[slashsteel]

If we are going to trade up in 2, I prefer Williams out of NC.

 

[TDX27]

I'll be good with just about any position they draft this year. Realistically, we probably aren't going to win it all so this really is the start of a pretty serious re-tooling (not rebuild). If we can somehow land a legit starting QB within the next 2 to 3 years, I will be ecstatic. I'm certainly not sold on Rudolph but not writing him off completely either. He was very good in college. I got to see him throw a lot of beautiful bombs downfield as I was living in OKC when he was in college. The other pieces will fall into place from there. The Steelers are too good of an organization to play the suckitude game year in and year out.