Here are the grades for the Steelers draft picks and UDFAs halfway through the season
While the Steelers had some struggles with their free-agent class, their early returns on their draft class has been promising. Nearly everyone has found a way to contribute so far, at least in terms of rookies that have earned a helmet. One rookie in particular could be in consideration for offensive rookie of the year due to the large impact he has had on the offense.
Now 7-0, this rookie class has been a major reason for the successes that the Steelers have found so far. Contributions from this class have come in a variety of ways, and everyone from their early picks to their undrafted class has found their way onto the field. That alone is a strong statement, as this offseason was one of the hardest ones to navigate around. Rookies on all teams had to go from college to pro with no real in-between.
Thus, it is important to note that these grades are only for the midseason mark. These grades could jump up or tumble by the end of the season. As well, where they were drafted and what their expectations were as a rookie will be accounted for. If a UDFA dresses for a game or two, that is a major win. Likewise, if a second-round pick only dressed for a game or two, it would be disappointing. Thus, grading them on different scales is a necessity.
With all of that said, here are the Steelers rookie grades midway through the season.
James Pierre
Grade: B+
This list will go in reverse order of when the player was drafted, which actually means an undrafted player is the first up. James Pierre entered camp as an unknown and underhyped college defensive back out of Florida Atlantic. All of the hype was on Trajan Bandy, the Mike Hilton like slot corner that was ultimately cut from the practice squad. Meanwhile, Pierre has gotten a helmet every game and has been a core special teamer.
As of now, he has logged four total tackles as a gunner during special teams. While simply being a special teamer may draw the ire of fans, he is an undrafted rookie that is making plays despite not having any sort of an offseason to work with. If this is his ceiling (and it very well could be), he will be a huge pickup for the Steelers. Finding any sort of a contributor that late is hard, and the Steelers should be commended for landing Pierre.
His midseason grade is high, and as long as his special teams play keeps up, it will remain high. That said, ideally, he can carve out a role on defense later on, but his early returns are already better than most would have guessed. It can’t be understated what kind of potential Pierre has. Rarely do Steelers UDFA’s make the roster initially, and when they do, they barely play and typically are bounced on and off the roster during the year. Pierre has proven to be a commodity and one that should continue to improve upon.
Carlos Davis and Antoine Brooks Jr.
Grade: C
Moving into some of the more unnotable players, Carlos Davis and Antoine Brooks Jr. have done little during their NFL carriers so far. This is to be expected though, as both were late round picks and entered crowded depth charts. Brooks has spent most of the season on the practice squad, although he did just recently get called up for the last game. Davis has been on the roster all season, but he has yet to earn a helmet.
Considering this is what was expected of the two being drafted so late, neither guys will earn a high or low grade (thus the average grade of a C). Realistically, the only way either would have failing grades is they were cut outright as some rookies have been in the past. Likewise, had either stepped it up and earned roles even as rotational backups. Their grades would have moved up higher. Their grade is neither bad nor good, it is merely average.
While there is a possibility that either could improve that grade by seasons end, don’t be surprised if their roles remain similar to what they are now. While injuries are always a concern, more than likely Brooks or Davis would be relegated to the bench even if they got a helmet on gameday. Look to next year to see this grade change, as ideally, both will take on more of a role on this team. As for now, they achieved what most people thought they would, thus giving them a C grade.
Kevin Dotson
Grade: B
Kevin Dotson has been a pleasant surprise early into his Steelers career. The mauling guard from Louisiana was drafted with the hope of eventually developing into a starter. He was known for his fierce run blocking in college but his lack of technique as a pass blocker. This caused him not to be invited to the combine, which is the reason Dotson was still available in the fourth round.
Early returns have been extremely promising, as he has yet to give up a sack despite playing 190 snaps and starting two games. If those games are a sign of things to come, the Steelers have hit a homerun here. He could be a starter for years to come and even has the potential to develop into one of the better guards in the league. The fact he has been so sound as a pass blocker already is a great sign towards his development.
As a fourth-round pick, he was expected to have a start or two and play a couple more snaps as a reserve. As well, he seemed like a player that would struggle in pass protection early. So far, he has already played more often than most would have thought he would, and he hasn’t had many of those rookie struggles. If he develops more of a permanent role this year, this grade will go up. If not, he has still exceeded expectations as a rookie.
Anthony McFarland
Grade: C-
It seemed like Anthony McFarland was on the verge of finding a role after he looked explosive against the Texans. Then, the Steelers reverted back to their old ways and began only using James Conner with little rotation. Worse yet, the Steelers have been favoring Jaylen Samuels over McFarland, making his playing time tough to come by. The final nail in his coffin so far has been the inability to make a big play happen.
Brought in for his speed, McFarland arguably had the best path to early season success with the Steelers. He has great speed, and as a change of pace option, he could have seen a couple of touches each game with the chance to break one long. Instead, the few times he has gotten the ball, he has looked almost too fast for his own good, tripping over his own feet as he did against the Ravens. While this isn’t the end of the world, it also hurts his midseason grade.
His expectations at this point would be to see about five touches a game and to provide that big-play ability. Outside of the Texans game, that hasn’t been the case which has led to a below-average score for McFarland. If his role can expand a little and he can break off a few big gains, this grade will go up. He isn’t a bust by any means, but his early returns haven’t been quite what many thought they would be.
Alex Highsmith
Grade: B+
If early indications are a sign, the Steelers may have hit a gold mine with Alex Highsmith. The late third-round pick has already asserted himself as the top backup outside linebacker (sorry Olasunkanmi Adeniyi), and even better as entered into a healthy rotation. Based on reports, his playing time isn’t going to decrease either. The Steelers utilized three outside linebackers on the field multiple times last week, and it seems like similar packages could be used in the future.
While he has yet to record a sack, those should come over time as he harnesses his pass-rush ability. As well, he showed to be a versatile player while in coverage, logging an interception against the Ravens. Throw in the fact he has been all over the field on special teams, and Highsmith is quickly becoming a core player on this team. While the likely departure of Bud Dupree will hurt this offseason, early signs show that the Steelers have a capable player to replace him next year.
His expectations were to get a sack or two as a rotational backup, become the primary backup, and become a core special teamer. He has achieved two of those three things already, and the sacks are likely to come over time. It looks like the Steelers got a quality player this year, and he should be the frontrunner to start next year. He should have a bright future with the team.
Chase Claypool
Grade: A+
Chase Claypool has been the crown jewel of this draft class, and it isn’t even close. The rookie wideout has put the NFL on alert and a plethora of franchises are kicking themselves for not picking him in the draft. While his metrics were always impressive, his college tape made him seem like more of a work in progress. All signs pointed to him being a red zone contributor his rookie year and not much more due to the crowded nature of the position.
Then, the Steelers played the Eagles, and Claypool showed just what kind of a dynamic player he can be. He scored all over the field, on short passes, sweeps, and by simply using his outstanding athleticism to beat defenders. While he hasn’t had another game quite like that, he has still been a constant threat in the offense, more or less replacing James Washington as the Z receiver. He has already caught 23 passes for 375 yards and 5 scores (plus two more as a rusher).
This doesn’t even mention the work he has done as a special teams’ gunner, where he has accumulated five total tackles. While he is playing too well on offense to warrant him playing as many special teams’ snaps, he has still been impressive there. Every time he is on the field he seems to make a big play. It was hard to imagine him having this many receptions and yards throughout the entire season, let alone through the first half.
Thus, Claypool has earned the highest grade as the rookies. Even if those stats dip a little over the latter half of the season, he has still done enough to earn an A. His path to playing wasn’t clear, but through his talent and determination, he has become a go-to weapon for the Steelers. He has a bright future in the league and considering his natural traits, he could be in the conversation as one of the best receivers in the league sooner than later.
While the free-agent additions have contributed less so, the rookie class looks like a promising one. Besides the two late-round picks that have struggled to see the field, the Steelers have gotten some sort of contribution out of each of their rookies this year. While these grades may change by the year’s end, there is no denying just how dominant this group has been so far.