The Steelers sit at the 14th pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft if the season ended today and they could look for a quarterback.
The Steelers will have an interesting offseason in 2022 as they look to their future. The 2021 NFL season has not been kind to the black and gold at the early goings. They have continued to struggle on offense, while the defense has had some injury issues. It is going to be interesting to see what this team can do going forward into this year.
This is a long season so the draft selection placement will continue to change throughout the schedule. Pittsburgh currently sits at the 14th overall selection in the first round and many fans will hope that they can shoot up way higher than that once the year concludes.
Looking at what picks they hold in 2022
This mock draft currently has the Steelers sitting with the 14th selection in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The team has made a wide array of trades over the past couple of years and that has left them with sparse selections. They currently only hold their own first, second, third, seventh-round selections, and an additional seventh-rounder from the New York Jets. That is not much to work with considering how much this team will probably be losing after the conclusion of this year.
This scenario saw Pittsburgh gaining a fourth-round compensatory selection after the losses from the prior offseason. It will need to be another successful draft that finds players to contribute in a positive light for this team. There will be lots of turnover as many free agents will leave and the team has a bunch of cap space to spend if they are willing. So, if a need was not selected in this mock draft then it is possible that the team could address it via free agency.
Round 1, Pick 14: Matt Corral, Quarterback, Ole Miss
The Steelers get their next quarterback after the Ben Roethlisberger era reaches its conclusion. They select Matt Corral with the hope that he will be the next face of the franchise and immediately return them to relevance. Offensive Coordinator, Matt Canada, will be thrilled to get a duel-threat player for this offense.
He can move his legs and his arm can throw the ball anywhere on a football field. Getting a player that can move with the football might help this offensive line look better as they look to continue their growth as the 2021 season goes along. Adding a player like this would be a huge injection of electricity to this decaying offense.
Corral is one of the best players in college football at the moment. He is currently considered one of the favorites to win the Heisman trophy. Coming up will be a huge test for him as Ole Miss will play against opponents like Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas A&M over the next couple of weeks. That is big-time competition in that SEC conference.
You better believe all NFL scouts will be watching Corral as he plays those games. Those will be his biggest tests and the closest level of play he will get to the NFL in the collegiate ranks. This player is just explosive right now and if he keeps this up against top competition every week, then getting him at 14 will be a huge value.
Round 2, Pick 46: Mykael Wright, Cornerback, Oregon
Mykael Wright shows back up in the Steelers 2022 mock draft yet again. He might not have had his best performance against the Ohio State Buckeyes but this is a solid prospect. He has all the speed and short-area quickness that all NFL scouts are looking for in a cornerback.
Wright is not afraid to get involved in the run game either, so that is another great bonus to add to his profile. His biggest weakness is his frame as it hinders him sometimes. He is just under six feet tall and around 180 pounds. That sometimes will affect his ability to disengage from blocks, make a tackle, or pull the ball away from receivers. This guy is a great prospect that will need to come in and play meaningful snaps right away.
Round 3, Pick 78: Jahan Dotson, Wide receiver, Penn State
Jahan Dotson was just sitting there for the Steelers to select with their third-round pick. This team is going to need another receiver or two with the likely departing of James Washington and JuJu Smith-Schuster after the year. They will need a player to come in and play with Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson.
The biggest wonder will be if the team will search for a slot receiver or rely on a guy like Johnson to take over those duties. Dotson has been one of the most explosive playmakers for his position in college football to this point. He has been able to put up monster numbers even though the Penn State offense is not super consistent.
Dotson has great quickness and the ability to go and get the home run ball. He needs to work on his game some but he can be an instant contributor as a deep-shot weapon on the outside for this offense.
Round 4, Compensatory Pick: Jaquan Brisker, Safety, Penn State
Terrell Edmunds will likely be leaving the Steelers in free agency in 2022 so finding a replacement at safety will be vital. Maybe free agency will be the best way to find a partner for Minkah Fitzpatrick but the franchise chose to go through the draft here.
Jaquan Brisker is playing his best football right now as he is starting to be recognized as one of the best in the country at his position. He plays all over the field for that Penn State secondary. He is their best cover guy and can blitz off the edge when called upon. He lines up close to the line of scrimmage but can also move around. He is an interesting player that could be the day one starter if he fell to Pittsburgh with their compensatory pick.
Round 7, Pick 223: Cordell Volson, Offensive tackle, North Dakota State
As this mock draft begins to wind down, the Steelers start to look for depth. They take an offensive tackle here as the team looks for bodies to add. Bringing in Volson for training camp to battle for that swing tackle position will be his first big test.
Many fans will probably dislike waiting this long to address the offensive front but that is how this one played out. The team has a ton of cap space and spending it on this position might be a better situation since there are so many other holes to fill with limited picks.
Round 7, Pick 234: Jack Sanborn, Linebacker, Wisconsin
Jack Sanborn just sitting here at pick 234 in the seventh round is almost criminal. This player is the best out of that Wisconsin group right now. The Badgers are having a down season but that is not because of the defense. Sanborn is always around the ball and making plays on a consistent level. This player will be able to contribute on special teams and make the club as he will show up big during the pre-season. He could even show up on defense during certain packages.
The Steelers are going to need to fill a lot of holes left behind once player depart via free agency. They did a good job filling some immediate holes here as they will need to look elsewhere in free agency as well.