With the Steelers rookie playing at an unprecedented level, here is an updated ranking of the entire rookie class.
The Steelers have gotten quite a bit of play out of their rookies this season, even if it all hasn’t been great. Besides one of their draft picks, this class has seen a large number of snaps and for the most part, the results have been good. Now over halfway through the season, here is an updated ranking of the rookie class.
Steelers Buddy Johnson
While the entire rookie class has seen a significant amount of work so far this year, the lone exception has been Buddy Johnson. This isn’t as much as his fault as it is just how deep the team is at off-ball linebacker. The Steelers have three players that they let see the field on defense while the other two options are core special teams. Having five capable off-ball linebackers has made it almost impossible for Johnson to see the field.
Long-term, there are some traits worth developing with Johnson. While only a fourth-round pick, Johnson has great size and athleticism for an off-ball linebacker. He has coverage struggles, but those skills can hopefully be developed over time. Johnson has the ability to be a contributor once the heard thins out at linebacker.
With Devin Bush struggling as he has, it could set up for an interesting battle between the field and Bush next offseason. Johnson should insert himself into that battle given his talent and ability to stop the run. While his rookie season improving much doesn’t seem likely, long-term Johnson should be a decent defender. That said, he is clearly the worst of the class so far due to his inability to see the field.
Steelers Kendrick Green
Of all of the Steelers playing draft picks, Kendrick Green has played the worse of the group. This shouldn’t be a huge surprise as Green was a raw and undersized coming out of Illinois and mostly played guard in college. He had a lot of potential and his athleticism and demeanor were a plus, but there were a lot of questions surrounding the player the team was pigeonholing into their starting center spot.
All of that said, Green has been worse than expected. His physicality at the line can get overshadowed by bigger and stronger defenders which leads to him being pushed back. His pass blocking has been mediocre and his technique there has been bad. Worse yet, his snapping has become inconsistent, as the past few weeks he has sailed some bad snaps which have cost the Steelers drives.
While expecting a third-round pick to be elite off the back would be unwise, Green has been notably worse than most thought he would be. Even though he has made some steps forward as a run defender, his pass blocking is tough to get past. There is a real chance the Steelers target a center again this offseason and try to kick Green back to guard. His tape as a center has been tough and he has easily been one of, if not the, worst lineman on the team.
Steelers Pressley Harvin
Pressley Harvin was a tough one to place. While only a seventh-round pick, he is a punter, and if you use a draft pick on a punter, you expect them to be pretty good. Harvin hasn’t been bad by any means, but he has struggled with consistency when attempting punts. It seems like for every quality punt he has, he has another that is horrible.
Long term, this won’t be sustainable for Harvin. He will have to get to a point where he isn’t shanking more than a punt or two a season. That should come in time as he gets more used to NFL coverages going forward. That said, Harvin did have consistency issues in college, so this may be something that he struggles with at the NFL level.
If Harvin gets that consistency down, he should easily move up this list in due time. He has flashed leg strength that could make him an elite punter, but he will never get there if he is shanking a good portion of his punts. Harvin hasn’t had a bad rookie season by any means, but it certainly could have been better.
Steelers Isaiahh Loudermilk
In what was a surprising turn of events, Steelers rookie Isaiahh Loudermilk hasn’t just seen playing time, but he has been surprisingly stout as a defender. Loudermilk was one of the most panned draft picks by the team. His college play was nothing special and he was seen as a reach by almost everyone. On top of this, the team was extremely deep along the defensive line when Loudermilk was picked.
Fast-forward to the present and Loudermilk has been an excellent reserve for the team. As well, the team went from deep at defensive line to suddenly very shallow. Stephon Tuitt not playing and Tyson Alualu getting injured led to Loudermilk seeing a jump in playing time. He hasn’t disappointed when he’s been on the field as he has quickly become the team’s best reserve lineman.
Moving forward, as long as Tuitt doesn’t return to the field, Loudermilk should continue to be the first reserve off the bench. He still has some work as a pass rusher and his overall strength isn’t where it needs to be, but he is adept at taking up space on run downs. He won’t be starting unless more injuries occur, but for a fifth-round pick, he has exceeded expectations.
Steelers Dan Moore
While Dan Moore has taken his lumps so far this season, by all accounts’ fans should be impressed with the fourth-round pick. The rookie from Texas A&M was taken early on day three and the expectation was that he would need a year to develop into a swing tackle due to his lack of strength and technique as a blocker. An impressive camp and a string of injuries along the line forced him into the starting left tackle role, a role that he hasn’t lost.
That isn’t to say that every Moore snap has been great. Against some of the top-tier edge rushers, he has fallen well short of where he should be, but in the run game, he has held his own. The issues associated with him are still true, as his technique is sloppy and his strength isn’t where it needs to be yet, but he has done more than enough to retain his starting job. Considering the fact that his solid play has aided in keeping Zach Banner on the bench and him starting becomes that much more impressive.
All of that said, Moore falls right in the middle of this rookie class. He has been more consistent and valuable to this point than Green even if his play hasn’t been elite yet. Next offseason will be key for Moore, as adding some basic NFL strength and working on his technique and placement will make him a more efficient player. There is a real chance that Moore starts for the next few years, and to get that kind of a value in the fourth round is incredible.
Steelers Tre Norwood
Besides Loudermilk, there was no Steelers draft pick panned more than Tre Norwood. The rookie from Oklahoma didn’t have a set position coming into the NFL and despite his five interceptions as a senior, he had questions in coverage. The team was confident in him from the beginning of the year though, as he was a mainstay on dime defense and in the slot.
While it all hasn’t been pretty, Norwood has taken on more of a role with the defense as the year went on. Initially, the team was just playing him on dime defense, and he was excelling there. With Arthur Maulet struggling, Norwood got back in the slot some more and looked solid. In particular, his game against the Seahawks showcased just how good Norwood can be as a versatile defender for this defense.
Honestly, his worst performance came when he was playing as a natural free safety, his technical college position. Honestly, his versatility and play style is reminiscent of Cameron Sutton. Even if he never develops into a true starter for this defense, his flexibility and ability to wear multiple hats will bring value to Norwood. Him being a seventh-round pick and playing well in his role narrowly has him edge out Moore on the rankings list.
Steelers Najee Harris
While many will be upset to not see Najee Harris claim the top rookie spot on this list, quite frankly he doesn’t deserve it. Has he played well? Of course, but he lacks the elite play-ability that most hoped the team was getting when the Steelers choose him in the first round. He has run hard, gotten the tough yards, and has been a valuable receiver, but that should be expected for an early-round running back.
Harris has provided a consistent face in the backfield, but he hasn’t been an elite back to this point. He struggles to break off long runs (don’t expect that to change much, as he isn’t a very fast back). He is constantly moving forward though and picking up the tough yards, but again, this was the expectation for Harris given his first-round draft status. He hasn’t disappointed by any means, but he has been as expected so far.
For anyone clinging to the argument that the offensive line is the issue, stop. The Steelers could have selected Landon Dickerson or Creed Humphrey instead of Harris if the line was the issue. The expectation was for Harris to be an elite back no matter who was blocking for him. He hasn’t been that, although his overall play has been fine. He isn’t deserving of the top spot though, as one rookie has been truly impressive this season.
Steelers Pat Freiermuth
Easily the Steelers’ most surprising and impressive rookie this season, Pat Freiermuth screams top tight end by as early as next season. The rookie hasn’t been an elite player yet, but his sure hands, good routes, and above-average blocking have made him a perfect fit for this team. Considering how tough it is for tight ends to develop at the pro level, Freiermuth’s early success is that much more impressive.
Most expected Freiermuth to be a complementary player to Eric Ebron this season given the usual issues rookie tight ends have in the league. It was apparent early on that the Steelers had something though, as a snap split quickly gave way to Freiermuth playing the majority of snaps at tight end. Now, Ebron is an afterthought in this offense (that is when he’s healthy) and Freiermuth has become the security blanket in the passing game.
He hasn’t been perfect; his blocking has had some misses and he hasn’t been dynamic as a receiver, but he has far exceeded the expectations he had when his rookie season began. By all accounts, his play has been better than any of the other rookies, and besides maybe Moore and Norwood, he has exceeded the expectations most had for the rookie. Freiermuth has been a bright spot on this offense and has a bright future in the league no matter who is throwing him the ball.
The Steelers have gotten an unprecedented amount of quality play from their rookies this season, and while not all of it has been perfect, the team should be excited about their futures. While the backend needs to pick it up a little, the fact that the team has been this successful despite so many snaps going to unproven players is impressive. This list can and will change by year’s end, but as of now, this is the list of the best Steelers rookies from this past draft class.