The Steelers will need to be smart with finding diamonds in the rough on day three of the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are currently in a bind as they look to compete in a very tough division. The AFC North now hosts the Cincinnati Bengals, the reigning divisional champions and two other teams that will have good chances of making the playoffs. For the first time in decades, the black and gold are not expected to accomplish much.
It is going to take a great draft for this club to get back on track and compete in the division and beyond again. Getting some great value on day three of the event will be a high priority for a quick turnaround. Pittsburgh has gotten great value before on this day in past drafts.
Currently, the franchise has only four picks on between the fourth and seventh-round in 2022. They will need to be wise with how they select talent and what positions they prioritize. Getting value picks will be there at certain points of the event and the black and gold need to pounce.
Honorable mentions
Jerome Ford, RB, Cincinnati
Jerome Ford transferred to Cincinnati from Alabama because his playtime was lacking. He broke out onto the scene this past season and really started catching the eyes of NFL scouts. Many might not imagine the Steelers needing a running back in this draft, but they need to help Najee Harris and keep some tread on his tires. The top brass of the team was well represented at his pro day and could target him on day three.
Hassan Haskins, RB, Michigan
Hassan Haskins is in the same boat as Ford currently is. This is not the strongest running back class, but you could find a nice second option behind Harris on day three in this group. Haskins very much shadowed Ford with their mirrored production after a slow start to their collegiate careers. He would provide another option for the team that went to go see him and his teammates at Michigan’s pro day.
Coby Bryant, CB, Cincinnati
Coby Bryant was the opposite cornerback on the opposite side of Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner during their time there. They developed nicely into great cover corners and the size they play with is something NFL scouts will want on their team. They combined to create a nice duo and this player will be selected at some point in the middle rounds of the draft.
His fellow teammate, Gardner, will likely be selected in the top ten picks of the draft. Bryant would be a nice value pick on day three of the event that will get the attention of the Steelers. They secured two outside cornerbacks in free agency, but they still need depth and competition.
Levi Wallace and Ahkello Witherspoon are currently penciled in to be the two starting outside cornerbacks on defense. Adding someone with the size and abilities that Bryant brings with him could allow him to challenge for a starting spot early in his career. The biggest issue with this player comes in his tackling and lack of focus.
Bryant is a solid cover corner that needs to still be coached, specifically in the run game. The Steelers would be wise to take this player if he was there to select with one of their day three selections. We also know the team was in person to watch him and his teammates during the Bearcats pro day. Developing this prospect could pay off if the club brings him along correctly.
Danny Gray, WR, SMU
Danny Gray is an interesting option for the Steelers on day three of the draft. The team needs both quality and quantity at the receiver position. They lost three starting-caliber players in free agency with the names of Ray-Ray McCloud, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and James Washington exiting. They all signed elsewhere and there are only two options on the roster that will be starters on opening day.
Getting the receiver room figured out is going to be a major focus as the draft gets closer. Perhaps the team adds someone in free agency and the draft or maybe they double-dip with two of their selections. It will be interesting to see what they do but adding Gray on day three would be a nice value option.
He is a speedy guy that has his best days still ahead of him. He is a gadget player that does his best work when he can get some open field in front of him. Keeping his time on the field as a rookie simplified will need to happen as he learns different tools of the trade at the professional level.
The biggest knock on this receiver at this point of the draft would be his lack of special teams experience at SMU. He could always get looks as a returner and his skills of open field explosiveness should help him in that department. The Steelers receivers coach was on hand to watch this player closely at his pro day and could be a legit option.
Markquese Bell, S, Florida A&M
Markquese Bell is someone that was highly recruited coming out of high school and eventually landed with the Maryland Terrapins. He would not last there long as he was suspended indefinitely for violating the school’s code of conduct. He left the program to join the JUCO route, then would join the Florida A&M Rattlers.
His character will bring concerns and NFL teams will need to evaluate if he is worth the risk. His suspension never expressed what specific violations that he committed during his time with Maryland. But since then, he has been able to show great abilities on the football field.
The Steelers desperately need a starting strong safety now and Bell might be able to fill that void. There could always be a free agent signing to take away this focus in the draft but adding Bell this late would-be great value on day three.
Pittsburgh was on hand to watch his pro day closely and he could become an option if the cards fall just right. He played in a small program, but his pedigree is still there as a former high-ranking recruit. He is a great athlete with the size that the defense needs at the position. This could be a steal in the event as long as his character concerns are squared away.
Carson Strong, QB, Nevada
Carson Strong is a day three quarterback option for the Steelers. The team has expressed a ton of interest in the evaluation process in this quarterback class, including this player. Mike Sullivan, the quarterback coach of the Steelers was on hand during the Nevada pro day and kept a close eye on this player.
The 2022 NFL Draft is not headlined by many quarterbacks that are as good as in previous years. They still have some young and promising options on the board that the black and gold will have planned to take. Strong would be a fallback option for the team if they miss out on other options like Matt Corral, Malik Willis, Kenny Pickett, Sam Howell, or Desmond Ridder.
Getting this player in the fourth round or later would be good value. He has a good arm with some nice accuracy that gets overlooked at times. The biggest knock on this player is his lack of mobility in a game that is almost requiring it nowadays.
Strong is very much like Ben Roethlisberger in the sense that they try to keep the play alive without sprinting down the field. He is a slow train that chugs along and that will conflict with what Matt Canada wants in his offense. This player was very productive in college and would be a nice selection on day three if Pittsburgh missed out on the top names on day one or two of the event.
Tariq Castro-Fields, CB, Penn State
Tariq Castro-Fields is someone that could be taken late in the draft process. He is not as good of a cover corner as Coby Bryant is coming out of college, but this player provides a lot of things. He is a solid athlete as he competes in everything he does.
The biggest issue with this player is his lack of splash and consistency during his time at Penn State. Castro-Fields was a longtime starter for them on defense but was not able to cause turnovers very often. He was never the main cover guy for the Nittany Lions and will likely be a sixth or seventh-round option for a team.
The Steelers need players that will come in and compete for the bottom parts of this roster and this prospect seems like he will be able to do that. Many expect him to perform well on special teams and create a career in this league through that phase of football. This franchise loves adding corners that can both compete on defense and in special teams coming out of college.
Castro-Fields is not going to be the next Joe Haden, but he will likely be able to push others on this roster. Not every late-round option can turn into Pro Bowlers — that is a rare find. Still, this player has gotten interest from the club as the Steelers sent some contingent to his pro day while he worked out with his teammates.
The Steelers still have some holes to fill on their roster that currently lay vacant. There will be competition brought in for different spots of the depth chart that battle it out in training camp.