Grading each selection of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 NFL Draft
By Tommy Jaggi
WR Calvin Austin III: A
I saw some fans complaining about this selection in the fourth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers, but if you turn on the tape, I have a feeling that opinion would change rather quickly. Calvin Austin was remarkable value with the 138th overall pick this year, and he graded out much higher on the NFL consensus board. I had Austin as my 94th player.
As a receiver, Austin is much more natural than some of the speedsters drafted ahead of him like Tyquan Thorton and Velus Jones Jr. Honestly, I think he’s a better prospect entering the draft than Tutu Atwell was in 2021, yet he was selected in the second round by the Los Angeles Rams.
The reason why Austin fell so far no doubt has to do with his size. At 5’7 3/4” and 170 pounds, Austin simply has a tiny frame and a small catch radius. However, don’t for a second think that he’s another Dri Archer.
Austin should be a significant upgrade over Ray-Ray McCloud early in his NFL career. He can stretch the field from the slot or take a drag route to the house with his 4.32 speed. Doubling up on receiver might not have been completely necessary with other needs on the board, but I love this pick for the Steelers.