Initial grades for all 7 of the Steelers 2022 draft picks
By Andrew Falce
Steelers pick 20
Grade: D+
Meh, this isn’t how I saw the first-round pick or the quarterback class as a whole playing out. Kenny Pickett was the hot name in college football last season as he finally put together a great season. He had been the Pittsburgh starter for a while and progressively got better every season. This led to his breakout season last year.
Pickett does a lot of things well. He has good accuracy and decent ball placement. As well, he has the athleticism to make plays on the ground if he needs to. I do question his overall arm strength and potential ceiling, but his floor is relatively high, and he is the most pro-ready quarterback from this class.
The grade is that low though because of his low ceiling and being ready to play now. The Steelers signed Mitchell Trubisky this offseason and while you shouldn’t view him as a long-term answer, he could have at least played this season while a rookie developed. As well, this class as a whole fell on draft day as the next quarterback off the board went in the third round. The Steelers could have traded back or even waited another round to get Pickett. I’m not high on Pickett long-term, but he should be an average starter sooner rather than later.
Must Read. 5 players Steelers must select in the third day of the draft. light
The Steelers draft started off mediocrely, had a strong middle, and finished with more of a whimper than anything else. That said, they should be able to get some early production from this class. While these grades are early and are subject to change, these are my initial thoughts and reactions to this 2022 draft class.