The Steelers wrapped up their 2022 draft class with seven total selections, and here are some initial grades for the entire class.
The Steelers had an interesting group of selections in the 2022 draft class. Some big needs were addressed while some promising talent elsewhere was added. While only time will tell how good this class will end up being, I wanted to share my initial reactions and thoughts about the class. Here are my grades for the Steelers 2022 draft class.
Steelers pick 241
Grade: D+
I’m never a fan of picking quarterbacks late in the draft, as more often than not these players flame out and are playing in the USFL or XFL within a few years. While Chris Oladokun has some fun film and there is some obvious talent there, he has an uphill climb to even make the roster. The team likes to carry four quarterbacks through training camp, but after that, it will be a toss-up as to what happens with Oladunkun.
Known for his strong arm and highlight plays at a small school, there isn’t a lot wrong with him as a late-round prospect. He has good composure in the pocket and can scramble if needed. That said, most expected him to go undrafted. After already spending the top pick on a quarterback, adding another one felt unnecessary. That said, there isn’t a huge difference between an undrafted free agent and a late seventh-round pick.
A way that Oladunkun can see this grade instantly get boosted is if Mason Rudolph gets flipped sometime during training camp. That makes him the de facto third-string quarterback and suddenly a more valuable pick. If he was just drafted to be a camp arm though, it really is hard to get excited about this pick.
Steelers pick 225
Grade: C-
A name that was brought in for a pre-draft visit, Mark Robinson is relatively new at playing linebacker and he has some decent tape there during his stint at Ole Miss. A former running back, Robinson made the full-time switch to defense last season and held his own. That said, his transition to the NFL will likely be a steep curve to get over.
Undersized at 5’11, 230 pounds, Robinson doesn’t have the athletic testing you want in a player his size. It isn’t bad by any means, but typically those severely undersized players are supreme athletes. He isn’t. He does have a hard-hitting nature and can read an offense well, but his overall processing skills are raw.
The best reason to get behind this pick is Brian Flores is here to coach him up. He has a strong track record of getting the most out of linebackers, and he has a good piece of clay in Robinson. That said, I think special teams is his best-case scenario. While that is fine for a seventh-round pick, the reason this grade is a tick below average is due to the room around him. Odds are Robinson is kept on the practice squad in year one due to the various other special teams’ options already on the roster.
Steelers pick 208
Grade: C-
A player that I really like but feel like went a round early, Connor Heyward was a productive college player who will wear a lot of hats at the next level. While a tight end technically at Michigan St., Heyward was also used as a runner, lead blocker, and red zone threat. There are concerns about what his instant impact will be on the offense, but he has some good traits to work with.
His size will likely limit how much traditional tight end he plays, and fullback is likely his best long-term answer for a position, but Heyward is a dynamic offensive weapon. The Spartans got the ball in his hands often and he made the most of those opportunities. Add in his special team’s ability and he will be an easy player to argue to keep on the roster this season.
The reason the grade is so low is the perceived value (would have preferred him in the seventh round) and due to Derek Watt currently being the team’s fullback. Perhaps the team keeps both and only rosters two tight ends? Heyward could be an interesting pseudo third tight end/fullback early in his career. It will be interesting to see how he sticks, but there is a lot of potential with this pick.
Steelers pick 148
Grade: B
To be clear, these next three picks are the highlights of this class. Without them, this class would easily have been graded far lower than what I perceived it. In the fourth round, the Steelers landed Calvin Austin out of Memphis. The value was certainly there, as most projected him to go somewhere on day two, and he fills the void at slot receiver.
Known for his game-breaking speed, Austin flies around the football field and is hard to cover. Add in his sharp routes and good hands and you have a strong receiver. His issue is his size, as he is under 5’8 and only weighs 170 pounds. That didn’t stop him at the college level, but it could limit him as a pro.
While I like a lot of Austin’s game, I’m not quite sure what his fit will be in the Steelers offense. The team hasn’t done extraordinarily well with these small gadget slot receivers, as most of their routes came at or behind the line of scrimmage. That would be a waste of Austin’s ability. If they can use him as a down-the-field slot weapon though in this offense, this move could pay dividends. The team just has to prove that they have a plan for him.
Steelers pick 84
Grade: B+
From a value standpoint alone, DeMarvin Leal was seen as a late first-round pick to mid-second-round pick by most. While his 2021 season didn’t live up to some of the hype that he had going into the year, Leal is still an accomplished pass rusher from the interior. He joins a relatively deep line that still has some question marks as to who will play where.
As stated, Leal’s path to NFL success is as an interior rusher. He has a good first step and is aggressive with his hands. He uses a variety of moves to beat interior lineman and get to the quarterback. The opposite is true as a run defender, as he can often get bullied out of the play. He doesn’t play with a lot of power, thus his ability to anchor against the run is almost nonexistent.
He also has a weird size for a Steelers lineman. His height and reach would make him a better fit at nose tackle, but his lack of run defense would make him a poor fit there. Ultimately, I think you can develop a sub-package pass-rushing interior lineman. I don’t think he will ever be a traditional starter, but he can play 60-75 percent of the snaps over a season and be an effective pass rusher on top of it.
Steelers pick 52
Grade: A
Easily the best pick of the class, George Pickens has all of the traits you want in a potential starting receiver. He has the size and speed to win all over the field and he has some of the best hands in college football from last season. While he is limited to being an outside-only receiver, there is good reason to believe that Pickens will be a strong starter for the team sooner rather than later.
Pickens was hyped as a potential first-round pick before an ACL tear derailed most of his junior season. Had he been healthy, there was good reason to believe that he would have been one of the top names drafted at the receiver position. The only thing he could work on is sharpening some of his routes. Beyond that, he has some very complete tape as a receiving prospect.
He does have some reported off-the-field issues, and that is something to monitor going forward, but the sky is the limit with Pickens. Expect him to crack the receiving rotation sooner rather than later and to make an impact in his rookie season. He has superstar potential and the Steelers got him in the second round. He is the most exciting pick from this class and it isn’t particularly close.
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.
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.