5 Steelers that benefitted from the 2022 NFL Draft the most
Both starting cornerbacks will face little competition since the draft’s conclusion
It was notably a busy free agency period for the Steelers and they were able to address both starting cornerback spots during this time. These were two huge gets as they added two veteran players with a lot of starting experience for cheap. Considering the going rate for young starting corners in free agency, both Ahkello Witherspoon and Levi Wallace were bargains.
They both signed with the franchise after contemplating other offers sitting for them in the open market. Wallace joined the defense after starting for his first three and a half years in the league on one of the better defenses in Buffalo. Witherspoon comes back after having a great stretch run with Pittsburgh in 2021. He was their best corner during that time and looked to be settling in nicely.
These were two great moves by Kevin Colbert, and it allowed the team to focus on other needs in the draft. Many still thought that if a cornerback fell to the club with their first-round pick that they might select one. That was a popular position to select in the first round and the team missed out on them.
That allowed for the position to be turned away from in the draft entirely and gave these starters cemented spots for the defense. Both Wallace and Witherspoon will be the starting outside corners on day one and will likely keep those jobs for this season. There is little competition against them as the draft did not work in the Steelers favor to select this position.
The Steelers were able to plug more holes across their roster but that also allowed for other positions to get neglected. These players and positional groups benefited the most from the 2022 NFL Draft outcome.