An early re-drafting of the Steelers 2022 NFL draft class

Steelers round 3

Original Pick: DeMarvin Leal, DL, Texas A&M

My Pick: Malik Willis, QB, Liberty

For the most part, I am against a team selecting a quarterback outside of the first round unless you just need a backup. It is so rare to find a quarterback with elite traits and the ability to start past round one. That said, knowing how the quarterback board played out, targeting one in the third round made much more sense. Investing a third-round pick in a player with a lot of upside due to his natural traits makes more sense than using the first-round pick on a safe quarterback with a low ceiling.

I know that Malik Willis isn’t everyone’s cup of tea as a quarterback, and while there is a good chance he doesn’t work out as a player, if he does, he has top-five potential. He has a cannon for an arm, good athleticism, and good accuracy when he is focused. He lacks technique in the pocket and the ability to properly read a defense, but those traits can be coached up. In the third round, he would have been well worth the risk.

You could also make the argument for Matt Corral here, but ultimately with a ready-to-play veteran in Trubisky on the roster, I would swing for the fences with this pick. While bypassing a quarterback completely is an option I considered, the team spent most of their scouting resources on passers. I would have targeted the one with the best ceiling even if the bust potential is huge here. In the third round, that is a risk worth taking to me.