An early re-drafting of the Steelers 2022 NFL draft class
By Andrew Falce
Steelers round 7
Original Pick: Mark Robinson, ILB, Ole Miss
My Pick: Bo Melton, WR, Rutgers
The Steelers seventh round was easily my least favorite aspect of this draft, as neither of the prospects taken has me really excited. Mark Robinson was drafted first, and while I like the idea of developing a raw linebacker with Flores as a coach, I struggle to like the Robinson pick. Undersized and a mediocre athlete, Robinson truly seems like a special teams player at best. Most expected him to go undrafted, so this pick can’t be praised that much.
Since we didn’t take a second, more slot-capable receiver earlier in my re-mock, Bo Melton made a lot of sense. While more of a gadget guy than a traditional receiver at this point, Melton has great athleticism. As a potential slot receiver, he can catch short passes and turn them into big plays. He will need a lot of refinement as a route runner, but that can be developed with this team.
He also is a bigger player than Austin, standing nearly four inches taller and weighing almost 20 pounds more than Austin. The Steelers have a far better track record of utilizing receivers like that instead of Austin. In the seventh round, Melton is a dart throw, but he has some traits to build off of. Long-term, he could find a home as a starting slot receiver.