4 Steelers rookies that were steals in the 2022 NFL Draft

Steelers WR Pickens

Anyone that has followed my work during this draft season knows how I feel about George Pickens. Without a doubt in my mind, had Pickens been healthy all of last year, he would have been a first-round pick and more than likely one of the top receivers off the board. Instead, the Steelers land him in the second round of the draft. This is a pick that will pay dividends sooner than later.

Pickens is as close to a complete receiver as you will get from the college game. He played all over the Georgia offense, has great speed and hands, runs good routes, and is willing to throw a block in the run game. The only trait that he needs to work on is his yards after the catch and perhaps getting a bit more precise with his routes. Considering how raw some receivers are coming out of the draft, this certainly isn’t a bad thing.

I expect Pickens to crack this starting lineup sooner than later and become an effective weapon for this offense. Long-term, I think he can become a top wideout in the league and one that benefits the development of the Steelers new quarterback. He dominated college at a young age and seems poised to do the same at the NFL level. A player with his ceiling was an absolute steal in the second round of the draft.

No matter how you feel about the Steelers draft class as a whole, one can’t argue against the value this team got during some portions of the draft. In particular, these four rookies were steals when the team got to add them, as their talent and potential to play will make them solid contributors sooner rather than later.