No matter your thoughts on the Steelers rookie class as a whole, you can’t deny the team got steals with these four players.
The Steelers had a pretty straightforward draft with few surprises as they targeted players that they clearly had an interest in. While some can easily argue that there were players taken that weren’t great value, the team did well in this draft to target falling players. In particular, here are the four steals that the Steelers got out of the 2022 draft class.
Steelers WR Austin
It was a mild surprise when Calvin Austin fell to the later portion of the fourth round of the draft. He was a dynamic playmaker in college who used his speed and sharp routes to get open. His size was what seemingly knocked him, as teams opted for more traditional receivers over the smaller Austin when they were on the board.
This could end up being one of the team’s better picks in this draft though. The team has never had a receiver like Austin on the roster. In the slot, he can provide a player that can take short passes and make big plays out of them. As well, he can use his speed to become more of a downhill threat from the slot, something this team has lacked in recent years.
There is some risk with this pick. Austin’s size is a concern even if smaller receivers are becoming more practical in modern offenses. As well, the Steelers have failed in the past to use undersized receivers from the slot, so they will have to find a way to properly utilize Austin’s skillset. That said, the potential he has makes him a steal from this recent draft class.
Steelers DL Leal
Similar to Austin, DeMarvin Leal is a player that was undoubtedly a great value selection despite not having the best fit with this defense. Leal was once touted as a high first-round pick due to his dominance as an interior rusher. He was a sack machine at a major college program and the expectations are for him to have a similar role at the NFL level.
The issue with his game is his run defense, as he fails to get a consistent push there and can be entirely taken out of some run looks. This caused his draft stock to fall out of the first round, but most were surprised to see him available mid-way through the third round. Even if he never got better as a run stopper, Leal should be able to become a situational pass rusher from the interior of a line.
While the fit of Leal on this defense isn’t clear yet, you can’t argue against the value the team got in selecting him. He is a great security blanket in case Stephon Tuitt doesn’t play again, and he has the potential to develop into a good starter if his run defense gets better. Getting a player like that mid-way through the third round was a homerun.
Steelers EDGE Johnson
Not all of the Steelers draft-day steals were actually selected in the draft. One of the better undrafted free agents that this team brought in was fellow Texas A&M defender Tyree Johnson. While the team’s track record with undrafted free agents, especially in recent years, hasn’t been great, Johnson is entering a good situation to potentially make an impact sooner than later.
Like Leal, Johnson’s calling card as a player is his ability to get after the quarterback. He uses a variety of moves to win at the line of scrimmage and apply pressure in passing games. His run defense could use work, as he lacks the strength and power to hold his own along the edge. This will limit him early in his career but getting into an NFL strength room will help with that issue.
Given the promise Johnson has as a player and the general weakness this team has at edge rusher, Johnson has a shot at cracking this roster early. If he can prove himself as a capable special teams player, he could even make the roster outright out of camp. Long-term, if he develops as he should, Johnson could become a key situational pass rusher for this defense. The Steelers got this type of a player after the draft, so they have to be praised for this addition.
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.