Steelers rookie grades: Kenny Pickett earns a below-average score in first season

The Pittsburgh Steelers season is over, and here are the final grades for the team’s 2022 rookie draft class.

The Steelers couldn’t find a way to sneak into the playoffs, and with the offseason officially here, I wanted to take some time to deliver final grades for the rookie class from the team. This team got a lot of snaps out of this class, and while everything wasn’t perfect, there are some key pieces that can be built off of.

My grading system is skewed based on draft projections. For example, a seventh-round pick is expected to make the roster. If he does that, he earns a C (as he meets expectations). A first-round pick should be at least an above-average starter in year one, that is how he earns a C. Anything above or below that change grades naturally. As well, Calvin Austin is not graded here as he missed the entire season with a foot injury.

Here are the final grades for the Steelers rookie class.

Steelers missed on Oladokun

Initial Grade: D+

Final Grade: F

Criteria: Makes the roster

Looking back, this pick was about as predictable as they come in terms of results. The Steelers wanted to land a fourth quarterback and chose to draft a small-school prospect with some intangibles, but not much else. It was infuriating to see him get no snaps in camp and never have a chance to prove anything. He was released before the final round of cuts.

Oladokun did latch on with the Chiefs reserves, but he failed to live up to any draft hype that he may have had. Even worse is that Brock Purdy went after Oladokun, and he has gone on to help lead the 49ers into the playoffs. This was a bad pick no matter how you shake it, as the team clearly should have gone in a different direction with their last pick.