3 picks Steelers got right and 2 they will regret

Steelers got the Darnell Washington pick right

The biggest luxury pick of the draft, but it helps the narrative that this offense is going to be a different type of unit in 2023. For most of the past 15 years, the Steelers have been an aggressive passing team, utilizing deep receiver rooms to make plays down the field. That is set to change though, as Pittsburgh has beefed up their offensive line and has a desire to run the ball.

Darnell Washington fits an offense that wants to do just that. Underutilized as a receiver in college, he can have an impact right away as a blocker, using his size and technique to serve as an extra lineman as opposed to a traditional tight end. A great blocking tight end is already worth a late third-round pick (in my opinion), so the value checks out.

That doesn’t mean he is just going to be late-career Matt Spaeth though, as Washington flashed when given the opportunity. He tested as a great athlete for his size and has soft hands that make him a good player to target. He won’t ever be an elite receiver, but he could easily become a good tight end that can also serve as an elite blocker.

I get that there are medical concerns, but landing a player of that caliber late in the third round is excellent value. He has an instant role as a blocker in two tight-end sets and has the upside to be a good starter down the road if he gets better as a receiver. Add in the extra value of the trade back and this move was one the team got right.

Again, it is hard for me to find a lot of fault with this draft class, as the Steelers landed good players and filled their biggest needs. That said, three players stand out as obvious hits, while two have left me with some more questions. All in all, though, it is hard to be disappointed in this class as a whole.