Football is an unforgiving sport. If you make a bad play, it costs you. If you pile up bad draft classes, it could lead to your team becoming a laughingstock of the NFL. Kevin Colbert is mostly revered during his days as Steelers General manager. When you look back at his last handful of draft classes, he whiffed on many picks. Hindsight is always much clearer, but Colbert could have made some better choices.
In this re-draft article, we will go through each pick that the Steelers had. We will decide if a player picked after their original selection would have been a better choice before their next selection in the following round eventually came.
One thing is for sure, Pittsburgh would have been much better off if they landed what this re-draft produced. They would have been set up to succeed for a long time.
Steelers 2022 re-draft round 1: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
Steelers original pick: Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh
Well, Kenny Pickett was the original pick here and it's no shocker that the Steelers wished they went in another direction. Trent McDuffie went to the Chiefs only a pick later and he has become a solid cornerback for Kansas City. The Steelers needed cornerback help at this time too as they were in the middle of a transition phase. McDuffie would've been a safer pick than Pickett.
Steelers 2022 re-draft round 2: George Pickens, WR, Georgia
Steelers original pick: George Pickens, WR, Georgia
Sticking with George Pickens here in the re-draft. He might not have reached his full potential yet, but he remains a top receiver for Pittsburgh. His character concerns have popped up throughout his career with the Steelers, but they haven't been anything dire. They had a strong receiving core at this moment, but the tandem of Pickens and Johnson remained strong during their time together.
Steelers 2022 re-draft round 3: Romeo Doubs, WR, Nevada
Steelers original pick: DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M
Less than two years later the Steelers traded away Diontae Johnson and now they have issues at receiver. Romeo Doubs is a fantastic get right here. He took a little while to adjust to the NFL, so having Johnson would help in this case. DeMarvin Leal just hasn't worked in Pittsburgh, and he just can't find a fit. His injury problems have also been a roadblock during his career up to this point.
Steelers 2022 re-draft round 4: Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA
Steelers original pick: Calvin Austin III, WR, Memphis
Cam Sutton might have been on the team at this time, but he was a pending free agent after that season. They got McDuffie earlier in this re-draft, and now they land Tariq Woolen. Both are great athletes and have transitioned to the NFL effectively. Calvin Austin III was a solid pick at this point in the draft, but his talents have not been used enough to keep him, plus Pickens and Doubs are a better duo.
Steelers 2022 re-draft round 6: Connor Heyward, TE, Michigan State
Steelers original pick: Connor Heyward, TE, Michigan State
It might be a bit of a surprise, but the Steelers stick with Connor Heyward at this point of the process. There weren't too many options that proved to be better between this pick and their seventh-round choice. Heyward helps keep Cam Heyward happy and is someone who can play special teams and different positions. You would have liked to of seen him grow more on offense since being drafted.
Steelers 2022 re-draft round 7: Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State
Steelers original pick: Mark Robinson, LB, Ole Miss
Both Dan Moore Jr. and Chuks Okorafor were the starters, but taking Rasheed Walker here would have been a terrific get. He would have been the swing tackle immediately. He has molded into a stable role as the Packers left tackle since being drafted. Mark Robinson has not grown his game since the Steelers picked him. Walker is much better value and someone who could've taken a starting job.
Steelers 2022 re-draft round 7: Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State
Steelers original pick: Chris Oladokun, QB, South Dakota State
It was a bad year to draft a quarterback in 2022, but the Steelers could have waited to take Brock Purdy with their final pick. Odds are he wouldn't have worked out the same in Pittsburgh with Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph on the roster. Purdy was better value at this point anyhow. Instead, the Steelers wasted a pick on Chris Oladokun who didn't even see snaps during the preseason.