The writing was on the wall for the Pittsburgh Steelers to select a QB in the 2022 NFL Draft, and while they certainly surprised some with how early they made that selection, it set the tone for the rest of their draft class.
As Kenny Pickett and six other members of this class enter the NFL, the Steelers will need to decide how much this draft class can help them and if they want to turn this into success right out of the gate or sit back and play for the 2023-24 season instead.
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Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 NFL Draft Grades
Round 1, Pick 20 – Kenny Pickett, QB (Pittsburgh)
Grade – C+
A positive about using a high selection on a QB with a proven option already in-house is that the rookie is not going to be pressed into duty too early. With Mitch Trubisky able to hold the reins for a year while Pickett gets his feet on solid ground, the Steelers will certainly be able to analyze if their 20th overall selection was a good path to take.
But what makes this selection all the more puzzling is how poorly thought-of this QB class was and how there was not another QB selected until the 3rd round, yet the Steelers pulled the trigger early. Obviously, they had no way of knowing how the rest of the league would tackle this position, but it’s safe to say that they reached on an option in a year not many teams wanted to utilize that high capital.
The worst-case scenario for the Steelers is that Pickett struggles in his acclimation to the league, Trubisky falters but is still the best in-house option, and their QB depth is no better than it was last offseason, prolonging the progress of their retooling efforts.
R2, P52 – George Pickens, WR (Georgia)
Grade – B
At this point in the draft, having George Pickens still be on the board either is a good or a bad thing for Pittsburgh, especially with the rumors about teams being wary of the character issues surrounding Pickens. While presented as a superb value for a once-rumored first-round selection, Pickens may have been there for the taking for a reason.
WR was not a huge need for this team, especially as both Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool return. Pickens is a solid get in a strong WR class, but buyer beware if he ends up bringing any sort of character issues with him to the Steelers.
R3, P84 – DeMarvin Leal, DL (Texas A&M)
Grade – A-
One of the more underappreciated selections of this draft was Texas A&M’s DeMarvin Leal, a defensive line option that can play both inside and outside. If the Steelers decide to keep him on that hybrid gameplan, then he will need to add some weight to his 283-lb. frame.
Leal is a bit of a tweener who does not necessarily have a set position in the NFL, but the Steelers have plenty of talent on the DL that can help Leal find his spot. Plus, with the ages of Cameron Heyward and others getting up there, Leal may be more of a long-term bet than a short-term improvement.
R4, P138 – Calvin Austin III, WR (Memphis)
Grade – B
With their second WR of the draft, the Steelers found their slot option of the future in Memphis’ Calvin Austin III. 4.32 speed will get you a job almost anywhere in the league, and pairing his playstyle with the verticality and physicality of Pickens is a nice 1-2 punch for the offense in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Austin provides solid value and was one of the many fourth-round WRs that could help teams out in a big way this season and beyond.
R6, P208 – Connor Heyward, TE (Michigan State)
Grade – C+
It is a full-on family affair in Pittsburgh, as Cameron Heyward gets his younger brother to join the squad in Michigan State’s Connor Heyward. The two Heywards now can be paired with the two Watts (Derek and T.J.), provided all four make the roster out of training camp.
Connor Heyward can fill a plethora of needs for the Steelers, including (but not limited to) fullback, tight end, and special teams role player, with TE being his strongest option of the three. Always needing to find blocking and ST help, Heyward could have some staying power on this roster (and not just because of his last name).
R7, P225 – Mark Robinson, LB (Ole Miss)
Grade – C
The Steelers ended the 2022 NFL Draft with two consecutive confusing selections, with LB Mark Robinson starting off their seventh-round picks. Only having one year of production at Ole Miss, Robinson converted to the defensive side of the ball after playing RB, which limits any sort of immediate impact he can have for Brian Flores.
R7, P241 – Chris Oladokun, QB (South Dakota State)
Grade – C
The final selection of the draft was Pittsburgh’s second QB of the weekend, taking South Dakota State’s Chris Oladokun with their final selection. Known more for his mobility in college, the former Jackrabbit QB is likely no more than a practice squad member or a potential QB3 if the Steelers decide to carry that many this year.
Overall Grade – B-
Not a real big fan of the players that the Steelers came away with in this draft, especially with their first-round selection of Pickett. While drafting a QB for the future was going to be part of the plan, it does not seem as though they were able to get great value for drafting Pickett 20th overall.
The WR selections were good ways to let the board fall to them, their lone defensive line selection of Leal was a solid choice, and the rest of their draft class looks to be more for simple depth additions and nothing more than that, limiting any chances of raising the ceiling of this team overall.
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