The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2020 NFL draft with multiple needs and limited draft capital. There were no major surprises out of them, at least when it comes to position. Some early picks might have felt like reaches to fans, but the team knew what they wanted and got it done. Kevin Colbert and company are notorious for finding “their guys,” and that’s another situation we had in this draft. What feel like reaches to fans probably feel like steals to the front office. Below is a grade for each of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2020 NFL draft selections.
Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Grades
49) WR Chase Claypool- Notre Dame: A-
Hearing Chase Claypool‘s name get called with the 49th pick might have been a slight surprise to some draft analysts. But upon further review, the pick makes a lot of sense for the Steelers. Though they have a quality young receiving corps, they were lacking in size. At 6’4″, Claypool offers a big red zone target who is sure-handed and can win jump balls. He’s also very physical and a tenacious blocker, something the Steelers have always valued in their receivers.
After having the best red zone offense in 2018, Pittsburgh was the worst in the NFL in that area last year. Claypool will come in and immediately produce in the red zone. Ben Roethlisberger will appreciate having a receiver who’s physical and athletic traits closely mirror those of Calvin Johnson. Even after Roethlisberger retires, the next franchise quarterback will love having a target of Claypool’s caliber. He has it all–size, speed, hands, and physicality. Call it a slight reach if you want, but Claypool will be a great fit in Pittsburgh for years to come.
102) EDGE Alex Highsmith- Charlotte: B+
The Alex Highsmith to the Steelers talks picked up a lot of steam early on in draft season. For some reason it just seemed like a perfect fit. Even if most of the mock draft’s had Highsmith to the Steelers in the fourth round, late third will suffice. Pittsburgh likes their small school guys, which is a huge reason this pick made sense. They also got exposure to Highsmith at the Senior Bowl back in January. Edge was one of the clear areas that Pittsburgh was lacking depth and it was expected they’d address the position with one of their first four picks.
Highsmith will be a good fit in Pittsburgh right away as a rookie. He publicly stated that the team expects him to contribute on special teams and serve as a backup to T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree in 2020. Beyond that, Highsmith has time to develop into a full-time starter if the team can’t get Dupree signed to a long term extension. Highsmith is athletic with a high football IQ and can get out and cover the flats, all of which make him a good fit for a Steelers outside linebacker. If he can add some strength and size to improve in the run game, Highsmith will be a starter for the Steelers sooner than later.
124) RB Anthony McFarland- Maryland: B-
When the Steelers decided to pass on J.K. Dobbins and Cam Akers in the second round, the consensus was that they weren’t interested in adding to their running back room. That turned out to be wrong, as they added Anthony McFarland with their first pick in the fourth round. The pick was a bit of a surprise, but the logic behind it makes sense. McFarland adds home run play potential that the Steelers currently lack at the running back position. He played under Steelers quarterbacks coach Matt Canada in college, and was teammates with Tomlin’s son at Maryland. So the connections are definitely there.
This wasn’t necessarily a bad pick, it just might’ve been used better elsewhere. There are some potential character concerns with McFarland, but the Steelers have plenty of connections which must mean they’re comfortable with him in the locker room. McFarland wasn’t used much in the passing game in college and isn’t great in pass protection. Assuming everyone is healthy, it’s hard to see him taking many touches from James Conner and Benny Snell. Either way, his big play ability is something the Steelers really needed.
135) OL Kevin Dotson- Louisiana-Lafayette: A
The selection of Kevin Dotson at 135 made the McFarland selection less of a letdown, as many fans thought offensive line was the way to go at 124. But being able to get Dotson in the middle of the fourth round was an absolute steal for the Steelers. He entered the draft as the highest rated run-blocker in the entire class, according to Pro Football Focus. Dotson’s film is extremely impressive. If you like pancakes and bullying, you’ll love watching Doston block. He is a punisher.
Following the retirement of Ramon Foster, the Steelers definitely needed to add a guard. Dotson is a little raw in pass protection and might not be as mobile as the typical Pittsburgh Steelers interior offensive lineman. This might be a sign that the team wants to get back to running the ball more (which would make sense when paired with the McFarland pick). Dotson will have the chance to come in and compete for the open left guard spot. The team might be kicking Matt Feiler into left guard and finding a new right tackle. But Dotson has a real shot to change their mind. This pick was a home run for the Steelers at 135.
198) S Antoine Brooks Jr.- Maryland: B
Though ideally they would have drafted a safety earlier, Antoine Brooks Jr. was a great pickup so late in the draft. Brooks can come in and play the hybrid role as a potential replacement of Mark Barron. Despite being a safety, Brooks will probably play a majority of his snaps in the box. He’s a hard hitter and sure tackler. His deep coverage skills won’t blow anyone away, which is one thing keeping this selection from earning a higher grade. The perfect situation would have been a safety that could play deep or in the box, offering a lot of flexibility. But with sixth round picks, you can’t be too picky and Brooks is a solid pick.
If Brooks does end up being more of a linebacker, he will be competing for a lot of playing time. Devin Bush will play every snap if he’s healthy. Vince Williams will be the go-to second linebacker on early downs, but won’t see the field much in passing situations. Ulysees Gilbert and Brooks could end up competing for those passing down snaps. If Brooks can show the ability to stick with running backs or tight ends (though he’s probably a bit undersized for tight ends), then he’ll find some playing time as a rookie. He’ll also come in and likely be a four phase special teams player.
232) DT Carlos Davis- Nebraska: C+
The Pittsburgh Steelers needed to take a defensive tackle at some point in this draft. After losing Javon Hargrave, they are lacking a true nose tackle. They couldn’t have replaced a player of Hargrave’s caliber with one late round draft pick. The rest of the Steelers defensive line gets after the quarterback pretty well, so their priority should have been a run stuffing defensive lineman. Davis has the size to be that guy, but lacks the length to put his size to great use. Benito Jones might have been a better selection here, as he’s a true run stuffer. Nonetheless, Pittsburgh was able to fill a need late in the draft, so this pick is suitable, especially considering the athletic potential of Davis.
Pittsburgh Steelers Overall Draft Grade: B+
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