The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2022 NFL Draft with a few minor needs that had to be addressed. The Steelers used their seven picks to add depth and competition at many of the team’s weaker positions. The Steelers upgraded at quarterback and wide receiver, as they took two players at each position. The most important issue that had to be addressed was the quarterback position; with the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger, the team had to look for a new guy under center for the first time in 18 years.
The Steelers, led by general manager Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin, wasted no time in grabbing the likely successor to Big Ben. The Steelers drafted quarterback Kenny Pickett, out of Pittsburgh, with their first-round selection. Many thought that the Steelers were higher on Malik Willis, but ultimately, the team chose Pickett. After receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Ray-Ray McCloud left in free agency, the Steelers drafted two high-quality receivers in George Pickens and Calvin Austin III.
Below are all of the selections that the Steelers had in the 2022 NFL Draft:
- First Round, Pick 20: Kenny Pickett, quarterback, Pittsburgh
- Second Round, Pick 52: George Pickens, wide receiver, Georgia
- Third Round, Pick 84: DeMarvin Leal, defensive tackle, Texas A+M
- Fourth Round, Pick 138: Calvin Austin III, wide receiver, Memphis
- Sixth Round, Pick 208: Connor Heyward, fullback/tight end, Michigan State
- Seventh Round, Pick 225: Mark Robinson, linebacker, Ole Miss
- Seventh Round, Pick 241: Chris Oladokun, quarterback, South Dakota State
The Grade for the Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 Draft: 8.5/10 (B)
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Reviewing the Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 Draft Class
The Best Pick: Quarterback Kenny Pickett
The best pick of the 2022 draft for the Steelers was Kenny Pickett. Pickett was a very successful quarterback at Pittsburgh in his senior season. He finished in third place in the Heisman voting for this past season. He also led Pitt to an 11-2 record which included winning the ACC Championship game, being the Coastal Division champion, and a Peach Bowl appearance vs. Michigan State.
In his senior season, Pickett threw for over 4,300 yards and for 42 touchdowns. He only threw seven interceptions and also completed over 67 percent of his passes. Pickett was also a duel-threat quarterback too; he ran for 241 yards and five touchdowns. He can bring both his passing and running talents to the field for the Steelers.
Pickett is expected to come in and compete for the starting job right away. He will go up against Mitchell Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, and fellow-draftee Chris Oladokun. Pickett could bring in some serious competition to the room and could push some of the other guys for the starting job. Even if he doesn’t earn the starting role this year, he could very well be the starter in one-to-two years after next season. In fact, he is the most likely candidate to become the Steelers next franchise quarterback; Pittsburgh likely wouldn’t have picked him if that wasn’t the case.
The Biggest Surprises: No Offensive Line or Cornerback Picks, No Malik Willis
Two of the biggest surprises of the draft was that the Steelers didn’t draft any offensive line or cornerback prospects. The Steelers had one of the worst offensive lines last year. They did address it somewhat in free agency, as they signed or re-signed several key pieces. But still, no one can expect a line that was the worst to instantly become the best. It just doesn’t make sense that at least one or two guys were drafted here.
Another surprise was that the Steelers did not draft any cornerbacks. Their room, while loaded with players, is a little scarce in terms of long-term talent. It just seemed that maybe they could’ve added someone like Josh Jobe, who was just sitting there on the draft board for multiple rounds.
Another surprise was that the team didn’t draft Malik Willis. It seemed that the team was very high on Willis for some time, and that he was going to be their guy for the future. The Steelers coaches and front office staff went to nearly all of his events, and coach Mike Tomlin even had dinner with him to talk. Everywhere on social media, it seemed that Willis was the Steelers’ guy. However, they put those talks to rest when they drafted Kenny Pickett instead. The fact that Willis slid all the way to the end of the third round shows that maybe other teams weren’t too high on him.
The Steals: Receiver George Pickens and Defensive Tackle DeMarvin Leal
When the Steelers drafted George Pickens in the second round, they knew they were getting a steal right off the bat. Pickens had a short career filled with injuries and time off due to COVID. As a freshman, he exploded as one of the best players on Georgia’s team. Pickens had 49 receptions, 727 yards, and eight touchdowns in 2019. In last year’s shortened season, Pickens tallied 36 receptions for 513 yards and six touchdowns in eight games. However, in 2021, things turned for the worst for Pickens. He tore his ACL and had to sit out the team’s first 11 games. In the four games he played in, including the National Championship, Pickens only had five receptions. It is obvious that he was good before his injuries, and could instantly boost the Steelers receiving game as a potential candidate for the best receiver on the team.
DeMarvin Leal has plenty of talent, and frankly, it was a surprise that he lasted into the late part of the third round. Leal was the second-best defensive tackle prospect, according to ESPN, and brings a lot to the defensive line. He is a large tackle who has good strength and tackling ability. In his senior season at Texas A+M, Leal had 58 tackles, 12.5 of which were for loss, and had 8.5 sacks. He also had two pass deflections and a forced fumble. Leal will instantly help a struggling Steelers defensive line that lacked size and strength last year.
Late-Round Value: Linebacker Mark Robinson
Robinson was a successful linebacker in his lone season at Ole Miss. He had 92 tackles, 8.5 tackles-for-loss, and three sacks. Robinson played running back at two different colleges before transferring to Ole Miss for his senior season. He has decent strength for a linebacker and lays punishing hits on opposing running backs and quarterbacks. Because he is a shorter guy, he has great speed and explosiveness during plays. He can navigate his way into the backfield before the play gets a chance to develop, and provides another option at linebacker for the Steelers despite his late-round selection.
Most Likely to Turn Heads Before the Season: Receiver Calvin Austin III
Calvin Austin is still a rather-unproven receiver out of Memphis. His shorter frame but electric speed makes him an underrated option out wide for Pittsburgh. Austin had two consecutive 1000-yard years in his junior and senior seasons (2020 and 2021). In 2021, Austin had 74 receptions for 1149 yards and nine total touchdowns (eight receiving, one rushing). Austin has good hands, can run, and return punts and picks, as he did/showcased all three at Memphis. Even though he has a lot to prove now, he could really turn some heads when he starts to show off his crazy speed and receiving ability.
The Rest of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 Draft Class
The other two picks for the Steelers this year were their sixth-round pick Connor Heyward and one of their seventh-round picks, Chris Oladokun.
Connor Heyward is a fullback/tight end out of Michigan State. He is the brother of Steelers star pass rusher Cam Heyward. Heyward could serve as a fullback, a tight end, an extra blocker, or a guy on special teams. He doesn’t offer a whole lot to a team that already has Derek Watt at fullback and Pat Freiermuth and Zach Gentry at tight end. But, his upside as a receiver could have him involved in the receiving game. Heyward had 35 receptions for 326 yards and two touchdowns in his senior season. His best game of the season came in the team’s Peach Bowl victory over Pittsburgh, in which he caught five passes for 37 yards and a touchdown.
The other member of the Steelers 2022 draft class was quarterback Chris Oladokun, out of South Dakota State. Oladokun will be in competition for the starting job along with all of the others in the Steelers room. However, he has the longest shot of all, given he is just a rookie and from a smaller, lesser-known school. Oladokun looks to be a decent quarterback based on his highlights. He is quick and elusive in the pocket, and has a decent arm for his smaller size. He seems to be very slick and can get into space to create plays really well. He threw for over 3000 yards with 25 touchdowns compared to seven interceptions. He also ran for 166 yards and two touchdowns. His exemplary passer rating (about 149.0) added to his dynamic athleticism makes him a potentially dangerous option, and could see himself cracking the Steelers roster come September.
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