Pittsburgh Steelers NFL Draft Grades: High Marks All Around

Nate Davis – USA Today: A

Davis begins his review of the Steelers draft by praising first-year General Manager Omar Khan for his exceptional work on his first solo draft. The analyst mentions trading up for Broderick Jones as a notable high point, as he not only identified a great talent, but also struck a deal with a longtime rival to jump a team that was clearly about to take him. He also points out that the Steelers clearly won the Chase Claypool trade, as Joey Porter Jr is a better fit at a more valuable position.

It’s worth noting that Davis graded every single team, and the Steelers came in third, behind only the Philadelphia Eagles and the Seattle Seahawks. Philadelphia is understandable, Howie Roseman dominated the draft, but there is a strong case to be made that the Steelers had a better weekend than Seattle.

Rob Maaddi – AP: A

Moved up for OT Broderick Jones (14). Got first-round talent in CB Joey Porter Jr. and TE Darnell Washington in Day 2.

Maaddi is a man of few words, but who can blame him when he graded every single team. The Pittsburgh Steelers received one of the highest NFL Draft grades out there, and it’s easy to see why. Maaddi specifically calls out the Darnell Washington selection, as the team draft of the biggest fallers in the entire event. There are apparently some concerns regarding his knee, but if Washington can stay healthy, the tight end duo of Washington and Pat Freiermuth might just be the best in the league.

Sam Thatcher – Last Word on Sports: A-

Thatcher gives out a marginally lower NFL Draft grade to the Pittsburgh Steelers than everyone else, but that just speaks to how good this class is. Just like with Davis, Thatcher calls out Broderick Jones as the best player, and praises the Steelers willingness to go up and get their guy. He also calls out Joey Porter as a potential steal, as player that good should not be available in the second round.

The analyst also seems to be excited about what defensive tackle Keeanu Benton and linebacker Nick Herbig could do for this defense. Labeling both as “potential studs”, Thatcher states that Benton “causes chaos at the line” and outplays his statistics. Benton, meanwhile, is “a smaller, faster edge rusher” that might need time to learn how to play linebacker, but could make an impact right away if he carries over his speed and strength. Even if it’s not this year, Thatcher seems to believe that Pittsburgh found at least four or five impact players in this NFL Draft class.

Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports