Steelers finish top two in most valuable draft class per new metric
When Pittsburgh wrapped up draft weekend late on Saturday, they made seven selections and a variety of undrafted acquisitions that all passed the eye test. But just because your favorite "draftnik" or writer named them as winners or explained their opinion on why guys like Broderick Jones or Joey Porter Jr. will be key players, […]
When Pittsburgh wrapped up draft weekend late on Saturday, they made seven selections and a variety of undrafted acquisitions that all passed the eye test.
But just because your favorite "draftnik" or writer named them as winners or explained their opinion on why guys like Broderick Jones or Joey Porter Jr. will be key players, it doesn't provide the tangible data that can prove whether or not the picks were actually valuable.
Thanks to a metric developed by Shap Analytics, however, we can prove that the class isn't all talk, but actually one of the best hauls from the 2023 class on a value-per-pick basis.
Here is what Sharp had to say about the Steeler's value:
The Steelers had one of the NFL's best drafts based on value. CB Cory Trice (rd 7) was the 10th best value of the entire draft. 4 of their first 6 picks delivered substantial value over expectation
When analyzing the data on his graph, Keeanu Benton was the only player selected a little higher than his draft value, but that's where the nuance of draft day doesn't always match up with the analytical department.
Benton was a one-of-one in this class, as a versatile nose tackle that fits a need the Steelers have at one of the most important positions on the defensive line. But how about four other picks that were deemed valuable including:
- Joey Porter Jr.
- Darnell Washington
- Nick Herbig
- Cory Trice Jr.
Now a caveat is that many teams dinged both Washington and Trice Jr. as medical red flags, making them un-draftable on their boards. But from a pure talent or projection perspective, those two picks were wildly under-drafted.
And obviously, time will tell the real value of this class, as the coming years will determine the impact that this group of players has on the team. But for now, Steelers fans should know that if their picks were synonymous with real estate, the class would have just received a high property appraisal.
