Recent Steelers draft class looks like a total bust following the departure of WR George Pickens before his rookie deal was up
When Kevin Colbert announced his final draft with the Pittsburgh Steelers would be in 2022, he intended to go out with a bang. Drafting what he and the organization believed to be the future of their franchise in Kenny Pickett and giving him an elite WR option via George Pickens. But with both now gone […]
When Kevin Colbert announced his final draft with the Pittsburgh Steelers would be in 2022, he intended to go out with a bang.
Drafting what he and the organization believed to be the future of their franchise in Kenny Pickett and giving him an elite WR option via George Pickens.
But with both now gone before their rookie deals are even up, and the rest of the class looking average as the day is long, it's clear the 2022 class will be one to forget for Pittsburgh…
George Pickens' trade cements the fate of Steelers 2022 NFL Draft class
The Steelers have notoriously been one of the better drafting teams in the league. They tend to have way more hits than they do misses, especially at the WR position. 2022 shows a much different story…
- QB Kenny Pickett (traded)
- WR George Pickens (traded)
- DL DeMarvin Leal (backup-special teams player)
- WR Calvin Austin III (WR #3-4-special teams player)
- TE Connor Heyward (TE #3-4 -special teams player)
- LB Mark Robinson (special-teams player)
- QB Chris Oladokun (Cut)
Following the trade of Pickens, there is a chance that Calvin Austin III is the team's WR #2 this season (I know, a wild thing to say) but even if, he would be the only starter on the team from the 2022 class.
That, frankly, is unacceptable.
I understand that Pickett didn't work out and he's been traded twice in a little over a year. Leal has dealt with injuries and just hasn't been able to find his fit along the defensive line.
Day three is a crapshoot for the most part so grading them on those misses is a little harsh.
But George Pickens was the one pick they could hang their hat on. The player they took a shot on and saw go for over 1,100 receiving yards in 2023 while leading the league in yards per repection. Then they watched him nearly break the century mark again last year despite playing with multiple quarterbacks yet again, and missing three games with a hamstring.
Yet, he's no longer around. And that's fine. He was never going to play past 2025 anyway. But to think that a round three pick in next year's draft while you have no contingency plan at WR, is a smart move, is prosperous and only cements the fate for the Steelers 2022 class.
