TEAM: Pittsburgh Steelers
Overall Draft Grade: C
CLASS OVERVIEW
Total Picks: 10
Primary Needs Entering Draft: Offensive Tackle, Quarterback, Wide Receiver, Defensive Line depth, Secondary depth, Tight End depth
Positions Addressed: OT, WR, QB, CB, TE, DL, S, FB
Summary:
The strategy for the Pittsburgh Steelers was to have an emphasis in this draft on building up their offense based on physicality, versatility, and developmental potential. This draft was full of picks at high-end offensive positions, but the team also selected players that were needed at other areas such as the secondary and front of the defense. Despite having some solid scheme fits and good developmental picks, the team had some reaches in terms of draft value, causing one to wonder if there was enough impact drafted by the Steelers.
PICK-BY-PICK BREAKDOWN
Round 1, Pick 21 – Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
- Evaluation: A huge tackle with top-end athleticism in terms of body mass, length, and movement for his size. Proven ability to be an effective pass protector with good anchor ability, but still possesses some unrealized potential as a run blocker.
- Value: Great value with the 21st pick and possibly one of the best picks made by the Steelers during their whole draft. Great player selected in a key position with one of the better offensive linemen prospects available.
- Scheme Fit: Fits well in the Steelers run heavy offense that needs versatility on the offensive line, as Max Ihenachor can be moved to guard in addition. Also can potentially be Broderick Jones’ replacement who has lacked consistency in Pittsburgh for years.
- Projected Role: Solid Day 1 starter with a move to guard with great upside.
Round 2, Pick 47 – Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama
- Evaluation: Good route runner who possesses dependable hands and great versatility in both the slot and on the perimeter. Good at making himself open downfield, good yards-after-catch receiver, and does well at shaking defenders after he makes a catch; however, he’s not a burner by any means.
- Value: The best slot receiver on the board at this point, who can be an immediate factor on short routes and in the run game, filling a position of need.
- Scheme Fit: His skill of separating within the intermediate zone provides the offense a solid read in the crossing route, quick game, and play action look. That’s precisely what Mike McCarthy loves about running his passing game.
- Projected Role: Immediate impact receiver in rotation on short and intermediate situations, projecting as a WR2/WR3.
Round 3, Pick 76 – Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
- Evaluation: Ideal QB build, possessing a high-end frame and arm talent, with the capability to make any throw on the field and extend plays with his legs. Must continue refining his footwork in the pocket and make safer decisions with the ball to keep it out of harms way.
- Value: Filled a position of need; however, the value was questionable given the QBs still on the board that were more consistent game to game.
- Scheme Fit: Pittsburgh will probably lean heavily on play action and vertical schemes to capitalize on his arm strength, but will simplify his reads in the early stages of his career to improve his movement within the pocket..
- Projected Role: Decent developmental QB with starting upside.
Round 3, Pick 85 – Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia
- Evaluation: Physically solid press man corner with good hips and the capability to stay in phase with receivers as they run routes. Everette is a tough guy at the point of the catch and does a good job of mirroring in man-to-man coverage, but he lacks discipline in zone coverage, with his eyes tending to wander.
- Value: Small reach considering other corners still available like Jermod McCoy, Devin Moore, and Keionte Scott, who possibly had more upside or positional flexibility. Nonetheless, Everette’s combination of physicality, size, and being able to stay vertical was definitely more suited to Pittsburgh’s defense.
- Scheme Fit: Fits the scheme perfectly as their DB room embodies strong in-phase ability and physicality in coverage, as well as run support.
- Projected Role: Rotational corner early with starting upside in sub-packages when faced with 10 or 11 personnel.
Round 3, Pick 96 – Gennings Dunker, OT, Iowa
- Evaluation: Physical and powerful offensive guard who brings heavy hands and solid leverage to his run-blocking assignments. Dunker loves playing downhill in gap schemes, although he struggles with foot quickness and lateral agility when picking up speed rushers in pass protection.
- Value: Has solid value as an offensive lineman that can play multiple positions, but his ultimate potential will more likely be at guard rather than tackle. Nevertheless, he is a good value due to physical abilities and run-blocking capabilities.
- Scheme Fit: Best suited to play as an interior offensive lineman for the Steelers’ run game that focuses on power concepts and downhill football. Given his arm length and lack of lateral quickness, he fits better at guard rather than playing regularly on the edges.
- Projected Role: Solid developmental piece on the interior offensive line, and can be effective in rotation day one.
Round 4, Pick 121 – Kaden Wetjen, WR, Iowa
- Evaluation: Very dynamic playmaker with the ball in his hands as a returner, on short routes and in the run game. Needs to be more polished as a route runner and creating separation downfield to increase usage.
- Value: Huge reach given there were guys like Skyler Bell, Kevin Coleman, and Barion Brown available, who still possess a lot of the same traits as Wetjen with more refined receiver skill sets.
- Scheme Fit: Great gadget and special teams value, with added help in hybrid and motion packages on offense.
- Projected Role: Return specialist and rotational gadget player.
Round 5, Pick 169 – Riley Nowakowski, TE, Indiana
- Evaluation: Consistent receiving tight end who works hard and knows how to read the soft spots of zone defenses. Very limited athletic ceiling and inconsistent blocker at the point of attack.
- Value: Good spot to draft a TE2/TE3 that can be a reliable receiving option underneath and find blocking assignments in space.
- Scheme Fit: Fits very well in zone run concepts and in 12/13 personnel packages. Also has the effort level to make an impact on special teams.
- Projected Role: Subpackage blocker, special teams contributor and reliable in play action situations.
Round 6, Pick 210 – Gabriel Rubio, DL, Notre Dame
- Evaluation: Effective interior player that competes hard and is physically aggressive when defending against the run. Poor pass-rush potential and not highly explosive.
- Value: Good depth pick in later rounds given the Steelers have an aging Cam Heyward.
- Scheme Fit: Well-suited to the Steelers’ hybrid defense as a rotational interior player in odd and nickel schemes due to his ability to fill holes and add physicality when run-stopping.
- Projected Role: Rotational defensive tackle.
Round 6, Pick 224 – Robert Spears-Jennings, S, Oklahoma
- Evaluation: Downhill safety play with excellent tackling approach mentality and special teamer type of player. Not very good in terms of coverage range or change of direction.
- Value: Very good value pick at the end of the draft to be a depth safety.
- Scheme: Pittsburgh’s versatile defensive system that utilizes deception as a downhill safety who can contribute to robber schemes, split-safety coverages, and special teams units. His toughness and tackling skills translate well into underneath match-zone and run support roles.
- Projection: Depth safety and special teams contributor.
Round 7, Pick 248 – Eli Heidenreich, RB, Navy
- Evaluation: Versatile offensive player with great receiving skills out of the backfield and excellent route-running for a fullback position. He causes matchup issues versus linebackers on the move and is tough to tackle as a runner and a blocker, though his athletic upside is fairly low.
- Value: Good later round selection due to his versatility as an offensive player and a special teamer. He is more of a receiver type with better upside than a regular fullback.
- Scheme Fit: He fits Pittsburgh’s physical running game scheme perfectly but also adds versatility within their motion package, play action schemes, short yardage situations, and out of the backfield catching roles.
- Projected Role: Rotational offensive player that can play as a receiving threat out of the backfield and as a special teamer.
TOP ADDITION
Max Iheanachor, OT
Max Iheanachor was definitely Pittsburgh’s top pick and provides them with their best possible long-term cornerstone player at one of the most important positions in all of football. His mix of physical tools, athleticism, and ability to block is an ideal match for what the Steelers hope to accomplish with their ongoing offensive line rebuild.
He possesses elite franchise lineman potential and instantly improves the level at which Pittsburgh’s offense can perform in the future. If he continues to refine his technique, he may become one of the league’s better young tackles.
BIGGEST QUESTION MARK
Drew Allar, QB
The most significant unknown about Drew Allar is that while all the physical aspects seem to be there, the consistency isn’t. While there is no doubting his arm ability and his size, there is a lot of inconsistency regarding his processing, pocket presence, and decision-making abilities.
This team is banking on what he can be rather than what he is right now, which is why it is such a high-reward and high-risk gamble on a young player that has plenty of potential at the quarterback position.
SLEEPER PICK
Eli Heidenreich, RB
There is no doubt that Eli Heidenreich can easily exceed expectations when comparing his draft selection. The main reason for this assumption is that the prospect offers a great amount of versatility due to being an excellent receiver and an offensive chess piece at the same time.
Pittsburgh can use the athlete in various packages, including the use of motions, play-action, short-yardage plays, and underneath routes. With his toughness and versatility in mind, there is a high probability that Eli will secure a spot on the Steelers roster.
SCHEME AND ROSTER FIT ANALYSIS
Scheme Alignment
Pittsburgh made sure to prioritize the physical nature of their offensive linemen and physical offensive line play development throughout this draft class. Max Iheanachor and Gennings Dunker will help Pittsburgh create physicality up front via an offensive line designed for establishing run game concepts from outside zone, duo, counter, and downhill gap schemes. Furthermore, the signings of Eli Heidenreich and Riley Nowakowski make Pittsburgh versatile enough to always play in 12 and 13 personnel packages.
Offensively, Pittsburgh drafted and signed receiver talent that can help keep them balanced offensively. With Germie Bernard joining the roster, Pittsburgh gets someone who is a good separator downfield and in the intermediate zones, while Kaden Wetjen is quick, versatile in motion, and someone who can be used effectively in gadget plays as well as a spread concept weapon. Pittsburgh is now talented enough defensively to vary their look in terms of spread or heavy formation concepts depending on their need.
On defense, the addition of Daylen Everette makes Pittsburgh more comfortable because he will be able to play aggressively against the pass like other physical cornerbacks, while Gabriel Rubio and Robert Spears-Jennings bring toughness to a physical defensive scheme.
Roster Impact
This draft provides more size, strength, and long-term options on the offensive line for Pittsburgh, as well as some help relieving pressure off of the young linemen like Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu. With Germie Bernard and Kaden Wetjen, the versatility of this offense is enhanced with added separation, motion, and underneath receivers in addition to DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. With Eli Heidenreich and Riley Nowakowski, Pittsburgh can play from heavier personnel packages without losing flexibility in its pass game.
On defense, Daylen Everette gives Pittsburgh some long-term depth at corner after Joey Porter Jr., Jamel Dean and Jalen Ramsey. Gabriel Rubio helps bolster the physicality of the defensive line next to Cameron Heyward and Keeanu Benton. While some of the guys in this draft may prove to be developmental picks, most will likely not make an immediate impact in the NFL.
Positional Value
Pittsburgh should be lauded for selecting offensive positions that are high in value and hard to find early, adding in tackles, receivers, and a quarterback. The selection of Max Iheanachor will certainly pay dividends in terms of longevity due to his position on the field, and Germei Bernard will provide yet another weapon for the passing game.
On the other hand, there were quite a few selections in the middle rounds where Pittsburgh seemed to focus on scheme and physicality, rather than maximizing value. For example, picks like Daylen Everette and Kaden Wetjen may have been selected a bit too early, considering the talent that was available on the board.
FINAL TAKE
Going into the draft, Pittsburgh had specific goals of bolstering their physicality, offensive versatility, and future depth at several positions. Max Iheanachor will provide Pittsburgh with an immediate impact in their offensive line rotation, while other picks such as Germie Bernard and Eli Heidenreich add versatility to the offense. The defensive selections consisted mostly of physical developmental picks for Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, many of their selections were reach picks, and there was not enough instant impact to rate the entire draft any higher than average.
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