2022 NFL Mock Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers

How can something so wrong?

Feel so right.

That’s the way it often goes in love and all the time with mock drafts.

In Pittsburgh, quarterback is going to be the topic of conversation until round one ends. Regardless of what direction the Steelers elect to go with the position in 2022, a new era awaits.

With two-time Super Bowl winning Ben Roethlisberger retiring Pittsburgh is at a crossroads in their search for franchise quarterback.

The franchises only two winning Super Bowl quarterbacks Terry Bradshaw and Roethlisberger led the team in passing in 29 of the 32 combined years they played for the franchise.

That is an amazing 90%!

The gap between Bradshaw to Roethlisberger saw seven different quarterbacks lead to team in passing over the duration of 21 years before Roethlisberger would solidify the spot in 2004 as the 11^th overall pick in the NFL Draft.

The gap from one winning Super Bowl quarterback to the next was over two decades long.

It is not an easy task to achieve when searching for elite guys at the position.

The second overall selection in 2017 NFL Draft, Mitchell Trubisky is positioned to take over quarterback duties for Pittsburgh. This is his third team in three years as he looks to reclaim starter status in the National Football League.

It is anyone’s guess how this transition is going to turn out.

Another unknown is how much the Steelers like the current group of incoming rookies at the position. At this juncture none of the rookie quarterbacks are considered franchise blue chip players.

Plenty of limitations exist with each prospect.

“I think it’s a quality class,” said General Manager Kevin Colbert on the 2022 NFL Draft class of signal-callers. “It might not be the number of players at that position that there have been in the past but it’s certainly good quality and there’s going to be starting NFL quarterbacks coming out of this class for sure.”

Will any quarterback they draft be better than Trubisky?

Shiney and new always appears better when you’re not happy with what you have. That is why these questions will swirl around the organization until round one comes and goes.

Then we will know how Colbert and company felt about these rookie signal-callers and Trubisky.

I asked Colbert at the NFL Scouting Combine his last under the title of Steelers General Manager as he heads towards retirement if he’ll follow former AFC North GM Ozzie Newsome by making a big splash.

Newsome moved back into the first round to select quarterback Lamar Jackson, leaving the franchise in a position to win for years to come.

Colbert finds himself in the same scenario but dismissed the notion the Steelers will purposely make such a move due to the current situation at quarterback.

“We will never narrow it down to one position, never have, never will,” said Colbert regarding if Pittsburgh will invest in the best available not on a perceived quarterback savior for the franchise. “Quarterback is obviously a huge position in any given season, especially this year with our hall of fame quarterback calling it a career. So, is it different this year? Yes. But is it going to change how we approach things? No.”

Now the big picture.

The Steelers currently have the rights to seven picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. Pick 138 is a compensatory pick. Picks 208 is from the Kansas City Chiefs and pick 225 is from the New York Jets.

Since 2017, the Steelers have drafted 39 players. Below is a breakdown of each conference and the day they were selected out of those conferences. Crazy to think that since 2017, the Steelers have drafted eight players from the SEC. Seven of those eight have come on the final day of the NFL Draft. Those are rounds four, five, six, and seven.

The MAC conference has placed two players on day two of the NFL Draft. Those are the second and third rounds.

That table above is going to be the blueprint we use to help navigate certain selections. Height and weight also play a big part when I do mock drafts. It has helped me two nail two Steelers Kevin Dotson and Isaiah Buggs in mock drafts. Using the measurables Pittsburgh desires at certain positions helped in those predictions.

In addition to Trubisky offensive lineman James Daniels and Mason Cole are substantial signings via free agency. Defensively linebacker Myles Jack is a proven commodity who should help bolster the linebacker unit that is desperate for Devin Bush to return to form after an ACL injury in 2020.

Those are a few positions addressed before the draft that helps alleviate those positional needs heading into 2022.

Steelers are on the clock.

Pick Is In

Jordan Davis, DL, Georgia | 6’6 341| Sr.

If you saw the agony on Cam Heyward’s face post-game after the Bengals destroyed them up front in Cincinnati, then you realize Pittsburgh needs to add quality youth to an aging defensive front. Davis also fits the height/weight metric typically used when the Steelers are eyeing up interior defensive lineman. Davis was one of the darlings of the NFL Scouting Combine due to his insanely impressive workout numbers. He ran the 40 in 4.78 seconds, had a 32-inch vertical, and a broad jump of 10 feet, 3 inches. He was a key component to the Bulldogs defense that dominated all season and ended up champions.

Other Canidates
Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State | Andrew Booth, DB, Clemson | Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah

Pick Is In

Nick Cross, S, Maryland | 6’0 212 | Jr.

The last time the Steelers used a second-round pick on a defensive player was safety Sean Davis, in 2016. Pittsburgh goes defense and safety in 2022 with Cross who ran a blazing 4.34 at the NFL Scouting Combine. Pairing him alongside Minkah Fitzpatrick should bolster Pittsburgh’s backside with tremendous ability and athleticism. It doesn’t hurt either with Joe Burrow and company set to be around for awhile in the AFC North.

Other Canidates
John Metchie, WR, Alabama | Drake Jackson, OLB, USC | Berhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan

Pick Is In

Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati | 6’3 211 | Sr.

Pittsburgh lost JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington and Ray-Ray McCloud this offseason in free agency. The trio accounted for 17% of the teams’ receiving yards and produced two of the offenses 23 touchdown receptions. Not staggering statistics but their absents leaves the Steelers thin and in need of some talented prospects. With Diontae Johnson’s contract looming large and Chase Claypool learning to mature his game, Pittsburgh adds Pierce. His combine performance did not disappoint running a 4.41 at this size that placed him ninth best at the position. His 40.5-inch vertical topped all receivers invited to Indianapolis.

Other Canidates
Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State | Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma | Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky

Pick Is In

Carson Strong, QB, Nevada | 6’3 226 | R-Jr.

The Steelers appear to shy away from shorter quarterbacks and that is why I didn’t put Western Kentucky’s Bailey Zappe here. Just a tad over six feet Zappe lacks the height I see when eyeing up the quarterbacks. Last year’s camp quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger (6’5), Mason Rudolph (6’5), Dwayne Haskins (6’4), and Joshua Dobbs (6’3) definitely are not lacking in height. Mitchell Trubisky is 6’2 which places Strong with in the metrics that appear to work currently when perusing the roster.

Other Canidates
Brian Robinson, RB, Alabama | David Bell, WR, Purdue | Joshua Ezeudu, G, North Carolina

Pick Is In

Terrel Bernard, LB, Baylor | 6’1 224 | R-Sr.

Pittsburgh is one team that does not discriminate against smaller framed linebackers. Since Sean Spence the team has eyed quick paced linebackers able to make plays all over the field. Ryan Shazier and Devin Bush add ammunition to my point. Bernard is a playmaker and the only reason he is around this long is his injury history. Pound-for-pound this kid is tough as nails and displays big play ability.

Other Canidates
Jaylen Watson, DB, Washington State | Haskell Garrett, DT, Ohio State | Grant Calcaterra, TE, SMU

Pick Is In

Jaylan Foster, DB, South Carolina | 5’10 195 | Sr.

Foster played his freshman season at Gardner-Webb and set a conference record with five interceptions along with Big South Conference Freshman of the Year honors. He then walked on at South Carolina in 2017 and became a scholarship player to start the 2020 year. In 2021, he was first team All-SEC and led conference with five interceptions. NFL Combine snub whose forty time (4.6) is not ideal but in the seventh round every prospect is not going to have a perfect resume. Although, I think this kid is going to make an NFL roster regardless if he is drafted or not.

Other Canidates
Westin Elliott, QB, Merrimack | Bo Melton, WR, Rutgers | Obinna Eze, OT, TCU

Pick Is In

Britain Covey, WR, Utah | 5’810 170 | R-Sr.

Covey is an all-around weapon who could help replace Ray-Ray McCloud in the return game while providing the offense with a slippery slot option who is lethal in space. Age (25) and his ability to remain healthy are concerns, but again at this point in the draft process every prospect being selected in round seven possesses some red flags. Think Braxton Berrios of the New York Jets who was drafted in the sixth round of 2018 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots when checking out Covey.

Other Canidates
Alec Lindstrom, C, Boston College | D’Marco Jackson, LB, Appalachian State | Jermaine Walker, DB, Virginia Tech