The Pittsburgh Steelers’ draft class continues to get praised, even a few months removed from the draft. On the Bootleg Football podcast with Brett Kollman and draft analyst EJ Snyder, the two dived into Pittsburgh’s draft. Both of them were big fans of Pittsburgh’s draft.
“It’s so good. If these guys stay healthy, we’re going to look back at this draft and say it’s the refurbishment of the Steelers’ core in one year,” Snyder said.
“They got three starters, maybe up to five in one draft. That’s unheard of,” Kollman added
Snyder went so far as to say that if Darnell Washington and Cory Trice Jr. work out, it could be an all-time good draft.
“If the guys with injury histories work out, this is an all-timer.”
There’s a chance the Steelers have three Day 1 starters out of the draft class. Broderick Jones needs to beat out Dan Moore Jr. for the starting left tackle job and Joey Porter Jr. would have to beat out Levi Wallace or the team could move Patrick Peterson inside. But the two of them could start along with Keeanu Benton, who should be the team’s starting nose tackle. At a minimum, I’d be surprised if at least two out of the three aren’t starting by Week 1.
The depth added behind them is impressive, too. Washington will enter the league as one of the best blocking tight ends, although his impact as a receiver might be limited. Nick Herbig is going to be a fantastic special teamer and provide depth at EDGE and maybe inside too as an off-ball linebacker. Trice was a steal in the seventh round and a potential starter down the line.
The team rounded out the draft by taking Spencer Anderson, who could be a versatile offensive lineman and potentially a key backup down the line.
Getting more than two or three starters out of a particular draft class is undoubtedly impressive. It’s far too early to definitively say that the Steelers are going to get more, or that any of the players are going to be really good NFL players. We just haven’t seen them at the NFL level, given they just went through their first OTAs and minicamp. But it’s fair to have high expectations for this class, and I certainly do.
I really think Trice could be looked at as the steal of the draft in a couple of years, while Porter might prove that he shouldn’t have fallen out of the first round. Washington’s role is going to be pretty defined, and he might never be a team’s go-to tight end, but he’s going to have a long career if he can stay healthy just due to his supreme blocking talent. If his game as a receiver develops, then it’s even more of a boon for the Steelers, but he’s a great pick on his blocking ability alone.
Benton is going to start at nose tackle Week 1 and his athleticism and ability to move people could make him a sneaky good pass rusher as well as a threat in the run game. He’s the perfect fit for Pittsburgh’s defense, a potential Pro Bowl-level talent down the line.
That’s not even getting into Jones. If he refines his technique on passing downs, he could be a clear upgrade from Moore early on in 2023. He’s a run-game mauler who’s supremely athletic and dangerous in space. If he works on and refines his technique, he’ll be a good starting tackle.
Herbig’s role is a bit unclear, but it seems like he’ll be serving as the team’s fourth outside linebacker this year. No matter where he plays on defense, his motor is going to make him a core special teamer and someone who can make an impact year in and year out. That’s not bad for a fourth-round pick.
It was a really good draft for the Steelers. We have to give it a few years before we can start talking about it being historically good, but Kollman and Snyder are clearly very high on what Pittsburgh did in April. And that’s cause for excitement for Steelers fans as we get closer to kickoff for the 2023 NFL season.
