2022 NFL rookie grades: Ranking the classes, 1 to 32
Which NFL team had the best 2022 rookie class? The worst? Eric Edholm and Nick Shook rank every group, from No. 1 to 32, providing accompanying grades and analysis.
OT: Steelers 2022 rookie class ranks #6
- Thread starter pittmeister
- Start date
It looks good considering the draft capital they had available. But that is impressive what KC did to get Jaylon Watson and Pacheco in the 7th round. Both were significant contributors as rookies and were taken after Pittsburgh took Oladukon with what some argued was a meaningless pick.
KC is absolutely getting great value in their drafts and it shows on the field.
Just the last two drafts the Chiefs brought in a handful of guys the Steelers should've strongly considered drafting.
In 2021, they got Creed Humphrey at 63 overall and Nick Bolton at 58 overall. Instead the Steelers end up with Harris and Freiermuth, two of the least valuable positions on the field. Then they get the very talented Trey Smith at 226 due to a medical red flag. Another guy who would look very good starting for the Steelers.
Last year, Leo Chenal checked every athletic box for what the Steelers needed at ILB and the Chiefs drafted him 103 overall. Leal has potential, but Chenal was the type of guy they needed for ILB.
That right there just illustrates how you win championships. It's why Chuck Noll was so successful. He went and found talent at HBC's and in places nobody else was looking. World is too small for that now so you have to really know what these lower rated guys are really worth and how they fit your system. I give the Chiefs a lot of credit for doing their homework. Either that or they're just damn lucky.
The draft is very cyclical. There aren't many, or really any, GMs that consistently do better than average. There are a few teams that go off the wall and take reaches and they usually suck. KC had two very strong classes in a row, but before that they hadn't really hit on a draft pick in a big way since Mahomes. Colbert had a few runs of great drafts, and a few classes of nothing. It defintely isn't all luck, but it's really hard to get right all the time.
Hard to judge because Pitt went from a Shawn Watson offense to Mark Whipple offense. Nonetheless, I think he takes a big year 2 jump.
