The Pittsburgh Steelers seemed to have had a perfect draft, on paper at least. We obviously won't know for sure how good this draft class is until we see how they perform over their first few seasons in the league. However, the internet has been blowing up with talk from fans and analysts about how the Steelers scored an A this year. But the season isn't won or lost just based on how we drafted, it is also determined in part by how the rest of our division performs.
NFL DRAFT DIAMONDS
Spencer Anderson, OL, the University of Maryland, selected by Pittsburgh in the seventh round
Steelers Had A Perfect Draft In 2023
CBS Sports listed every team's most questionable draft decision. Last season, writer Josh Edwards did the same analysis and named only one team that had a "perfect" draft - the Seattle Seahawks. This year he named two, the Steelers and the Miami Dolphins. However, Miami only had four draft picks this year, there wasn't much room for error. They needed it to go really well or else it would look really bad. Edward says the Steelers' perfect draft ranks higher than the Dolphins since they accomplished the same feat with more picks.
"A year ago, there was one team that I felt had zero questionable selections: Seattle. Pittsburgh had a seven-player class, so what it was able to accomplish was more impressive than Miami for example. The Steelers added quality players at positions of need. A few of their Day 3 selections - Wisconsin edge rusher Nick Herbig and Maryland offensive lineman Spencer Anderson - have positional flexibility, so it is easier to find spots for them on the roster."
So how did the rest of the AFC North fare according to Edwards? He names each team's most questionable draft selection.
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns finished 2022 7-10 overall and they went 1-1 against the Steelers. The Browns did not have first or second-round picks having traded them for quarterback Deshaun Watson and wide receiver Elijah Moore respectively. They did amass eight picks in rounds three through seven and Edwards feels they did well. He names Dorian Thompson-Robinson, quarterback out of UCLA that was taken in Round 5, 140 overall as the potential weak link.
UCLA Athletics
The Cleveland Browns took quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson in Round 5 to back up Deshaun Watson.
"Cleveland had a good draft overall finding value without a first- or second-round selection. Thompson-Robinson is a player who was ranked lower for me personally, but it is easy to follow the thought process. He has developmental traits and comes at a more affordable rate than the other backup quarterbacks on the roster, with Deshaun Watson's rising cost, that is important. Eight quarterbacks were taken between picks 127-188. The run on the position had begun and the Browns did not want to miss out on a player they had brought in for a visit."
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals finished the season 12-4 and won the division. They fell short of making it back to the Super Bowl, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Conference Championship. Like with the Browns, the Bengals went 1-1 against the Steelers, losing the first regular season game of the year. They also had eight selections with one in each round and two in round six. Edwards names Charlie Jones a wide receiver from Purdue that they took in Round 4, 131 overall, as the possible weak spot in what was an otherwise strong draft.
"The Bengals had a solid draft class. It was surprising that they did not take a tight end in a year where there was depth into Day 3. Jones had his supporters in the draft community, but he was ranked lower for me, personally. It is understandable that they would take a flyer on the position considering the organization's future. Joe Burrow's new contract will kick in a few years from now and keeping Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd is out of the question."
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens finished up 2022 with a record of 10-7 and were also 1-1 against the Steelers in games played just a few weeks apart. The Ravens had been dealing with some turmoil with their quarterback Lamar Jackson as the two tried to reach an agreement on his new contract. Jackson finally worked out a deal with the Ravens as they headed into the draft. The player Edwards named as uncertainty for Baltimore is Tavius Robinson, an EDGE rusher out of Ole Miss who was selected in Round 4, 124 overall.
"Robinson is a great combination of size and speed. Baltimore has not had consistent production from that group and was searching for another body to throw into the equation. He does a good job dislodging the ball on sack opportunities, but ranked lower on my personal board. The thought process was sound though."
Petre Thomas/Ole Miss Athletics
The Baltimore Ravens selected EDGE Tavius Robinson from Ole Miss in Round 4.
Overall, the AFC North did well in the draft, even by Edwards' assessments. There were picks he was far more critical of than these, like the Detroit Lions taking linebacker Jack Campbell in the first round and the Green Bay Packers taking Sean Clifford, the quarterback out of Penn State in the fifth round.
What do you think of Edwards' assessment? Do you agree with the players he says are questionable? Click below to comment.
#SteelerNation
