During the NFL Draft, the big thing to do is player comparisons to current NFL players. Now that the dust has settled and the Pittsburgh Steelers draft class has been solidified, I thought it would be more fun to compare the newest Steelers to those of the past and present. Let's get started!
1st Round: Kenny Pickett QB
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (#8) practices at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex during rookie minicamp, Friday, May 13, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Is there really any quarterback in Steelers history that is similar to Kenny Pickett at this moment? Not really. So we're just going to compare him to himself for right now. Because he's not like Terry Bradshaw, Ben Roethlisberger, Kordell Stewart, or Neil O'Donnell. Could he end up being like Landry Jones, or even Mason Rudolph? It's possible because they all have similar skill sets to a point. But he could also become a Super Bowl winning quarterback. But his style of play still wouldn't be like Roethlisberger or Bradshaw. Time will tell for #8.
2nd Round: George Pickens WR
I went back and forth with a few physically gifted players like Plaxico Burress or Martavis Bryant but it wasn't until recently that I ultimately went a different route, Hines Ward. A lot of people might be scratching their head on this one but hear me out, they share one aspect that separates them from the rest. Pickens recently spoke with Teresa Varley of Steelers.com and said the following about blocking as a wide receiver,
"To be honest with you it's a thrill," said Pickens. "When you're not catching the ball and you are out there, you don't have a route, it's a running play. The guy in front of you is the guy you're blocking. Blocking really ups it more to where you can make it fun and more entertaining. Kind of push them to the ground, go get the safety and move around the field faster."
That just isn't something you hear from a young player, let alone a receiver in today's game. That is something in your DNA, similar to how Ward used to knock a defenders head off and smile about it. Hopefully Pickens can bring that same attitude to the Steelers receiver room like Ward used to. It would be a nice change to upset opposing teams by our physicality rather than our TikTok dance moves.
3rd Round: DeMarvin Leal DL
Funny enough, the player I see in Leal is already on the Steelers roster....for now. Stephon Tuitt is the comp here and ultimately I think Leal has the potential to truly be Tuitt 2.0. Both of them had great collegiate success getting after the quarterback, particularly for defensive lineman. Leal was able to rack up 25 sacks in 3 years better than Tuitt's 21.5 in the same time frame. Leal will have a ways to go to reach Tuitt's level as Tuitt was far more NFL ready coming into the league. Leal will have a chance to really reach his true potential learning from the likes of Cam Heyward and company.
4th Round: Calvin Austin III WR
6th Round: Connor Heyward TE/FB
A bit undersized to play tight end but enough flexibility to line up and play fullback, that is why Heyward's comparison is former Steeler David Johnson. A name that isn't going to stand out to the average person, but a name nonetheless familiar to true Steelers fans. Heyward provides a little more pop in his game in terms of playmaking catching ability, but this should be the expectation for the younger Heyward's future with the Steelers, someone who can lineup in multiple positions offensively but probably won't see a significant amount of snaps.
6th Round: Mark Robinson LB
| Mark Robinson | Sean Spence | |
| 5’11” | Height | 5’11” |
| 230 | Weight | 231 |
| 4.65 | 40 Yard Dash | 4.71 |
| 33.5 | Vertical Jump | 33.5 |
| 9’11” | Broad Junp | 9’11” |
| 34 | Bench Press | 12 |
| 7.27 | 3 Cone | 7.46 |
The athletic profile between Sean Spence and Robinson are nearly identical when looking side by side. Unfortunately for Robinson it is hard to tell what type of player he is on the path to become as his tape is limited to one year, a year in which he made switch from running back to linebacker. If he can in fact become the player the Steelers thought Spence could be, he should have a nice career with the Steelers.
7th Round: Chris Oladukon QB
Not only is Kordell Stewart similar in stature to him but both have/had a long way to go before playing quarterback in the NFL. With decision making and mechanics being huge question marks in their respective game, Stewart elected to help the Steelers by becoming "Slash" something I wouldn't expect out of Oladukon. He will probably end up at best on the practice squad, or just another camp arm.
