Steelers’ 2023 Draft Haul Earns A+ Grade From Pro Football Focus

[hawaiiansteel]

All of the players we selected were "Steelers types" and BPA who represented "incredibly great value" where we drafted them.

quite frankly, it's amazing they were all even still available. pretty much, every single one of them was the "steal of the draft".

Steelers’ 2023 Draft Haul Earns A+ Grade From Pro Football Focus


https://steelersdepot.com/2023/04/steelers-2023-draft-haul-earns-a-grade-from-pro-football-focus/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[Buzz]

I liked this class a lot better before I found out about the PFF grade

[Ernie]

I liked this class a lot better before I found out about the PFF grade

As the old saying goes.. A broken clock is right twice a day. Lol

We landed a consensus top 5 draft class.. id be shocked to see anything lower published.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

I think this is a very good draft. Several if my target players were taken and aside from out 3rd round pick, I think we nailed it.

[Northern_Blitz]

The draft is like a box of chocolates. But it looks good so far. You never know how it's going to play out though.

The Kahn, Tomlin, Weidl Triumvirate looks good in their first outing IMO.

[papillon]

Everyone liked the Sweed/Mendenhall draft as well, just sayin. :stirpot:Beer

Pappy

["BuzzNuter"]

Everyone liked the Sweed/Mendenhall draft as well, just sayin. :stirpot:Beer

Pappy

That's right, like the song says it's just wishing and hoping. This looks great on paper but wait a year and we will see.

It would be nice to get a shut down corner out of this. Jones looks good but remember the last Jones we got from Georgia. It's all hype to get the hope up for all teams. Actually the answer will be 3 years from now.

[NorthCoast]

If only games were played on paper this team looks like it could compete. But seriously it really comes down to the QB and what kind of 2nd year jump he can make. And Canada really has no excuses this year since there are no obvious holes on the offense. He's got all the pieces he needs.

[NorthCoast]

Profootball Network says A-:


https://www.profootballnetwork.com/overall-nfl-draft-grades-2023/#Pittsburgh_Steelers


It’s difficult to imagine the 2023 NFL Draft going much better for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They landed an explosive offensive tackle who can benefit the ground game from the get-go while honing his craft as a pass protector. Pittsburgh bolstered the CB room with two impact players, including legacy pick Joey Porter Jr. Multiple times, the Steelers took advantage of falling talent, most notably with Georgia TE Darnell Washington.

Overall Grade: A-

[NorthCoast]

SI says "A"


https://www.si.com/nfl/2023/04/29/2023-nfl-draft-team-grades

[NorthCoast]

the score says "A+"


https://www.thescore.com/news/2636718


Grade: A+
The Steelers crushed this draft. All the attention will be on the Eagles for their first-round haul, but nobody had a more complete draft than Mike Tomlin and first-time GM Omar Khan. Jones is a freakish talent who brings limitless upside in filling Pittsburgh's most glaring need. Staying patient at the top of Round 2 to get a legacy pick in Porter Jr. takes care of the other must-have position (a selection acquired from Chicago last season in the robbery that was the Chase Claypool trade). From there, it was all about the best players. Benton, Washington, and Herbig are all future starters who could have been drafted much earlier than they were. Some teams simply draft better than others - there's a reason this team never falls off.

[NorthCoast]

btw, grades for the Bungles are ranging B+ to A so they are still gonna be a tough out. One site has them labeled as near "Elite Organization". Amazing what a franchise QB can do to turn a team around.

[Oviedo]

The draft is like a box of chocolates. But it looks good so far. You never know how it's going to play out though.

The Kahn, Tomlin, Weidl Triumvirate looks good in their first outing IMO.

Just needed to get Colbert out to quit holding them back

[Joel Buchsbaum]

All of the players we selected were "Steelers types" and BPA who represented "incredibly great value" where we drafted them.

quite frankly, it's amazing they were all even still available. pretty much, every single one of them was the "steal of the draft".

Steelers’ 2023 Draft Haul Earns A+ Grade From Pro Football Focus


https://steelersdepot.com/2023/04/steelers-2023-draft-haul-earns-a-grade-from-pro-football-focus/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
PITTSBURGH STEELERS

R1 (14): OT Broderick Jones, Georgia
R2 (49): DI Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin
R3 (93): TE Darnell Washington, Georgia
R4 (132): EDGE Nick Herbig, Wisconsin
R7 (241): CB Cory Trice Jr., Purdue
R7 (251): OG Spencer Anderson, Maryland

Day 1: The Steelers jump up three spots, giving up a fourth-round pick to make sure they land the offensive tackle they wanted. Jones impressed as a pass-blocker in 2022, earning a 84.1 PFF pass-blocking grade and allowing just nine total pressures from 470 pass-blocking snaps.

Day 2: Pittsburgh takes PFF’s CB4 and 21st-ranked prospect to open up Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Porter wins with his length. The former Nittany Lion’s 34-inch arms make it easy to disrupt his opponent at the catch point and line of scrimmage. Porter’s 40% forced incompletion rate in 2022 led all Power Five cornerbacks.

The Steelers take a top interior defender that can line up in the A and B gaps, with the Steelers able to move Cameron Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi and Benton across the interior. Benton will help a Steelers run defense that struggled in 2022 up the middle, with a strong 10.5% run-stop win rate in 2022.

The freaky Georgia tight end’s slide is over. Pittsburgh grabs the 6-foot-8, 272-pound Darnell Washington to continue their strong 2023 NFL Draft. He has a strong resume in the ground game, as his top-five finish among Power Five tight ends in run-blocking grade in 2022 proves, and is a mismatch weapon as a receiver.

Day 3: The Steelers’ incredible draft continues. Herbig played on the edge at Wisconsin but figures to be more of a tweener in the NFL, and that’s likely why he wasn’t a higher pick. He knows how to rush the passer, though, as he won 23.9% of his pass-rushing snaps in 2022 and earned a 91.1 pass-rush grade.

Ranked 77th on PFF's big board. Price is a physically imposing corner at 6-foot-3 who is extremely aggressive at the line of scrimmage and tackles well.

Anderson is the only pick by the Steelers where the player has been outside the top 80 of the PFF big board. Anderson produced a 79.8 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2022 but struggled as a run blocker.

DRAFT GRADE: A+

[NJ-STEELER]

Grabbing guys at the top of draft boards when they selected. ( Porter, Washington, trice and even herbig was up there) is different then how they pan out in a few years.

so it’s graded correctly based on that.
you dint see any dri archers or A McFarlands type of reaches

[NJ-STEELER]

Everyone liked the Sweed/Mendenhall draft as well, just sayin. :stirpot:Beer

Pappy

I don’t remember much excitement after those 2.

bruce Davis, Tony hills, d Dixon. Meh

[hawaiiansteel]

Rave reviews of Steelers draft warranted

By JIM WEXELL


https://247sports.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/Article/Even-with-a-small-arsenal-of-picks-Steelers-landed-one-of-the-best-draft-hauls-in-the-NFL-209227305/

[crushedspirit]

Grabbing guys at the top of draft boards when they selected. ( Porter, Washington, trice and even herbig was up there) is different then how they pan out in a few years.

so it’s graded correctly based on that.
you dint see any dri archers or A McFarlands type of reaches

That last sentence is why this draft looks like more of a winner than years past.

[NorthCoast]

Just needed to get Colbert out to quit holding them back

As much as I liked Colbert it honestly felt like he was in "coast mode" the last few drafts. Like not enough homework being done in the mid rounds.

Can you honestly picture Colbert ringing up Belichick and saying "hey, the Jets are gonna take Jones at their pick unless you help us out with a trade".

Kahn Artist - he's got a nickname already in Yr1.

[Buzz]

I think this is a very good draft. Several if my target players were taken and aside from out 3rd round pick, I think we nailed it.

I'm pretty happy with our 3rd rounder, much more so than if he'd been taken at #17 or #32 or even #49
He has potential to be a stud and should immediately help out our run blocking

At this point, I can't complain about this draft.

[WindyCitySteel]

I liked this class a lot better before I found out about the PFF grade


As the old saying goes.. A broken clock is right twice a day. Lol


Don't get the hate, when PFF grades the Steelers poorly, people complain. When they grade them well, people still complain.

Maybe take the good with the bad news instead of always killing the messenger.

[WindyCitySteel]

As long as Herbig plays inside I think this has the makings of an outstanding draft.

[NJ-STEELER]

As long as Herbig plays inside I think this has the makings of an outstanding draft.


I think he’ll wind up there eventually.
for this year he’ll be asked to provide some relief for TJ and ah

[NorthCoast]

As long as Herbig plays inside I think this has the makings of an outstanding draft.Why? He's insurance for Highsmith for next season in case his price tag is astronomical.

Not much difference between Highsmith and Herbig especially if he gains about 5 lbs:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52859946206_fa994b0ecb_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2ox43oS)capture (https://flic.kr/p/2ox43oS) by R W (https://www.flickr.com/photos/191750946@N04/), on Flickr

[WindyCitySteel]

He played at and weighed in at 228 at the combine. SSLaser or someone else posted a great piece about him making the move inside at the next level.

[Northern_Blitz]

Why? He's insurance for Highsmith for next season in case his price tag is astronomical.

Not much difference between Highsmith and Herbig especially if he gains about 5 lbs:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52859946206_fa994b0ecb_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2ox43oS)capture (https://flic.kr/p/2ox43oS) by R W (https://www.flickr.com/photos/191750946@N04/), on Flickr


Who knows if they are right, but the Depot guys said that edges with short arms tend to do poorly in our system.

And from the way he was talking pre-draft Herbig expected to be moved inside in the NFL

[WindyCitySteel]

Who knows if they are right, but the Depot guys said that edges with short arms tend to do poorly in our system.

And from the way he was talking pre-draft Herbig expected to be moved inside in the NFL

Just noticed the arm measurement. JP Jr. have a couple inches to spare? :D

[SteelerMaine83]

I waited until after the draft this year to post any comments, letting it all play out. Bottom line, I can't remember a better looking (we'll see what happens when the game starts, as always) Steeler's draft on paper than this one in a long, long time. Can't wait for the season!

[NJ-STEELER]

He played at and weighed in at 228 at the combine. SSLaser or someone else posted a great piece about him making the move inside at the next level.


https://www.nfl.com/prospects/nick-herbig/32004845-5204-2107-989b-b9a0ebf10845

weighed in at 240 lbs.

maybe he joined bryce in chugging down a couple gallons of water right before weigh in

[Steel Maniac]

I waited until after the draft this year to post any comments, letting it all play out. Bottom line, I can't remember a better looking (we'll see what happens when the game starts, as always) Steeler's draft on paper than this one in a long, long time. Can't wait for the season!

Totally agree with you. Some are scratching their head about Washington but he brings a toughness and help to the run game. As well as some pass catching relief for Muth who was concussed a couple times last year.

[hawaiiansteel]

Pittsburgh Steelers: A Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Steelers figure to make a big leap in Kenny Pickett's second year. However, this would require the team to plug some big holes, including left tackle and cornerback. Some other defensive upgrades would be welcome as well.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Excluding their final pick, the Steelers had six selections. All six of those picks scored a "B" grade or higher. This included their initial choice, Broderick Jones, whom Pittsburgh traded up for in the opening round. The Steelers had no choice but to do so, given that the Jets would have selected him at No. 15. Jones has a low floor, but he also possesses great upside to be a franchise left tackle. He could be essential to Kenny Pickett's development.

The Steelers had a great Day 2, opening up the proceedings by selecting Joey Porter Jr., whom they easily could have taken at No. 17. Keeanu Benton was another strong pick, as he'll help a poor run defense. The final second-day choice was used on Darnell Washington, an extremely talented tight end. Washington dropped because several teams flunked him medically, but he was well worth the risk toward the end of the third frame.

Pittsburgh completed its very strong draft class with two solid picks on Day 3. This was a terrific haul for the Steelers, who undoubtedly improved their chances of qualifying for the playoffs despite being in a very tough conference.


https://walterfootball.com/nfldraftgradesteam.php

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Everyone liked the Sweed/Mendenhall draft as well, just sayin. :stirpot:Beer

Pappy
I didn't like Mendenhall, but that's a whole other story - I had him about the 5th RB in that class... In that spot I had Ray Rice as the top guy... welp, he *was* a better runner... puncher, too - lmao

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Everyone liked the Sweed/Mendenhall draft as well, just sayin. :stirpot:Beer

Pappy

LOL. I was going to post that this is the best I've felt about a draft since 2008. Although, before that it was 2004, because they drafted the QB I wanted, who I'd seen on TV twice.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

LOL. I was going to post that this is the best I've felt about a draft since 2008. Although, before that it was 2004, because they drafted the QB I wanted, who I'd seen on TV twice.
I saw that QB once - in a bowl game. And he destroyed one of the better Louisville defenses including Elvis Dumerville, Amobi Akoye, and DBs Will Gay and Kerry Rhodes... I would guess that all-in-all that team had like 12-15 draftees on both sides of the ball (in various classes).

Whatever the case, Ben picked them apart with lots of pressure.... I was excited to see him as the selection

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

I saw that QB once - in a bowl game. And he destroyed one of the better Louisville defenses including Elvis Dumerville, Amobi Akoye, and DBs Will Gay and Kerry Rhodes... I would guess that all-in-all that team had like 12-15 draftees on both sides of the ball (in various classes).

Whatever the case, Ben picked them apart with lots of pressure.... I was excited to see him as the selection

Used to go out to a sports bar/pool hall every Thursday with a bunch of guys and they had lots of TVs. Two weeks apart, on the same TV, my eyes kept going back to this massive QB rolling out and hitting guys on the move, dropping dimes, shaking off tackles. One week was the MAC Final, a couple of weeks later was his bowl game. First time I remember going into a draft and wanting a guy really badly, who I'd watched and evaluated.

[hawaiiansteel]

Mel Kiper ‘a Fan’ of Steelers Draft Class


https://steelersnow.com/steelers-earn-mel-kiper-draft-grade/

[Steel Maniac]

If only games were played on paper this team looks like it could compete. But seriously it really comes down to the QB and what kind of 2nd year jump he can make. And Canada really has no excuses this year since there are no obvious holes on the offense. He's got all the pieces he needs.

I’m in agreement.

[Blitzer]

Everyone liked the Sweed/Mendenhall draft as well, just sayin. :stirpot:Beer

Pappy

I recall a lot of fans questioning the RM pick immediately. and I admit to thinking Sweed was a steal. still dont know what went wrong with him

[Northern_Blitz]

I’m in agreement.

Me too.

It looks like we're doing a reasonably good job of building a team around the QB.

We'll see how fast he improves and how high his ceiling can be. I wish we were doing this year with a better OC, but what can you do...

[feltdizz]

I recall a lot of fans questioning the RM pick immediately. and I admit to thinking Sweed was a steal. still dont know what went wrong with him

young man had the yips. He had that horrible drop in the Ravens game before halftime but most people forget he dropped a sure TD late in the Chargers game the week before. The game was already decided so most didn’t put much weight on it but I screamed SWEED so loud my wife and I turned it unto a running joke anytime someone dropped something.

I’m just glad to know that man is still alive because his whole life could’ve changed dramatically if he makes those easy catches.

The next year vs Cincinnati he drops another easy TD and I think that was the last time I remember seeing Sweed on the field.

Never have I ever seen someone fail that bad.

[crushedspirit]

Draft grades are usually used as some validation for fans, especially when their team gets an A or A+. I do like the Steelers draft on paper, but to be completely honest these grades are useless in the grand scheme of things. I still remember the Chiefs getting some C to D grades after drafting Mahomes in 2017, and we all know how that looks now.

All we can do is hope some of these guys can contribute to the team and make them better overall.

[Steel Maniac]

Draft grades are usually used as some validation for fans, especially when their team gets an A or A+. I do like the Steelers draft on paper, but to be completely honest these grades are useless in the grand scheme of things. I still remember the Chiefs getting some C to D grades after drafting Mahomes in 2017, and we all know how that looks now.

All we can do is hope some of these guys can contribute to the team and make them better overall.

At the end of the day, your right.

[Northern_Blitz]

Draft grades are usually used as some validation for fans, especially when their team gets an A or A+. I do like the Steelers draft on paper, but to be completely honest these grades are useless in the grand scheme of things. I still remember the Chiefs getting some C to D grades after drafting Mahomes in 2017, and we all know how that looks now.

All we can do is hope some of these guys can contribute to the team and make them better overall.

I think it basically means that they seemed to do well based on publicly available information and predictions from us non-pros.

But there's lots of private info that we don't see (like medicals and any substance abuse issues). And predicting future success is generally pretty hard.

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers Depot
@Steelersdepot

Patrick Peterson on Darnell Washington: “To me, I thought that was the steal of the draft.”


https://twitter.com/Alex_Kozora?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp %7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

[Northern_Blitz]

Steelers Depot
@Steelersdepot

Patrick Peterson on Darnell Washington: “To me, I thought that was the steal of the draft.”


https://twitter.com/Alex_Kozora?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp %7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Don't tell whisper.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

I recall a lot of fans questioning the RM pick immediately. and I admit to thinking Sweed was a steal. still dont know what went wrong with him
As luck should have it, I didn't even know squat about sweed - and back then, those scouting videos weren't readily available. I definitely didn't like the RM pick his entire season and draft stock was based solely on a couple of busted plays against USC's defense.

[hawaiiansteel]

The "Khan Artist" used his seven selections over three days to make the Steelers a bigger team in the trenches and a taller one on the perimeter.


https://triblive.com/sports/khan-artist-gets-passing-grade-from-mike-tomlin-after-navigating-1st-steelers-draft/

[Captain Lemming]

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/nick-herbig/32004845-5204-2107-989b-b9a0ebf10845

weighed in at 240 lbs.

maybe he joined bryce in chugging down a couple gallons of water right before weigh in

I heard he added solid weight because he trained hard for the combine by the coaching team of Chestnut/Koboyashi

https://images.complex.com/complex/image/upload/t_in_content_image/giphy%20%2829%29_o9ufuw.gif

[Captain Lemming]

Don't get the hate, when PFF grades the Steelers poorly, people complain. When they grade them well, people still complain.

Maybe take the good with the bad news instead of always killing the messenger.

Makes perfect sense. Why the surprise? We keep telling you that criticism on this forum is not just about them hating Steelers.

It is that their methodology is not perfect like some people seem to think.

Do yourself a favor. Read up on their edge player ranking they put up as a stand alone article during TJs record season. Watt is deservedly listed as the best BY THEM.


https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2022-edge-rusher-rankings-tiers/

They CLEARLY don’t hate him.

However, they scored him fourth or 5th that season by their actual scoring system THAT SAME SEASON.

Windy pff DOES NOT AGREE WITH THEIR OWN SCORING SYSTEM.

Dude they rate Kenny higher than Dizz which is a pretty high bar. :)

Clearly, they don’t hate Steelers.

But the implication that Kenny has had a game on par with VINTAGE BEN? I like Kenny but that is ridiculous.

I don’t say it has no value but it frequently does not meet a simple “use your eyes test.”

[feltdizz]

Only time I like PFF is when they agree with me.. lol

[crushedspirit]

Makes perfect sense. Why the surprise? We keep telling you that criticism on this forum is not just about them hating Steelers.

It is that their methodology is not perfect like some people seem to think.

Do yourself a favor. Read up on their edge player ranking they put up as a stand alone article during TJs record season. Watt is deservedly listed as the best BY THEM.


https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2022-edge-rusher-rankings-tiers/

They CLEARLY don’t hate him.

However, they scored him fourth or 5th that season by their actual scoring system THAT SAME SEASON.

Windy pff DOES NOT AGREE WITH THEIR OWN SCORING SYSTEM.

Dude they rate Kenny higher than Dizz which is a pretty high bar. :)

Clearly, they don’t hate Steelers.

But the implication that Kenny has had a game on par with VINTAGE BEN? I like Kenny but that is ridiculous.

I don’t say it has no value but it frequently does not meet a simple “use your eyes test.”

PFF is flawed with QB ratings due the way it calculates meaningless completions and yards.

A QB gets an 86.3 PFF passing score with these stats 20-28-174-0-0, while 30-39-360-5-0 earns a 75.1 rating LOL.

Their algorithm is good for a laugh. I tend to ignore their QB grades and use the site for their in-depth stats among other things.

[NorthCoast]

Makes perfect sense. Why the surprise? We keep telling you that criticism on this forum is not just about them hating Steelers.

It is that their methodology is not perfect like some people seem to think.

Do yourself a favor. Read up on their edge player ranking they put up as a stand alone article during TJs record season. Watt is deservedly listed as the best BY THEM.


https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2022-edge-rusher-rankings-tiers/

They CLEARLY don?t hate him.

However, they scored him fourth or 5th that season by their actual scoring system THAT SAME SEASON.

Windy pff DOES NOT AGREE WITH THEIR OWN SCORING SYSTEM.

Dude they rate Kenny higher than Dizz which is a pretty high bar. :)

Clearly, they don?t hate Steelers.

But the implication that Kenny has had a game on par with VINTAGE BEN? I like Kenny but that is ridiculous.

I don?t say it has no value but it frequently does not meet a simple ?use your eyes test.?This guy did some maths:

EPA aligns best with winning
Expected Points Added measures how a quarterback's play contributed to scoring points, so it's not all that surprising that it does the best job predicting MoV, and by extension, wins. The higher the QB's EPA, the more points the team was likely to score (even if those points really shouldn't have been fully attributed to the QB).

Looking at the RSQ of our QB metrics, we see that EPA aligns most closely to wins, followed, by the seemingly less advanced metrics ANY/A and Passer Rating:


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52867709841_4395680e66_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2oxJQfD)capture (https://flic.kr/p/2oxJQfD) by R W (https://www.flickr.com/photos/191750946@N04/), on Flickr

[crushedspirit]

QB EPA has always been the overall best indicator since it tracks running as well and weighs passes that move the chains and overall productiveness of all QB plays. If a QB moves his team into scoring position then obviously he is the more productive over empty yards that don't put the team into any scoring positions.

[WindyCitySteel]

Makes perfect sense. Why the surprise? We keep telling you that criticism on this forum is not just about them hating Steelers.

It is that their methodology is not perfect like some people seem to think.

Do yourself a favor. Read up on their edge player ranking they put up as a stand alone article during TJs record season. Watt is deservedly listed as the best BY THEM.


https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2022-edge-rusher-rankings-tiers/

They CLEARLY don?t hate him.

However, they scored him fourth or 5th that season by their actual scoring system THAT SAME SEASON.

Windy pff DOES NOT AGREE WITH THEIR OWN SCORING SYSTEM.

Dude they rate Kenny higher than Dizz which is a pretty high bar. :)

Clearly, they don?t hate Steelers.

But the implication that Kenny has had a game on par with VINTAGE BEN? I like Kenny but that is ridiculous.

I don?t say it has no value but it frequently does not meet a simple ?use your eyes test.?

You just don't understand how they grade. Kenny could only be graded on what they allowed him to do, PFF pointed out early and often that the Steelers don't scheme up any free yards. Kenny didn't come close to Ben's best counting stats because the system doesn't allow it. Ben didn't either under Canada.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Steelers Depot
@Steelersdepot

Patrick Peterson on Darnell Washington: “To me, I thought that was the steal of the draft.”


https://twitter.com/Alex_Kozora?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp %7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

I didn't know that Peterson posts on this board. :D

[Northern_Blitz]

You just don't understand how they grade. Kenny could only be graded on what they allowed him to do, PFF pointed out early and often that the Steelers don't scheme up any free yards. Kenny didn't come close to Ben's best counting stats because the system doesn't allow it. Ben didn't either under Canada.

Exactly!

PFF grading tells people one thing. How well did they do the thing that PFF thinks they were asked to do.

It specifically isn't trying to ask the question "does the QB <or other player> help the team win".

And it never asks the question "why are they only asking him to do that?".

This is part of the reason why it's a good metric for providing part of the puzzle. But not the whole picture. Just like any other single stat.

[hawaiiansteel]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roHZ3Cto0Uk

[Northern_Blitz]

PFF Video draft grade.

Hope they are right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roHZ3Cto0Uk

[Captain Lemming]

PFF Video draft grade.

Hope they are right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roHZ3Cto0Uk

Dizz said it best:


Only time I like PFF is when they agree with me.. lol

[hawaiiansteel]

Did the Steelers get the steal of the 2023 #NFLDraft or were other teams wise to pass on TE Darnell Washington?

Let's take a look.


https://steelersdepot.com/2023/05/entrance-physical-te-darnell-washington/

[Buzz]

Didn't watch the PFF video, but some of these sites give 90% of the teams A and B grades for the draft

[hawaiiansteel]

Grade A

On Friday, CBS Sports handed out grades for how every team in the NFL handled its offseason. The Steelers were one of eight teams that got an A. This was the assessment of writer Cody Benjamin.

?They probably could?ve matched what the Lions gave Cameron Sutton to keep an ascending starter at corner. But Patrick Peterson is a plug-and-play consolation prize after a Vikings renaissance; he should thrive alongside Minkah Fitzpatrick. Ex-Eagles OG Isaac Seumalo is maybe their smartest bet, bringing a quietly sterling piece of Philly?s vaunted line to Kenny Pickett?s defense. They also netted some good values in the draft in OT Broderick Jones, CB Joey Porter Jr. and TE Darnell Washington, who should pair with ex-Rams WR Allen Robinson to give them quite a red-zone team.?

While I was a big fan of the Steelers draft, overall for the offseason I?d probably give the club a B or maybe a B+.

I?ll give high marks for the draft and for how the front office bolstered the offensive and defensive lines. I agree with Benjamin?s assessment of improving red-zone options on offense. I also like how Khan adequately covered free agent departures in the secondary (Sutton, Terrell Edmunds) with additions and retentions of players who may prove to be just as good or better (Peterson, Demontae Kazee, Keanu Neal, Joey Porter Jr.)

But merely adding Nick Herbig and Quincy Roche to the outside linebacker room still makes me nervous about depth at that position. And while Khan signed Elandon Roberts and Cole Holcomb at inside linebacker, I still maintain that better players at affordable prices were available at that position this offseason.


https://triblive.com/sports/first-call-steelers-get-an-a-offseason-grade-omar-khan-deflects-knowledge-of-jets-draft-plans-before-trade/

[hawaiiansteel]

Medicals reportedly derailed a Senior Bowl invite and kept NFL teams from taking Cory Trice on Day 2.

Did the Steelers get the steal of the draft?


https://steelersdepot.com/2023/05/entrance-physical-cb-cory-trice-jr/

[hawaiiansteel]

ESPN published a list of the top 100 picks based on talent, value and fit. The Steelers had 4 of the top 37.

4. Joey Porter Jr., CB, Pittsburgh Steelers (Pick 2-32)

My pre-draft ranking: No. 15
Porter is the first non-Round 1 selection on the board here, and it isn't just about the heartwarming story of a player being drafted by his father's former team. JPJ was my No. 15 overall player and ended up getting drafted 17 selections later, speaking to the value of the pick. As for scheme fit, he'll be the team's CB1 as a rookie thanks to his toughness at the line of scrimmage and when attacking the ball in the air.

13. Broderick Jones, OT, Pittsburgh Steelers (Pick 1-14)

My pre-draft ranking: No. 12
The Jones pick was awesome for several reasons but primarily because the Steelers played the board well and jumped the tackle-needy Jets. The need for a plug-and-play left tackle had been kept quiet in Pittsburgh, and Jones fits there. He is raw as a prospect, but his power and agility on the move will make him an immediate star in the run game with developmental ability in passing situations.

26. Darnell Washington, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers (Pick 3-93)

My pre-draft ranking: No. 30
This was not a need pick in any way -- Pittsburgh has Pat Freiermuth -- but I still love it because the Steelers stole some value. Washington had knee injuries that caused him to drop to No. 93 overall, but there aren't many 6-foot-7, 270-pound tight ends running 4.64-second 40-yard dashes. It's a worthwhile risk at that point in the draft to invest in rare traits.

37. Cory Trice, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers (Pick 7-241)

My pre-draft ranking: No. 83
The Steelers got one of the steals (no pun intended) of the draft if Trice can stay healthy. He had a third-round grade on my board thanks to his size and physical style of play. Trice will join fellow rookie Joey Porter Jr. to potentially form the team's future at cornerback.

[NorthCoast]

Interesting. Prior to the draft the Steelers had 3 picks with less than a 5% of being available at their pick #. And Porter had a 90% chance of being gone before their next pick;

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FvKNfHrWwAEiLAK?format=png&name=900x900

[WindyCitySteel]

I wonder how Kiper and McShay feel about their own network pants'ing them like that every May. :-)

[NJ-STEELER]

Interesting. Prior to the draft the Steelers had 3 picks with less than a 5% of being available at their pick #. And Porter had a 90% chance of being gone before their next pick;

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FvKNfHrWwAEiLAK?format=png&name=900x900

would be interesting to see how that compares with other teams drafting around the sane area

[Northern_Blitz]

I wonder how Kiper and McShay feel about their own network pants'ing them like that every May. :-)

I'm sure they enjoy cashing the checks.

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers NFL Draft Analysis: Pittsburgh's Best Draft in a Long, Long Time

The Pittsburgh Steelers walked away winners in the 2023 NFL Draft.


https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/nfl-draft/pittsburgh-steelers-nfl-draft-analysis-best-long-time

[whisper]

I wonder how Kiper and McShay feel about their own network pants'ing them like that every May. :-)

I seriously doubt anyone notices.

[hawaiiansteel]

Tim Benz: Steelers rookies hope to prove they're as versatile as scouting suggests

Thursday, May 18, 2023

When looking at the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers draft class, versatility appears to be one of its biggest strengths.

In theory, second-round pick Keeanu Benton (DL/Wisconsin) should be able to move up and down the defensive line of scrimmage, playing nose tackle or end. Third-round pick Darnell Washington (TE/Georgia) is expected to be a devastating run blocker and a significant threat catching the ball as well.

On draft day, Nick Herbig (Wisconsin) was labeled as an outside linebacker. But since then, general manager Omar Khan has stated that he?ll possibly get a look inside as well. And seventh-round selection Spencer Anderson may wind up being a reserve at all three offensive line positions. That could be second nature to him since he proved starter capable at all three at Maryland.

Now that the players have been assembled and are starting to practice, the hard part becomes proving they can all handle the multiple jobs. Following last week?s rookie minicamp, head coach Mike Tomlin says those introductions can come gradually as organized team activities begin next week.

?There?ll be primary jobs and roles, and they have to establish themselves in that area first, and then we add to it,? Tomlin said. ?An introductory weekend like (rookie minicamp), there is just not a lot of latitude for some of that, and so it?s more establishing a home base and working from there.?

For Herbig, that home base, for now, appears to be on the edge, but he is anticipating exposure in the middle of the defense as well.

?So far, it has just been outside, but I?m sure I?ll rotate both,? Herbig said. ?If I come in and they say I?m playing inside, then, OK, I?m playing inside. I don?t try to think too much about it. I just try to come in every day ready to work.?

Herbig will have the luxury of being groomed behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith outside and at least four inside linebackers. He can contribute on special teams until he?s called upon to spell the starters. Plus, he is going to have to figure out his weight.

Assistant GM Andy Weidl expressed confidence that Herbig could put on a few pounds to increase his bulk on the edge. But if Herbig is to be used inside as well, whatever he adds to his 240-pound frame can?t slow him down sideline-to-sideline.

?I can put on weight if I need to, for sure,? Herbig insisted. ?Whatever they tell me they want me at, I?ll get there.?

Benton may have to show position flexibility the fastest. He?s a second-round pick. There are snaps to be won along the defensive line at nose and end. Plus, it?d be nice to have those snaps won along the trenches so the likes of Larry Ogunjobi and Cameron Heyward can get some rest.

Use Javon Hargrave as a comp. Coming in as a rookie to play nose and spell Heyward and Stephon Tuitt in 2016, Hargrave started 13 games and played 50% of the defensive snaps. That usage began to spike after Week 10 when Heyward was lost for the year with a torn pectoral muscle.

?It?s something I have to get used to,? Benton said. ?Coming into Wisconsin, it was kind of the same thing. Everything is going 100 miles per hour. But the more you play the game, the more it slows down.?

Washington?s case is a little different. All tight ends need to be proficient blockers and pass catchers. It?s in the job description. But usually, as rookies, the blocking part needs to come along in time.

The Steelers seem to have a different approach with Washington. At 6-foot-7, 264 pounds, it sounds like the quickest path to the field for him will be in blocking situations, almost serving as a third offensive tackle in many sets. But he?s not worried about picking up the route-running aspect of the game as well.

?I?m a pretty fast learner,? Washington said. ?Georgia was a program where we ran a pro-style offense in a way. It?s just different terminology.?

Even the top two picks might need to be light on their feet. Broderick Jones may have to learn some left and right tackle. Joey Porter Jr. may bounce into the slot on occasion.

But regardless of how difficult the intake of information is for all those players, the Steelers are counting on them to be contributors as rookies. All those ?A? grades they got for the draft aren?t going to pay off unless the class itself can stay on pace with an accelerated learning curve in multiple disciplines.


https://triblive.com/sports/tim-benz-steelers-rookies-hope-to-prove-theyre-as-versatile-as-scouting-suggest/

[whisper]

Tim Benz: Steelers rookies hope to prove they're as versatile as scouting suggests

Thursday, May 18, 2023

When looking at the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers draft class, versatility appears to be one of its biggest strengths.

In theory, second-round pick Keeanu Benton (DL/Wisconsin) should be able to move up and down the defensive line of scrimmage, playing nose tackle or end. Third-round pick Darnell Washington (TE/Georgia) is expected to be a devastating run blocker and a significant threat catching the ball as well.

On draft day, Nick Herbig (Wisconsin) was labeled as an outside linebacker. But since then, general manager Omar Khan has stated that he?ll possibly get a look inside as well. And seventh-round selection Spencer Anderson may wind up being a reserve at all three offensive line positions. That could be second nature to him since he proved starter capable at all three at Maryland.

Now that the players have been assembled and are starting to practice, the hard part becomes proving they can all handle the multiple jobs. Following last week?s rookie minicamp, head coach Mike Tomlin says those introductions can come gradually as organized team activities begin next week.

?There?ll be primary jobs and roles, and they have to establish themselves in that area first, and then we add to it,? Tomlin said. ?An introductory weekend like (rookie minicamp), there is just not a lot of latitude for some of that, and so it?s more establishing a home base and working from there.?

For Herbig, that home base, for now, appears to be on the edge, but he is anticipating exposure in the middle of the defense as well.

?So far, it has just been outside, but I?m sure I?ll rotate both,? Herbig said. ?If I come in and they say I?m playing inside, then, OK, I?m playing inside. I don?t try to think too much about it. I just try to come in every day ready to work.?

Herbig will have the luxury of being groomed behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith outside and at least four inside linebackers. He can contribute on special teams until he?s called upon to spell the starters. Plus, he is going to have to figure out his weight.

Assistant GM Andy Weidl expressed confidence that Herbig could put on a few pounds to increase his bulk on the edge. But if Herbig is to be used inside as well, whatever he adds to his 240-pound frame can?t slow him down sideline-to-sideline.

?I can put on weight if I need to, for sure,? Herbig insisted. ?Whatever they tell me they want me at, I?ll get there.?

Benton may have to show position flexibility the fastest. He?s a second-round pick. There are snaps to be won along the defensive line at nose and end. Plus, it?d be nice to have those snaps won along the trenches so the likes of Larry Ogunjobi and Cameron Heyward can get some rest.

Use Javon Hargrave as a comp. Coming in as a rookie to play nose and spell Heyward and Stephon Tuitt in 2016, Hargrave started 13 games and played 50% of the defensive snaps. That usage began to spike after Week 10 when Heyward was lost for the year with a torn pectoral muscle.

?It?s something I have to get used to,? Benton said. ?Coming into Wisconsin, it was kind of the same thing. Everything is going 100 miles per hour. But the more you play the game, the more it slows down.?

Washington?s case is a little different. All tight ends need to be proficient blockers and pass catchers. It?s in the job description. But usually, as rookies, the blocking part needs to come along in time.

The Steelers seem to have a different approach with Washington. At 6-foot-7, 264 pounds, it sounds like the quickest path to the field for him will be in blocking situations, almost serving as a third offensive tackle in many sets. But he?s not worried about picking up the route-running aspect of the game as well.

?I?m a pretty fast learner,? Washington said. ?Georgia was a program where we ran a pro-style offense in a way. It?s just different terminology.?

Even the top two picks might need to be light on their feet. Broderick Jones may have to learn some left and right tackle. Joey Porter Jr. may bounce into the slot on occasion.

But regardless of how difficult the intake of information is for all those players, the Steelers are counting on them to be contributors as rookies. All those ?A? grades they got for the draft aren?t going to pay off unless the class itself can stay on pace with an accelerated learning curve in multiple disciplines.


https://triblive.com/sports/tim-benz-steelers-rookies-hope-to-prove-theyre-as-versatile-as-scouting-suggest/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfowA1lg2G8

[hawaiiansteel]

yet another Steelers type who was the "steal of the draft" :p

Cory Trice is impressing teammates and dominated Thursday's session


https://steelersnow.com/pittsburgh-steelers-cory-trice-2023-otas/

[NorthCoast]

https://i.redd.it/4syepmv5th3b1.jpg

[whisper]

Tim Benz: Steelers rookies hope to prove they're as versatile as scouting suggests

Thursday, May 18, 2023

When looking at the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers draft class, versatility appears to be one of its biggest strengths.

In theory, second-round pick Keeanu Benton (DL/Wisconsin) should be able to move up and down the defensive line of scrimmage, playing nose tackle or end. Third-round pick Darnell Washington (TE/Georgia) is expected to be a devastating run blocker and a significant threat catching the ball as well.

On draft day, Nick Herbig (Wisconsin) was labeled as an outside linebacker. But since then, general manager Omar Khan has stated that he?ll possibly get a look inside as well. And seventh-round selection Spencer Anderson may wind up being a reserve at all three offensive line positions. That could be second nature to him since he proved starter capable at all three at Maryland.

Now that the players have been assembled and are starting to practice, the hard part becomes proving they can all handle the multiple jobs. Following last week?s rookie minicamp, head coach Mike Tomlin says those introductions can come gradually as organized team activities begin next week.

?There?ll be primary jobs and roles, and they have to establish themselves in that area first, and then we add to it,? Tomlin said. ?An introductory weekend like (rookie minicamp), there is just not a lot of latitude for some of that, and so it?s more establishing a home base and working from there.?

For Herbig, that home base, for now, appears to be on the edge, but he is anticipating exposure in the middle of the defense as well.

?So far, it has just been outside, but I?m sure I?ll rotate both,? Herbig said. ?If I come in and they say I?m playing inside, then, OK, I?m playing inside. I don?t try to think too much about it. I just try to come in every day ready to work.?

Herbig will have the luxury of being groomed behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith outside and at least four inside linebackers. He can contribute on special teams until he?s called upon to spell the starters. Plus, he is going to have to figure out his weight.

Assistant GM Andy Weidl expressed confidence that Herbig could put on a few pounds to increase his bulk on the edge. But if Herbig is to be used inside as well, whatever he adds to his 240-pound frame can?t slow him down sideline-to-sideline.

?I can put on weight if I need to, for sure,? Herbig insisted. ?Whatever they tell me they want me at, I?ll get there.?

Benton may have to show position flexibility the fastest. He?s a second-round pick. There are snaps to be won along the defensive line at nose and end. Plus, it?d be nice to have those snaps won along the trenches so the likes of Larry Ogunjobi and Cameron Heyward can get some rest.

Use Javon Hargrave as a comp. Coming in as a rookie to play nose and spell Heyward and Stephon Tuitt in 2016, Hargrave started 13 games and played 50% of the defensive snaps. That usage began to spike after Week 10 when Heyward was lost for the year with a torn pectoral muscle.

?It?s something I have to get used to,? Benton said. ?Coming into Wisconsin, it was kind of the same thing. Everything is going 100 miles per hour. But the more you play the game, the more it slows down.?

Washington?s case is a little different. All tight ends need to be proficient blockers and pass catchers. It?s in the job description. But usually, as rookies, the blocking part needs to come along in time.

The Steelers seem to have a different approach with Washington. At 6-foot-7, 264 pounds, it sounds like the quickest path to the field for him will be in blocking situations, almost serving as a third offensive tackle in many sets. But he?s not worried about picking up the route-running aspect of the game as well.

?I?m a pretty fast learner,? Washington said. ?Georgia was a program where we ran a pro-style offense in a way. It?s just different terminology.?

Even the top two picks might need to be light on their feet. Broderick Jones may have to learn some left and right tackle. Joey Porter Jr. may bounce into the slot on occasion.

But regardless of how difficult the intake of information is for all those players, the Steelers are counting on them to be contributors as rookies. All those ?A? grades they got for the draft aren?t going to pay off unless the class itself can stay on pace with an accelerated learning curve in multiple disciplines.


https://triblive.com/sports/tim-benz-steelers-rookies-hope-to-prove-theyre-as-versatile-as-scouting-suggest/

If only Ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas. This myopic narrative is so nice and comfy. It's like slinking into a warm bath of optimism. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Now if only the real world would cooperate.

[whisper]

yet another Steelers type who was the "steal of the draft" :p

Cory Trice is impressing teammates and dominated Thursday's session


https://steelersnow.com/pittsburgh-steelers-cory-trice-2023-otas/

Isn't each and every Pgh draft pick "the steal of the draft" at this point? Jones is, JPR is, NT is, TE is...

[Joel Buchsbaum]

Didn't watch the PFF video, but some of these sites give 90% of the teams A and B grades for the draft

The media is general does not want to piss off any fans base and looks for positive things to say about a teams draft. A reason why 90% of teams have A and B grades. Three years from now I bet the 2022 draft will have a much harsher review. Still the Steelers do appear to have a good 2022 draft.

My .02

[NorthCoast]

If only Ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas. This myopic narrative is so nice and comfy. It's like slinking into a warm bath of optimism. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Now if only the real world would cooperate.

At this point in the season why is his narrative any less valid than a negative one?

[NJ-STEELER]

This is the time of year (now theu training camp) where we get a load of puff pieces n the team.

I?m not down on trice. And thought it was a great pick for a 7th rounder.
As someone drafted so late, just making the team will be tough.
let?s see him in sone legitimate action before we get our hopes too high

[whisper]

At this point in the season why is his narrative any less valid than a negative one?

Because it the negative ones that are closer to the truth, pretty much every time. I bet anything you were hootin' and holerin' over the 2020 draft. How did that turn out?

Case Claypool, WR Notre Dame
Alex Highsmith 102 LB
Anthony McFarland Jr. 124 RB Maryland
Kevin Dotson 135 G 2022 Louisiana
Antoine Brooks Jr. Maryland
Carlos Davis 232 DT

One decent pick, the rest pure garbage, but I bet anything you were celebrating after it. Oh, we got TWO picks from MD, yippee. Way to go Cool Shades!

[Northern_Blitz]

This is the time of year (now theu training camp) where we get a load of puff pieces n the team.

I?m not down on trice. And thought it was a great pick for a 7th rounder.
As someone drafted so late, just making the team will be tough.
let?s see him in sone legitimate action before we get our hopes too high

I completely agree NJ.

It's nice when you're the person they decide to write the puff piece about I guess. But let's wait until they start playing football.