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first try
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Aechean DRAFTING FOR THESteelers
Draft Selections
Draft Picks Received
Draft Picks Traded
Draft Grade — Steelers
Overall
C+
ValueC-
NeedB
TradesB-
FutureB-
The jury is out on the Steelers. For now, C+. There was a run on nobody at that position, and the Steelers started one anyway for Patrick Payton, 90 picks ahead of schedule. It washes out to a C+, no better and no worse.
They covered a lot of ground and still skipped interior defensive lineman, which is a strange place to end up. The Brailsford pick is fine in a vacuum, less so with interior defensive lineman and tight end still on the board. The Pregnon pick is the one they will point to when this weekend is judged.
Quarterback is handled and the depth chart looks a good deal healthier for it.
So much rides on Dillon Thieneman that the real verdict is a season or two away.
Pick Analysis
Pick21
Rnd1
Dillon Thieneman
Dillon Thieneman in the 21st pick is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick53
Rnd2
Emmanuel Pregnon
Emmanuel Pregnon in Round 2, Pick 21 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
Pick76
Rnd3
Harold Perkins Jr.
Harold Perkins Jr. at slot 76 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick85
Rnd3
Nicholas Singleton
A conviction pick on Nicholas Singleton at pick 85 that the board grades a round light. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick99
Rnd3
Drew Allar
They left a pile of value on the table to take Drew Allar this early at the Round 3 slot. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Pick121
Rnd4
Parker Brailsford
A want over a need in pick No. 121: Parker Brailsford adds an offensive lineman while interior defensive lineman and tight end keeps waiting.
Pick135
Rnd4
Isaiah World
They bypassed pressing needs at interior defensive lineman and tight end to take Isaiah World, an offensive lineman that was not the priority.
Pick161
Rnd5
Patrick Payton
Patrick Payton at pick 161 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick214
Rnd6
De'Zhaun Stribling
They reached into another round for De'Zhaun Stribling, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Pick216
Rnd6
Barion Brown
Value said wait; Barion Brown in the Round 6 slot says they were not listening. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick224
Rnd7
Thaddeus Dixon
The board had Thaddeus Dixon higher than pick No. 224, and the cornerback fell to them anyway. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.













