There's no telling what the future holds, but the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2022 draft class had a major impact on the turnaround that took place this past season. From every spectacular catch from WR George Pickens, to every dime thrown by QB1 Kenny Pickett, the Steelers rookie class has a bright future ahead of them. It's not all about the top selections of the team's 2022 draft class, though. Minus a couple of injuries and a late seventh-round quarterback selection that was let go during the cut-down to 53 initial players, the black and gold appear to have hit quite a few times in last April's 2022 NFL Draft.
Photo Credit: visn.com
Pickett to Pickens is hopefully something yinzers hear for a long time down at Acrisure Stadium. When targeting Pickens in their inaugural seasons in the NFL, Pickett went 38 of 58 for 555 yards for 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, which is good enough for a 119.5 passer rating. With an entire off-season together and a big year 2 jump that's always talked about by Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin, these two young play-makers can be a force in the Steel City for years to come!
Pickett had a little bit to say about the team's potential:
“It’s really exciting,” Pickett said via TribLive. “You have those conversations, it’s almost like when you’re a freshman in college, and you get to a new place, and you talk about how good you think you can be. I think we had those conversations when we were here. We got here early, and we think we can be something.”“That all sounds good. We’ve got to put it together. But I think if we continue to work together, the future’s bright for us. I’m excited for what it holds. But I think a lot of guys really [contributed] in a big way this season. We’re going to continue to do that … and see what happens.”
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Defensive lineman, DeMarvin Leal missed quite a bit of time in his first season in the black and gold, but goodness did he look the part. With an aging defensive line, it was beautiful to see Leal show flashes in limited time playing due to missing several weeks after landing on IR after his first career start. Leal flashed something else the Steelers' coaching staff and modern-day defense's love: versatility. With his size and athleticism, Leal offers the capability of playing inside the trenches, as well as sliding outside if need be and the team utilized that a little in his first year. I expect to see a little more of that next season and beyond.
Tomlin seemed pleased with the play from his 2022 rookies during his end-of-the-year wrap-up press conference earlier this month, but knows their full potential has yet to be reached:
“A lot of [rookies] had an opportunity to have roles and increasingly significant roles, and I’m thankful for their contributions,” Tomlin stated.“We’ve got some quality play from some young guys, which is exciting, but boy, there’s a lot of meat on the bone [for continued improvement], and we’re excited about being a part of their process, too.”
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end, Connor Heyward (#83) catches a touchdown pass in a Week 13 win vs The Atlanta Falcons. Karl Roser/ Steelers.com
Tight end, Connor Heyward showed much more than just being Cam Heyward's little brother. The former Michigan State Spartan finished his rookie campaign with just 12 receptions for 151 yards and a touchdown on the year. However, he stepped up in a big way during the Steelers' season finale against the Cleveland Browns after fellow TE Pat Freiermuth exited the game with a knee injury. Heyward looked like an absolute stud out there and showcased his play-making ability with a few tough catches.
In addition to the promising draft class, an undrafted rookie stood out in a big way in his inaugural season with the team as well. Running back, Jaylen Warren took over the RB2 position early in the season and never looked back. He finished the year with 77 carries for 379 yards and a touchdown. He also added 28 receptions for 214 yards on the year. Warren was a sure-fire first down every time he touched the ball it seemed like.
Steeler fans, we have a lot to look forward to in the foreseeable future with these young play-makers from the class of 2022!
What are yinz thoughts on the Steelers 2022 draft class and the season they put together? Who impressed yinz the most? Sound off in the comment section below, or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
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