What constitutes a high draft grade immediately after the fact? For most teams, it means filling roster holes with guys who assume will be able to contribute. If this were the only criteria, every team would have a high grade. The grade has to involve some level of prognostication about the longterm impact by the rookies.
There’s no doubt the Pittsburgh Steelers had a strong draft. According to NFL Network writer Chad Reuter, the Steelers’ draft warranted an A-. Here’s what Reuter had to say about his grade.
Pittsburgh hopes it found another steal at receiver by picking up Johnson, who has the toughness, hands and quickness to excel. He may have been available later in the draft, but honestly, how can I doubt GM Kevin Colbert’s call on a receiver? Layne was a typical Colbert-like value in the third round, and he’ll quickly earn playing time.
I think we can all safely say inside linebacker Devin Bush is going to be a great player. I’m not ready to anoint him the next Ryan Shazier but he’s certainly destined to be a highly productive player.
But this draft will ultimately be measured on the success of Johnson and Layne. They are the next two players with starter potential. If the only good player to come from this group is Bush, this draft fails considering the Steelers window to win is slowly closing.
