2019 draft retrospective

[warfelg]

I wanted to do this in all the 'overreactions' to this draft.  The common saying is you can't judge a draft until 3 years later.  Well here we are 3 years out from the 2019 draft.

ROUND 1 - TRADE UP :: 20 , 52, 2020 3rd to 10 with Buffalo 

The pick here was Devin Bush.  Before the draft many of us were torn.  We prefered White, but Bush was a guy many didn't like because of the lack of splash plays yet felt with our DL he could really grow.

DRAFT DAY GRADE - A

In the 2022 retrospective draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers do not trade out of 20.  Despite the need for a LBer, it wasn't worth the move up in the draft to get Bush.  Now I'm going to play by a rule because I could easily say "Oh hey what about Deebo Samuel who went 16 picks later", but I'm not going to do that.  INSTEAD in this redraft, the Steelers take Josh Jacobs RB Alabama. This was right off the year Connor was injured and our run game really started to die fast.  There aren't many great picks near by in Dillard, Hollywood brown, Tyus Howard, Montez Sweat.

REDRAFT DAY GRADE - A-

ROUND 2 - Used in trade up to get Devin Bush

Ok, so this pick got moved, so there's no grade here.  It was traded by Denver to go up and get Drew Lock and the pick was used to get Drew Sample.

DRAFT DAY GRADE - A (as part of the Bush trade)

In the 2022 retrospective draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers still have this pick.  And in a focus on replacing Antonio Brown, the Steelers remain focused on changing the offense into the next iteration of Steelers football.  WITH THIS PICK in the redraft, the Steelers take DK Metcalf WR Ole Miss. After just missing out on the other Ole Miss WR AJ Brown, taken 1 pick earlier, the Steelers go with the teammate that's seen as the bigger risk, but slides into that old Wallace, Bryant, Coats fast downfield threat WR Ben loves to take advantage of.

DRAFT DAY GRADE - B-

ROUND 3 - Pick 66  and 83

Steelers own pick 66 due to the Antonio Brown trade, and take his replacement of Diontae Johnson, who is a literal clone on size, speed, quickness.  Later at 83 they take lifelong Browns fan Justin Layne in an effort to add to the depth chart at corner.

DRAFT DAY GRADE - C

In the 2022 retrospective draft, the Steelers already got their WR a little earlier with DK Metcalf, so Johnson isn't the pick here.  Instead, still needing a LB, the Steelers look at some of the available LB's as it's still a need.  This is a guy we scouted (I looked back) and he's had an impact. The Steelers TAKE WITH THIS PICK Germaine Pratt LB NC State. He isn't the sexiest pick, but he's been a good coverage LBer without being a liability in the run.  Given VWill was on the roster at the time, this was a need for a guy like this.  In an odd turn of events (for the pace of this) I do not change the Justin Layne pick.  There's really no one worth swapping out for, unless you want to go low enough for Dawson Knox, but that's 13 picks later, a little too far for this exercise.  

DRAFT DAY GRADE - C+

ROUND 4 - Pick 122

With this pick the Steelers took Benny Snell, a power back that the Steelers fans liked because of his "bring your own line" mentality.  While he hasn't been terrible, he hasn't also been good.  Maybe trusted a little too much at this point.

DRAFT DAY GRADE - B+

In the 2022 retrospective draft, the Steelers already have a RB so I doubt they to to that well twice.  Again, there isn't much worth talking about here, but with Foster getting up there in age, the Steelers look for a IOL replacement, and WITH THIS PICK the Steelers take Ben Powers OG Oklahoma.  Not the sexy pick but a pick on need anyways.

DRAFT DAY GRADE - C+

ROUND 5 - Pick 141 

We took Zach Gentry with this pick.  TE out of Michigan was a converted QB.  In a way he's still seen as a project at this time, but he's worth it in round 5.

DRAFT DAY GRADE - C+

In the 2022 retrospective draft the Steelers make the exact same pick as before.

DRAFT DAY GRADE - C+

ROUND 6 - Picks 175, 192, 207

At pick 175, as part of the Brown trade, we took Sutton Smith DE Northern Illinois.  Smith never really made an impact and floats on practice squads.  At pick 192 we took Isaiah Buggs, who played a good bit but was released late in the 2021 season.  And at pick 207, they took Ulysees Gilbert III who had a cup of coffee with game time but has always seemed overwhelmed.

DRAFT DAY GRADE - B-

In the 2022 retrospective draft, the Steelers go a bunch of different directions.  With pick 175, the Steelers look at the depth chart and feel uncomfortable with the QB room.  It needs fire.  It needs a challenge.  Dobbs is Ben's friend but isn't worth it on the roster.  Rudolph is an unknown at this time but in limited snaps looks bad.  So WITH THIS PICK the redirection would be Uncle Rico....ERRRRR....Gardner Minshew QB Washington State.  He brings that fire, passion, and drive to the QB room to give it a spark.  AT PICK 192 we stick with the Isaiah Buggs move as it worked well for a late pick. But at 207 there's another change.  Gilbert was a splash in the ocean in terms of an impact...basically nothing.  After working on the WR room earlier, we cycle back around and WITH THIS PICK the Steelers stake Scotty Miller WR Bowling Green to bring a slot WR to the room.

ROUND 7 - Pick 219

We originally took Derwin Grey with this pick.  Barely sits on the team as a camp body.  This late in the draft all you are really looking for is someone that can be a body and maybe make the team, if even because of injury.

DRAFT DAY GRADE - D

In the 2022 retrospective draft, the Steelers have addressed OL depth by this point.  At this point the Steelers look at bringing in another RB as the room needs an overhaul.  So WITH THIS PICK the Steelers take Kerrith Whyte RB Florida Atlantic.

DRAFT DAY GRADE - C-

 

[Raidersfan1]

1) AJ Brown WR Ole Miss

2) DK Metcalf WR Ole Miss

3) Maxx Crosby OLB Eastern Michigan

3) Dawson Knox TE Ole Miss

4) Tony Pollard RB Memphis

5) Hunter Renfrow WR Clemson

6) David Long LB WVU

6) Myles Gaskin RB Washington

6) AJ Cole P NC State

7) Devlin Hodges QB Samford

[armsteeld]

Nice but I'd go a different route.

Rd1 Pick 20. OLB Montez Sweat

Rd2 Pick 52. WR DK Metcalf

Rd3 Pick 66. WR Diontae Johnson 

Rd3 Pick 83. DB CJ Gardner-Johnson

Rd4 Pick 122: RB Tony Pollard

Rd5 Pick 141. WR Hunter Renfro

Rd6 Pick 175. ILB David Long Jr

Rd6 Pick 192. DE Isaiah Buggs

Rd6 Pick 19. OLB Carl Granderson

Rd7 Pick 219. QB Tyree Jackson

Edited August 7, 2022 by armsteeld
Added udfa