Steelers Draft Grades

The 2013 NFL draft is in the books and the Pittsburgh Steelers have made their selections. The Steelers draft shaped up to include the following:

17. Jarvis Jones, outside linebacker, Georgia.
48. Le'Veon Bell, running back, Michigan State.
79. Markus Wheaton, receiver, Oregon State.
111. Shamarko Thomas, strong safety, Syracuse.
115. Landry Jones, quarterback, Oklahoma.
150. Terry Hawthorne, cornerback, Illinois.
186. Justin Brown, receiver, Oklahoma.
206. Vince Williams, inside linebacker, Florida State.
223. Nick Williams, defensive end, Samford.


Everyone has an opinion on draft success, but only time will tell whether this draft can be considered a boom or bust. Regardless, listed below are the draft grades for the Pittsburgh Steelers by multiple NFL analysts.

NFL Draft Scout

I love the addition of Jarvis Jones in the first round. Forget about all of the medical and workout questions. The thing to remember with him is that he led the country in sacks (14.5), tackles for loss (24.5) and forced fumbles (seven) this past season and is used to playing as a 3-4 rush linebacker, so there is no adjustment here. Le'Veon Bell is another big back who'll not only pound defenders but slip by (or leap) over them. Markus Wheaton is a virtual clone of Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders, the lean, highly athletic wideouts the club has stolen in the middle rounds of past years. Of their third-day picks, I'm highest on cornerback Terry Hawthorne and developmental defensive lineman Nicholas Williams.

Grade: B+


Pete Prisco

Best pick: I love third-round receiver Markus Wheaton out of Oregon State. He could be the next mid-round pick to star at receiver.

Questionable move: Taking Michigan State running back Le'Veon Bell in the second round. I just think he takes too long to get to the line of scrimmage. He is more of a plodder.

Third-day gem: I love fifth-round corner Terry Hawthorne to fit in nicely in what the Steelers want from their corners.

Analysis: General manager Kevin Colbert is one of the best in the business. He likes picking productive college players. First-round pick Jarvis Jones was that and more. The Bell pick lowers the grade.

Grade: B-

Sports Illustrated

The Steelers hit on four needs with their first four picks: OLB (Jarvis Jones), running back (Le’Veon Bell, who fits this offense but may not have warranted pick 48), receiver (Markus Wheaton) and safety (Shamarko Thomas). And then they picked QB Landry Jones. It’s a great fit for Jones — Ben Roethlisberger’s frequently hurt and the Steelers’ aerial attack plays to Jones’ strengths. The pick was still a surprising one.

Grade: B-plus

Rotoworld

Overview: There's a lot to like about this draft on paper. Just keep in mind Pittsburgh sent a 2014 third-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for No. 111. Hard-hitting Thomas was a value there, but may only help on special teams for the next year and is a tight-hipped safety prospect, which is why he was available in round four. Jones and Bell are day-one starters, while Wheaton should have every opportunity to win a job in three-receiver sets as the "X" when Emmanuel Sanders kicks inside to the slot. Vince Williams is a physical inside thumper. Nick is built ideally to play five-technique end in Pittsburgh's 3-4 defense and has developmental athleticism. Hawthorne was once a projected future first-rounder. Jones has a great arm and quick release, though he'll have to improve his in-pocket courage to pan out. I think the Steelers added good football players and can expect immediate impact from two to three acquisitions, but giving up next year's third-rounder is still bothersome when the team cannot be sure Thomas will be a productive NFL player.

Grade: C+

Walterfootball.com

Goals Entering the 2013 NFL Draft: The Steelers lost a number of key veterans this offseason like James Harrison, Keenan Lewis, Willie Colon, Rashard Mendenhall and Mike Wallace. They need to replace those departed players. Of course, they won't reach to fill these holes; Pittsburgh, as it always does, will take advantage of the dumb teams drafting in front of them and catch falling prospects.

2013 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Sure enough, Pittsburgh's front office laughed as the top pass-rusher in this class, Jarvis Jones, fell right into its lap at No. 17. It's amazing that despite being designed to help the lesser teams, all the NFL Draft does is strengthen the superior ones.

The Steelers had a number of outstanding selections. Markus Wheaton, considered a second-round prospect, could be a worthy replacement for Mike Wallace despite being chosen at No. 79. The next pick (No. 111), Shamarko Thomas, was also snagged off the board a round later than projected. Thomas won't start right away, but will eventually be pushed into the starting lineup once Pittsburgh's aging safeties move on or get injured.

Pittsburgh addressed some needs late with some sound selections, but two picks weigh this class down. I'm not a fan of Le'Veon Bell as a second-rounder because he's yet another slow back out of the Big Ten. The Landry Jones choice was even worse. There were undrafted free agent quarterbacks who are better than him - Matt Scott and Tyler Bray, for example.

Despite these two picks, the Steelers still deserve a high grade for yet another successful draft class.

Grade: A-

My Analysis

I have to be honest here. I haven't watched every snap of every player the Steelers drafted or did not draft. I'm sure the Steelers did see every snap as they drafted the players they believe are best suited to succeed in their system. I'm not going to assign a grade yet as I will wait a few years to see how the recent picks perform. I have to trust Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin, and the Steelers scouting staff. Let's review in 2016.