ESPN’s Todd McShay Gives Out His Best 2022 Draft Picks For Each Team

[Steeler Nation]

ESPN Draft expert Todd McShay picked his best picks for each team from this weekend’s 2022 NFL Draft. The Pittsburgh Steelers had 7 selections, including 2 in the 7th round. They did not have a pick in the 5th round because they traded it away last season for Ahkello Witherspoon.

In most cases, if a team selects a quarterback in the 1st round, it’s going to be that team’s best selection. But not in 2022. The Steelers were the only team to select a quarterback in the 1st round and the next one off the board didn’t come until mid-way through the 3rd round. That’s something that hasn’t happened since 2000 when the New York Jets took Chad Pennington in the 1st round and no other quarterback came off the board until pick #65 after that. And who was that pick you ask? Giovanni Carmazzi. He doesn’t even have a player profile on Pro Football Reference. That’s how bad he was. I’m not sure what that says about Pickett’s potential. But let’s hope for the best.

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Steelers Undrafted Free Agent Class Headlined By USC CB and Oklahoma State RB​

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Now, the Steelers 2nd selection was Georgia receiver George Pickens. Not to be accused with Steelers killer Carl Pickens from the 90s. The Steelers badly needed another threat in the receiver room, and they got one.

Pickens by all accounts may have been the first receiver taken in a very highly talented class had he not torn his ACL in 2020. He battled his way back to play in the National Championship game last season and finished the year with 5 total receptions. Along with his injury came some character issues. Reports claim he’s immature, and a problem behind the scenes. Seems to be a common thing with receivers nowadays. Hopefully that won’t transition to the Steelers, but time will tell.

This is what McShay had to say about Pickens who was his selection for the Steelers:

Pittsburgh Steelers
George Pickens, WR, Georgia (Round 2, No. 52)

Everyone knew Pittsburgh was going to draft a quarterback in Round 1, and it did when it took Kenny Pickett from down the road at Pitt at No. 20. Whether or not the Steelers took the right QB will be debated for a while, especially since no other signal-caller was drafted until No. 74. (I had Liberty’s Malik Willis ranked higher, but Pickett has solid accuracy and good pocket mobility.)

(Curtis Compton/AJC)

But regardless of whether Pickett or Mitch Trubisky will be under center, Pittsburgh had to add some playmakers in the draft. Pickens was getting first-round buzz — in fact, I had him at the tail end of Round 1 in my final mock draft — and could be a great get for Pittsburgh on Day 2. His best trait is tracking the deep ball. He accelerates off the line of scrimmage, knows when to get his head around to find the ball and has the second gear to run underneath it.

A torn ACL in his right knee kept Pickens off the field for most of his final season at Georgia, but he is healthy and ready to contribute. Pittsburgh added another playmaker, though, who will fight with Pickens for touches. Memphis’ Calvin Austin III is 5-foot-8 but lightning fast and a threat to take the ball the distance any time he touches it. I thought about him here, too, but Pickens has a chance to be a star.

It seems like the Steelers may have hit a homerun with both of their receiver selections. As you just read, Kiper mentions Memphis 4th rounder Calvin Austin III. He’s the complete opposite of Pickens, but will have just as much value as a rookie as the 2nd rounder.

Todd McShay’s Picks For The Rest Of The AFC North​

Todd McShay on the Cleveland Browns

David Bell, WR, Purdue (Round 3, No. 99)

Cleveland came into the draft expecting to wait until Round 2 for its first draft pick, but then it traded back to pick up more picks. It meant waiting until Round 3 before landing its first prospect, Mississippi State cornerback Martin Emerson. But the team’s best pick came toward the end of the third round when the Browns took Bell.

The Browns traded for Amari Cooper, but they also lost Jarvis Landry and Rashard Higgins from an already barren receiver room. Donovan Peoples-Jones led the team with 597 receiving yards last season. Bell probably won’t be a Rookie of the Year candidate, but he’s an instinctive and versatile pass-catcher who runs crafty routes and has sure hands.

The speed is a red flag — he ran a 4.65 in the 40-yard dash at the combine and followed it up with a 4.71 at his pro day — but he still has a lot of upside. Bell hauled in 93 catches for 1,286 receiving yards last season, both of which finished in the top 15 in the nation.

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Todd McShay on the Cincinnati Bengals

Daxton Hill, S/CB, Michigan (Round 1, No. 31)

With Trae Waynes departing in free agency and the Bengals’ No. 26 completion percentage allowed (67.1%) last season, defensive back was a need. Hill is a versatile defender who will likely play nickelback with Cincinnati, though he is also a rangy safety. He’s very good in man-to-man coverage, with excellent change-of-direction skills, a fluid pedal and the burst necessary to close on the ball.

The ball skills are high-end, too. Hill hauled in four interceptions over three seasons, and he broke up 10 passes in 2021 alone. I had Hill at No. 18 on my board, so the Bengals tackling a need and getting very strong value with the penultimate pick of the first round makes this a home run. And to cement the secondary, the Bengals followed up with Nebraska defensive back Cam Taylor-Britt at the end of the second round.

Of course, choosing the best pick for any given team means also weighing other needs and the players available at the pick. There will be some folks who wish the Bengals added another Day 1 starter on the offensive line. For me, I like what they did in free agency, adding tackle La’el Collins and interior linemen Alex Cappa and Ted Karras. And four offensive tackles, the top two guards and center Tyler Linderbaum were all off the board when Cincinnati was finally on the clock. So the Bengals were right to turn their attention to another major need and take a talented player there.

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Todd McShay on the Baltimore Ravens

Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa (Round 1, No. 25)

Man, this one is tough. Pick my favorite from this group? Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton at No. 14. Michigan edge rusher David Ojabo and UConn defensive tackle Travis Jones on Day 2? Minnesota offensive tackle Daniel Faalele at good value in Round 4? Coach John Harbaugh had a memorable draft from top to bottom. But I have to go with Linderbaum here.

Through two trades, the Ravens were able to get back into Round 1 and land him to fill a hole. Yes, it cost them receiver Marquise Brown, and there will be some more questions about Baltimore’s plan there. But with Bradley Bozeman signing in Carolina, the run game being such an integral part of the Ravens’ offense, and the offensive line surrendering 57 sacks last season (second-most in the NFL), I like the move.

Linderbaum is a very effective zone blocker, which will of course help running back J.K. Dobbins and quarterback Lamar Jackson at the second level. And he anchors well in pass protection, battling through the whistle. Watch his tape for a few minutes, and it won’t surprise you that he’s a former high school wrestler. He’s really light on his feet for a 296-pounder and has strong hands at the point of contact.

I thought pretty hard about Coastal Carolina tight end Isaiah Likely, too. The Ravens love Mark Andrews in the pass game, but they’ve often found success with multiple tight ends. Likely makes a bunch of spectacular catches, has the speed to make plays down the seam and shows instincts in the open field. Baltimore got him at No. 139, but he was No. 104 on my board.

Do you agree with McShay’s assessments? Click to comment below!

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[Steeltime]

The more I watched Daxton Hill, the more concerned I became about him being able to defend against the run. He plays small. He weighs 192 lbs. but struggled to bring down RB's.

Then I saw the clip of Pickens abusing him. Not surprised.