The Pittsburgh Steelers have found their quarterback with their 20th overall pick with QB Kenny Pickett. The Steelers followed up by taking WR George Pickens with their 2nd round pick and DE DeMarvin Leal in the 3rd round to close out Day 2. Their first pick of Day 3 came with Calvin Austin III. The Steeler have 3 picks remaining on Day 3. Barring any trades, the team has a , 6th, and two 7th round picks to finish out the 2022 NFL Draft. Who are some potential targets to fill the rest of the teams’ needs?
S Verone McKinley III
Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Analysis from draftnetwork.com
"Verone McKinley III is a redshirt junior safety for the Ducks defense who has aligned both to the field and boundary. He's a good athlete, showing good agility and short-area quickness in coverage. In the run game, he has good tackling efficiency on the perimeter with receivers, easily limiting extra yardage upon contact. Against bigger running backs, he could be more effective as a sure wrap-up tackler. In the passing game, he is excellent due to his instincts and high-level ball skills. He understands route combinations and easily adjusts with motion, showing his high-level football IQ. This allows him to play the down and distance in situational football while using the coverage as protection. His range is sufficient and projects to be most effective in two-deep looks. He can cover in the slot in short stretches but this may not be a strength in the NFL. However, he is a playmaker at the position with ball skills."
OT Rasheed Walker
Penn State offensive lineman Rasheed Walker blocks during the first quarter on Nov. 13, 2021. Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com
Analysis from draftnetwork.com
"Penn State’s offensive tackle Rasheed Walker is an experienced offensive lineman who has been a staple on the Nittany Lions’ blindside for the last three seasons. Walker came to Penn State as a highly-rated recruit and has certainly lived up to the billing. He is a wide-bodied offensive tackle who offers excellent length and athleticism. As a pass blocker, Walker shows very good foot quickness to get depth in his pass sets and mirror edge defenders. He can change direction quickly and redirect to stunts and inside counters. Walker displays excellent anchor and is very good with his hands, showing very good hand strength and punch timing. There are times Walker oversets and leaves room inside for counters and Walker will lose balance at times playing too far over his feet. In the run game, Walker is much more of a wall-off-and-seal blocker than a road grader. He doesn’t have top-end power at the point of attack and can get inverted by stronger and more physical defenders. He uses his wide body to cover up at the point and is athletic enough to reach the second level consistently, although he can improve his awareness in locating defenders at the second level. Overall, Walker is a solid offensive line prospect who offers length, athleticism, and fundamentals to develop into a starter at the next level. "
LB Damone Clark
Matthew Hinton/Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Analysis from draftnetwork.com
"Damone Clark is a two-year starter for the LSU football team. Prior to the 2020 season, he was named a team captain and given the No. 18 jersey—in the LSU program, that jersey is given to a player that shows high character on and off the field. During the 2020 season, Clark struggled to play at a high level and was pulled in and out of the lineup for the Tigers. Clark turned the corner in 2021 and played the linebacker position at a high level. He plays the game with a high motor that has become infectious across the whole defense. He is a versatile defender for the Tigers and it shows in his stats, recording more than 100 tackles and five sacks during the 2021 season. Clark has exceptional athleticism and makes plays all over the field. Clark has outstanding closing speed to ball-carriers that allows him to pursue and tackle ball-carriers all over the field. Clark is a special athlete at linebacker that uses those athletic traits to track and pursue ball-carriers and is a big reason why he ranks amongst the top in the nation in tackles for the 2021 football season. "
C Dohnovan West
In his third year at ASU Dohnovan West's role comes full circle starting at center (Sun Devil Athletics Photo)
Analysis from draftnetwork.com
"Dohnovan West is a junior who aligns at center for the Sun Devil offense. He has also started games at right and left guard in his career. He has good proactive athleticism, as evidenced in his lateral agility, balance, and body control. In the run game, he does a good job of coming off the ball hard to strike. He's athletic enough to pull and get out on the perimeter while also engaging at the second level. In the passing game, he demonstrates good ability to get them in the right protection. He has good hand quickness to snap and get in his set. He demonstrates competitiveness and good functional strength to anchor against power rushers. He plays with good awareness and intelligence. He has good latch strength in his hands and can redirect laterally with ease. In the NFL, he is a talented player who could ascend to be a starter by year two at any of the interior positions. He needs to continue to work toward consistency with regard to his technique. However, his schematic and positional versatility only adds to his value and his best football may be ahead of him."
Michigan State running back Connor Heyward (11) leaps over Purdue safety Marvin Grant (4) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in West Lafayette, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)AP
Analysis from draftnetwork.com
"Michigan State tight end Connor Heyward is an admirable story. He transitioned from the running back position to play tight end for the Spartans in 2021 in a bid to help the team and optimize his playing time. The effort paid dividends with a career-high in receptions (35), receiving yards (326), and receiving touchdowns (2) over 12 games played. Heyward doesn’t have high-level physical tools and he at times “wins ugly” in his role, but nonetheless, he has won his reps with consistency and was a key role player in Michigan State’s explosive offense. Projecting him forward, I think Heyward is going to need to find a home where he can continue to “win ugly,” playing on special teams and executing a lot of dirty work in an offensive system that looks to add on to the blocking surface in both the run and pass game with untraditional alignments. I love the story and Heyward is a highly-competitive player on the field, making him a proper investment late in the draft for his ability to fulfill a handful of roles and play special teams."
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