Steelers/NFL category, Page 247
First Call: Steelers may have been trying to to move up in Round 1; Ravens still need a receiver; checking on Rangers
Monday’s “First Call” shows an interesting twist to the Pittsburgh Steelers draft. We preview the injury situation with the New York Rangers as they prepare to play the Penguins. The Ravens still need to know what’s going on at wide receiver. And we preview the Pirates’ next series in Detroit....
Tim Benz: Question the Steelers draft strategy if you like, let’s just debate the right things
For the most part, I liked the Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 draft class and the team’s approach to building it. That’s because while I’m not in the “Kenny Pickett, future Hall of Famer” camp just yet, I do think he’s got the potential to be at least an above-average NFL quarterback....
Madden Monday: Mitch Trubisky ‘should feel hoodwinked’ after signing with Steelers
When it comes to who should start at quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, Mark Madden of 105.9 The X and TribLIVE feels that the decision is obvious. Who cares if Mason Rudolph has been with the team the longest? Who cares if Mitch Trubisky was signed to be...
2022 draft completes near-total makeover of Steelers offense
It was 16 months ago that the 2020 Pittsburgh Steelers’ season ended. It probably seems like a lot longer ago than that,and not just because of the stunningly disappointing result, a 48-37 wild-card playoff loss to the rival Cleveland Browns. The offensive lineup for the Steelers that Jan. 10, 2021,...
National analysts: Steelers aced Day 2, questionable Day 3, split on Kenny Pickett in Day 1
Just as seemingly everyone covering the NFL has a mock draft, those same analysts also seem to want to grade out each team’s draft within hours of its completion. None of the players taken have stepped onto a practice field for the new teams, but that doesn’t stop those from...
Little clarity on Steelers decisions related to Devin Bush’s option, Stephon Tuitt’s status
The questions needed to be asked of Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin, even if an on-the-record answer wasn’t likely to be provided. As if on cue, the Pittsburgh Steelers general manager and coach dutifully dodged shedding all that much light on two significant personnel decisions the franchise is dealing with....
Kevin Colbert ends final Steelers draft by doubling up at QB, WR among 4 selections
Kevin Colbert didn’t get emotional in the war room as he was preparing to make the final pick of his 23rd NFL Draft with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coach Mike Tomlin tried his best Saturday to get his boss to crack, offering a reminder when the Steelers sent in the card...
Beaver Falls’ Donovan Jeter, Duquesne’s Jake Dixon among 10 Steelers UDFAs
Donovan Jeter and Jake Dixon are players with local ties among the 10 undrafted free agents the Pittsburgh Steelers added to their rookie class in the hours after the draft ended Saturday. Two each outside linebackers, running backs, offensive linemen and cornberbacks also were signed, allowing the Steelers to shore...
Tim Benz: You know who the Steelers got in the NFL draft. Let’s talk about what they didn’t get
It’s time again for the column you hate to love: “What the Steelers didn’t get in the draft.” Well, I love this column. My readers seem to hate it. But you sure do fill up my inbox and Twitter mentions to tell me as much. So you must at least...
Steelers complete draft with 7th-round choices QB Chris Oladokun and LB Mark Robinson
The Pittsburgh Steelers completed their 2022 draft by taking two players who competed for three different college programs each. Linebacker Mark Robinson and quarterback Chris Oladokun were selected at Nos. 225 and 241 overall during the seventh and final round Saturday. Robinson played in 2021 at Ole Miss and Oladokun...
Steelers NFL Draft bio on brief: Chris Oladokun
Chris Oladokun Seventh-round, No. 241 Quarterback, South Dakota State 6-1, 213 Stats: Completed 62.3% of his passes for 3,164 yards, 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his lone season at South Dakota State. He also had two rushing touchdowns. … At Samford in 2019, he completed 62.1% of his passes...
Steelers NFL Draft bio in brief: Ole Miss LB Mark Robinson
Mark Robinson Seventh-round pick, No. 225 overall Linebacker, Ole Miss 5-foot-11, 235 pounds Stats: Had 92 tackles during his only season at Ole Miss, including 79 over the final nine regular-season games. Added 8 ½ tackles for loss and three sacks. Hometown: Lessburg, Ga. Tidbits: Ranked 11th in the SEC...
Steelers draft Cameron Heyward’s brother, Connor, a Michigan State tight end
Call the Pittsburgh Steelers the team of brotherly love. With their sixth-round pick, the Steelers made it four sets of brothers on their roster by taking Michigan State tight end Connor Heyward with the 208th overall pick. Heyward is the younger brother of Steelers All-Pro defensive lineman Cameron Heyward. At...
Steelers NFL Draft bio in brief: Connor Heyward
Connor Heyward Sixth-roundpick, No.208 overall Tight end/fullback, Michigan State 5-11, 233 Stats: Played in 49 games with the Spartans from 2017-21. He started 28 times, including 13 in 2021. His first 15 starts were at running back, the remaining ones at tight end following a position switch. … Finished career...
Steelers NFL Draft bio in brief: Calvin Austin III
Calvin Austin III Fourth-round pick, No. 138 overall Wide receiver, Memphis 5-foot-8, 170 pounds Stats: Aggregate 2020-21, Austin had 137 catches for 2,202 receiving yards and 19 receiving touchdowns in 23 games. Adding in a rushing touchdown and two more on punt returns, he had 22 touchdowns over his final...
Steelers grab another WR, drafting Memphis’ Calvin Austin III in 4th round
The Pittsburgh Steelers showed they were serious about upgrading the wide receiver position in the NFL Draft, taking two pass catchers in a span of three picks. In the fourth round Saturday, the Steelers used the No. 138 overall selection to take speedy Memphis slot receiver Calvin Austin III. He...
Steelers NFL Draft bio in brief: DeMarvin Leal
DeMarvin Leal Third-round pick, No. 84 overall Defensive linemen, Texas A&M 6-foot-4, 283 pounds Stats: As a junior this past season had 58 tackles, 12 1/2 for loss with 8 1/2 sacks, and two pass breakups in 12 starts. Was second on Texas A&M in QB hurries during both his...
Steelers address defense in 3rd round with lineman Leal from Texas A&M
After taking a quarterback and wide receiver with their first two draft picks, the Pittsburgh Steelers turned their attention to defense in the third round Friday night. DeMarvin Leal, a 6-foot-4, 283-pound defensive lineman from Texas A&M went to the Steelers with the No. 84 overall pick. The Steelers selected...
Steelers NFL Draft bio in brief: George Pickens
George Pickens Second-round pick, No.52 overall Wide receiver, Georgia 6-3, 195 Stats: In 24 career games at Georgia, he caught 90 passes for 1,347 yards, averaging 15 yards per catch, with 14 touchdowns. After tearing his ACL in spring practice a year ago, he missed all but the final four...
Steelers take Georgia WR George Pickens with 2nd-round pick
The Pittsburgh Steelers have developed a pattern for building their wide receiver corps. They stuck to that script Friday. The Steelers chose Georgia’s George Pickens with their second-round pick, marking the fifth time over the past six drafts the Steelers took a wide receiver between the Nos. 49-66 selections. One...
Tim Benz: We’ve established Kenny Pickett’s ‘high floor,’ how high can his ceiling be?
When it comes to writing a sports column or hosting a sports talk show, there should be no easier topic to formulate a hot take about than the local NFL franchise drafting a first-round quarterback for the first time in 18 years. So, here’s mine as it relates to the...
Consensus among Steelers fans is Kenny Pickett is a good pick
On a sunny Friday afternoon on Pittsburgh’s North Shore, where folks were congregating not far from Heinz Field, it was just about impossible to find a Steelers fan whose disposition didn’t match the weather the day after the first round of the NFL draft. Among those from around the area...
No need for a tour guide as Steelers introduce ‘pretty special’ 1st-round pick Kenny Pickett
When Kenny Pickett arrived at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Friday, he was ushered inside a part of the joint practice facility that was foreign to him. For the past five seasons, when he was a quarterback at Pitt, he would walk through the door on the right side of...
Mark Madden: Kenny Pickett doesn’t close the Steelers’ gap among AFC North quarterbacks
When Mike Tomlin got hired to coach the Steelers in 2007, he inherited Ben Roethlisberger. Until now, he’s never replaced his quarterback. You can tell. He doesn’t know how to do it. Kenny Pickett turns 24 on June 6. He started 49 games during his Blutarsky-esque tenure at Pitt. If...
First Call: Cameron Heyward already jabbing Steelers QB Kenny Pickett; Lamar Jackson unhappy with Ravens trade
Friday’s “First Call” features Cameron Heyward starting early with some online rookie mockery of new Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is unhappy with the trade of an offensive weapon. The Capitals keep losing which (theoretically) helps the Penguins. A Pittsburgh area hockey prospect is part of a...
