Draft misses weigh heavy as Steelers wait for a franchise QB
Pittsburgh’s 2018–22 premium picks produced below-average long-term value and too many misses behind their top selections, a gap that has grown more costly without a true franchise quarterback to mask it. While players like Highsmith and Pickens show you can still hit, the overall draft record—especially when comparing where they picked to where better players went—suggests the Steelers left more value on the board than the typical team. The trades involving Broderick Jones and Kaleb Johnson underscore the price of those misses as the team waits for a QB to justify the early-round risk.
