| Round / pick | Player | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| R1 · No. 20 | Troy Fautanu (OT) | B+ |
| R2 · No. 51 | Zach Frazier (C) | A+ |
| R3 · No. 84 | Roman Wilson (WR) | D+ |
| R3 · No. 98 | Payton Wilson (ILB) | A+ |
| Trade: Pick acquired from Philadelphia in the Kenny Pickett trade. | ||
| R4 · No. 119 | Mason McCormick (G) | A- |
| R6 · No. 178 | Logan Lee (DL) | D |
| Trade: Pick originated with Carolina and arrived through Arizona. | ||
| R6 · No. 195 | Ryan Watts (DB) | D |
| Current class grade | A- | |
The grades account for two NFL seasons of production, availability, draft position and role development. That distinction matters in a class where several excellent starters arrived alongside three players whose careers have been defined by injuries or limited opportunity.
Zach Frazier is the class’s clearest hit
Frazier has moved from a strong second-round value to one of the best young centers in football. He started 31 of his first 32 available regular-season games and reportedly allowed only two sacks across those two seasons. His protection calls, leverage and consistency have made him the safest piece of Pittsburgh’s offensive-line rebuild.
The current A+ is not based on positional hype. It reflects landing a long-term starter at No. 51 who already performs above his draft slot. Frazier is the player who keeps the entire class floor high even if several other picks never recover.
Troy Fautanu looks right when he is available
Fautanu’s rookie season lasted only one start before a knee injury ended it. His second season finally provided a real evaluation, and his movement skills and play strength looked capable of solving right tackle for the long term.
Availability keeps the current grade at B+ rather than A. A first-round tackle has to stay on the field, and Pittsburgh has already spent another first-round pick on Max Iheanachor. Fautanu still projects as a core starter, but the next step is pairing quality with durability.
Payton Wilson turned a trade asset into premium value
Pick No. 98 arrived from Philadelphia in the Kenny Pickett trade, which also involved Pittsburgh sending pick No. 120 and receiving two future seventh-round selections. The Steelers then used that asset on a linebacker whose medical history was the main reason he remained available.
Wilson has produced 204 total tackles, nine tackles for loss and two interceptions through 34 regular-season games. That is A+ value at the end of the third round. His range and closing speed have become central to the defense rather than merely useful depth.
Mason McCormick strengthened the offensive-line bet
McCormick began as a fourth-round developmental guard and earned 14 starts as a rookie. He remained a major part of the line in Year 2, giving Pittsburgh a second middle-round starter from a class already led by Frazier.
His current A- grade accounts for both value and remaining growth. McCormick does not need to become an All-Pro to make pick No. 119 a success. Becoming a reliable, physical starter is more than enough.
Roman Wilson is the offensive disappointment
Wilson entered the league with speed, separation ability and championship experience at Michigan. Injuries erased nearly all of his rookie season, and his second year still did not establish him as a dependable weekly receiver.
A D+ current grade reflects opportunity cost as much as raw production. Third-round receivers are expected to become meaningful rotation players, and Pittsburgh has since added Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard. Wilson enters 2026 fighting for relevance rather than moving naturally into a larger role.
Logan Lee and Ryan Watts have not supplied late-round value
Lee and Watts both lost crucial development time to injuries. Lee has not established a stable defensive-line role, while Watts’ neck injury has kept him from recording a regular-season defensive contribution. Their current D grades reflect two seasons without usable return.
Sixth-round picks carry low expectations, so neither selection damages the class heavily. They do show why the success of Frazier, Payton Wilson and McCormick matters so much: late-round depth cannot be assumed.
Final 2024 class grade: A-
The current class grade is an A-. Frazier and Payton Wilson are premium hits, McCormick is a starting-caliber fourth-rounder, and Fautanu still has the talent to anchor tackle. That is enough high-value production to outweigh Roman Wilson’s stalled development and two injured sixth-round picks.
This class should be remembered as more than an offensive-line bet. It delivered three likely long-term starters in the trenches and a defensive playmaker acquired with a pick created by the Kenny Pickett trade. The remaining question is whether Fautanu’s health allows the class to reach a true A.
The same grading method shows how much can change in the Steelers 2023 draft class three-year review.
Evaluation is current as of June 19, 2026. Pick information comes from the Steelers 2024 draft class; career production was checked against Pro Football Reference.