Watt's The Verdict On Steelers' First-Round NFL Draft Pick?

PITTSBURGH, PA - The Steelers didn’t have three picks in the first round of Thursday’s NFL draft like the Cleveland Browns. They didn’t make a befuddling trade up to draft a quarterback like the Chicago Bears. They didn’t make headlines by picking Wisconsin linebacker T.J. Watt with the 30th selection.

But championships aren’t won with draft-day headlines. They’re won with high-caliber players. Is Watt one of those?

The general consensus is that Watt, the younger brother of Houston Texans’ All-Pro defensive end J.J. Watt, was a solid if not necessarily spectacular pick by the defending AFC North champions. Watt, a 2016 All-Big Ten first-team selection had 63 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks during his last season with the Badgers.

Here’s what the experts had to say about the Steelers selection:

• Chad Reuter, NFL.com: “Grade A. The fact that T.J. Watt was available for the Steelers was amazing. He's a war daddy, and Pittsburgh can play him inside or outside for years. This was one of those picks where everyone will wonder in four years how Watt dropped this far.”

• Jeremy Fowler, EPSN: “It was no secret the Steelers were looking for pass-rush help. Watt can develop into an eventual replacement for James Harrison. He brings, size (6-foot-4, 252 pounds), athleticism and tenacity to Pittsburgh. Overcoming a knee injury and a position change from tight end, Watt recorded 11.5 sacks in his only full season as a collegiate pass-rusher.”

• Chris Burke, Sports Illustrated: “Grade: B+. The Steelers will try again to find a pass-rushing complement for James Harrison, whom one would assume at some point in his 50s or 60s will have to stop playing football. Watt has a chance to finally end the search. He tested extremely well at the combine, and he plugs in much better in the Steelers’ 3-4 attack than he would have with a 4-3 scheme.”

• Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: “I like the pick. He fills a pass-rush need and he is a rising player. Still learning to play the game.”

• Eric Edholm, Yahoo Sports: “Grade B-minus.The Steelers were lucky to find one of the few remaining pass rushers worthy of a Round 1 selection. He’s still an ascending player. This might take a bit, but Watt could be very good in a few years and from Day 1 he’ll impact the special teams units.”

• Mike Tanier, Bleacher Report: “Grade B. Strengths: Hand placement/fighting, pass-rush technique, upside, last name. Weaknesses: Injury history, experience, high-end athleticism.”

• Steven Ruiz, USA Today: “Grade B. The Steelers are just going to keep drafting these first-round edge rushers until they find a good one. Watt isn’t the most explosive athlete, but all he did was produce at Wisconsin. Pittsburgh has gone after workout warriors in the past, so maybe this change in approach will land them the pass rusher they’ve been searching for.”

• Dan Kadar, SB Nation: “Grade B+. Watt is the type of player the Steelers needed to get. He’s a solid outside pass rusher who can come up and stop the run. With James Harrison nearing retirement, Watt can be his understudy while also stealing some snaps on run downs.”

• Jordan Plocher, Pro Football Focus: “T.J. Watt plays with the tremendous effort and passion we are used to from his surname. The former Wisconsin Badger has a variety of pass-rushing moves, as he can use agility to go around blockers or power to bull them back. Watt racked up 10 sacks, 16 QB hits, and 30 hurries on 279 rushes in 2016. Watt’s pass-rushing productivity of 16.4 ranks sixth in the draft class among edge defenders. His production and style of play will both be welcome in Pittsburgh.”

• Mark Maske, The Washington Post: “Grade B. There is a pretty good record of guys named Watt from Wisconsin being able to succeed in the NFL. And T.J., younger brother of J.J., fits in well on the Pittsburgh defense.”

Photo: Tom Pennington/Getty Images.