Revisiting the Steelers’ Drafts One More Time

Drafts are always fun to look back on because of the hits and misses and the what-ifs that accompany every selection process. The Steelers have enjoyed as much drafting success as any team since they made it a priority as far as team building in 1969.

Who are the best draft choices by round in team history? This is another subject that will generate robust debate, and here are mine for the first 10 rounds even though the draft once exceeded 20 rounds.

First Round: DT Joe Greene, 1969—So many candidates here from Terry Bradshaw, the first overall pick of the 1970 draft, to more recent selections such as Troy Polamalu (2003) and Ben Roethlisberger (2004). Still, the choice has to be Greene, who turned into the best player in franchise history.

Second Round: DT Ernie Stautner, 1950—How do you pass on Jack Lambert (1974) or Jack Ham (1972)? I’ll let the two greats cancel out each other and go with Stautner, the first player in franchise history to have his number retired.

Third Round: CB Mel Blount, 1970—The Steelers found their all-time leading receiver (Hines Ward), their all-time sacks leader (Jason Gildon), and the fire and guts of their 2005 world championship team (Joey Porter) in the third round. They got a game-changer and a future Pro Football Hall of Famer in Blount, two rounds after landing Bradshaw.

Fourth Round: WR John Stallworth, 1974—Defensive ends Dwight White and Aaron Smith and cornerback Ike Taylor are among the players the Steelers drafted in this round. But Stallworth is the only Pro Football Hall of Famer they landed in the fourth round, and they got him in the same draft as Lynn Swann.

Fifth Round: C Mike Webster, 1974—Barry Foster, Hardy Nickerson, and Larry Brown were fifth-round picks but Mike Webster is one of the all-time great centers—and his career provided an exclamation point to the greatest draft in NFL history.

Sixth Round: WR Antonio Brown, 2010—Brown gets the nod over Greg Lloyd, the small-school find out of Fort Valley State who made five Pro Bowls for the Steelers and emerged as the face of “Blitzburgh.” Brown leads the conversation for best wide receiver in the NFL right now, and six years into his career, the four-time Pro Bowler is blazing a path to Canton, Ohio.

Seventh Round: DE Brett Keisel, 2002—The 242nd overall pick of the 2002 draft developed into a cornerstone on the best Steelers defensive line since the famed “Steel Curtain.” Running back Dick Hoak is a close second here given his contributions as a player—he was still sixth on the Steelers’ all-time rushing list with 3,965 yards following the 2015 season—and then a coach.

Eighth Round: DT Ernie “Fats” Holmes, 1971—A member of the “Steel Curtain,” Holmes is credited with 40 sacks in 82 career games. To put that number into perspective, consider that Greene is credited with 66 sacks in 181 games. Darren Perry, who is tied for seventh in Steelers history with 32 career interceptions, is also a consideration here.

Ninth Round: QB Johnny Unitas—What might have been had the Rooney sons, convinced that Unitas could play, sold their father on pulling rank on coach Walt Kiesling in 1955? Kiesling preferred veterans over rookies and refused to give Unitas a serious look in the latter’s only training camp with the Steelers. The Steelers released him and the rest is history.

10th Round: DE L.C. Greenwood—Another member of the vaunted “Steel Curtain” that the Steelers found late in the draft. Put him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame already.

Notable: Linebacker Andy Russell and running back Rocky Bleier were 16th-round picks in 1963 and 1968, respectively. Elbie Nickel, the second-best tight end in Steelers history, was a 15th-round pick in 1947.