5 best value picks for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the Kevin Colbert era
By Scott Long
Kevin Colbert’s time in Pittsburgh comes to an end after the 2022 Draft, and during his tenure, he found some value late in drafts.
Kevin Colbert has been with the Steelers since 2000, and during his time with the Steelers has been widely regarded as one of the top General Managers in the entire NFL. While he will be in charge of this season’s draft for the team, his time with the team comes to an end after this draft.
During his time with the Steelers, Colbert has drafted several Hall of Fame and future Hall of Fame players and has been known for hitting on many of his early selections. However, it has been his ability to find some elite value late in drafts that have separated him from some of the other General Managers in the NFL.
On this list we look at the greatest value picks under Kevin Colbert, and the criteria is that these players all had to be picked on Day 3 of the NFL Draft, so must be at least a fourth-round draft selection.
5. Kelvin Beachum, Round 7
While Kelvin Beachum spent less time with the Pittsburgh Steelers than any other players on this list, his status as a value pick is undeniable. Beachum was a seventh-round selection in the 2012 NFL Draft when the Steelers took him 248th overall. The 32-year old tackle played his college ball at SMU and has played 10 seasons in the NFL thus far.
According to Pro Football Reference, Beachum started 39 of 44 games in his Steelers career and has started every game since he left the Steelers as a free agent following the 2015 season. He has spent time with the Steelers, Jaguars, Jets, and Cardinals, and while spending most of his time at left tackle, has also made starts at right tackle.
While he has never made a Pro Bowl, Beachum has been a consistent starter for 10 years, making 130 starts, and could see that number continue to grow. While he wasn’t a flashy pick, starting offensive linemen, particularly blindside protecting left tackles are typically found early in drafts. The fact that Colbert was able to find such a steady starter so late in the draft in 2012 deserves plenty of recognition.