5 best value picks for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the Kevin Colbert era

3. Ike Taylor, Round 4

In the 2003 Draft, with the 125th overall pick in the fourth round, the Steelers selected Ike Taylor, a cornerback out of Louisiana-Lafayette. Despite being a fourth-round selection from a small school, Taylor made his presence felt during his Steelers career.

After only starting two games in his first two years in Pittsburgh, Taylor became a regular starter, starting in 140 out of 174 games in his career. The Steelers were the only team Taylor would ever play for and during his time with the team he won two Super Bowl Championships, while he spent most of the time as the team’s number one cornerback. For his career, he totaled 14 interceptions, 636 tackles, 5 fumble recoveries, 1 defensive touchdown, and 134 pass deflections.

While Taylor was known for not having the greatest hands, the team had Troy Polamalu behind him at Safety to force some turnovers, and he was the perfect fit for the mold of a cornerback that the Steelers were looking for. Taylor was a true cover corner, who was very physical and was always willing to stick his nose in to make the tackle.

Taylor quickly became a fan favorite not only because of his physical playstyle but also for his personality. He was known for talking trash to opponents, and wouldn’t shy away from any matchup. But one of the things fans remember most about him is the introductions he had on Sunday Night Football, where he would frequently say he was a product of “Swaggin U.”