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

2. Brett Keisel, Round 7

Brett Keisel is one of the most beloved Steelers players in recent history. While he isn’t a well-known player outside of Pittsburgh, “Da Beard”, as he came to be known, was an integral piece of the Steelers defense for over a decade as he played in 12 seasons for the team. The defensive end from BYU was selected 242nd overall in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft.

Keisel is a one-time Pro Bowler, and a two-time Super Bowl Champion, winning Super Bowls XL and XLIII with the team. According to Pro Football Reference, Keisel totaled 408 tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 30 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, 9 fumble recoveries, 36 pass deflections, and 1 defensive touchdown in his career.

Keisel made his presence felt on the defensive line, contributing as both a pass rusher and a run stopper. He joined Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith to make one of the league’s top defensive lines for much of the 2000s, and they helped pass rushers such as Joey Porter, James Harrison, and Lamarr Woodley get to the quarterback more easily.

“Da Beard” was a fan favorite, as he was a member of one of the league’s most fearsome defenses, and gave back to the community. Later in his career, he began shaving his beard at the “Shear the Beard” ceremony to raise money for a local children’s hospital. This late-round selection made his presence felt on and off the field, and clearly was one of Colbert’s all-time biggest draft-day steals.