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.
4. William Gay, Round 5
William Gay was a longtime Steelers cornerback and was clearly a steal in the draft for Kevin Colbert. The Louisville product was selected in the fifth round of the 2007 class, with the 170th overall pick. This was Mike Tomlin’s first draft partnered with Colbert and was a successful one as they selected Lawrence Timmons and Lamarr Woodley in the first two rounds, and then bolstered the secondary late in the draft finding a hidden gem in Gay.
Gay spent 11 years in the NFL, 10 of which were in Pittsburgh, one in Arizona. During his time in Pittsburgh, Gay appeared in 160 games, starting 86 of them, and tallying 11 interceptions, 520 tackles, 5 defensive touchdowns, 6 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, and 81 pass deflections, according to Pro Football Reference.
Early in his career, Gay was mostly a slot cornerback as he spent time behind Ike Taylor, and a combination of Deshea Townsend and Bryant McFadden, while making some starts. However, after he returned from Arizona following the 2012 season, Gay was a regular starter. His second stint with the Steelers came when the Steelers were severely lacking in the secondary, and his presence was integral as he was the steadiest presence for several years when the Steelers had some weak cornerback play.
Gay was a Super Bowl XLIII champion with the Steelers and even returned to the team as a coaching intern in 2019, before moving to college football. Anytime a late-round pick lasts past a first contract the pick can be seen as a massive success, and Gay more than surpassed that.
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.”
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.
1. Antonio Brown, Round 6
While the breakup between Antonio Brown and the Steelers was ugly, and he has had some tumultuous times with the Raiders, Patriots, and Buccaneers since he has left Pittsburgh, it is impossible to deny his talent. Brown was selected with the 195th overall selection in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft, out of Central Michigan.
During his time in Pittsburgh, Brown dominated opposing defenses, as he and Ben Roethlisberger formed one of the most lethal duos in the NFL. As a Steeler, he was named to seven Pro Bowls and was named First-Team All-Pro for four consecutive seasons, in which he established himself as arguably the best wide receiver in football.
According to Pro Football Reference, during his time in Pittsburgh, Brown caught 837 passes for 11,207 yards, and 74 touchdowns, while also adding in 4 punt return touchdowns and a kickoff return touchdown.
It wasn’t just the numbers either, as Brown stepped up in some big moments, including the “Immaculate Extension” to clinch the AFC North against the Ravens, or his 58-yard catch on 3rd and 19 against the Ravens to ice the game in the 2011 Divisional Round of the Playoffs. Add in his 50-yard touchdown reception on a screen pass against the Dolphins in the Wild Card Round, and there are so many other moments that showed why he was such an elite talent while in a Steelers uniform.
Say what you want about Antonio Brown off the field, but it’s undeniable that he was a Hall of Fame talent, and was the greatest late-round steal during Kevin Colbert’s time with the Steelers.
While the Steelers’ main focus is currently on the Draft and Free Agency, they are undoubtedly focusing on finding Colbert’s replacement as well. Whoever fills the void will have big shoes to fill, as Colbert worked wonders when it came to drafting during his time in Pittsburgh.