10 greatest Steelers draft choices during the Kevin Colbert era

Ike Taylor, Cornerback (2003 NFL Draft: 4th round, pick 125)

The Steelers didn’t have a top-tier cornerback since Rod Woodson in the 90s, but they found a great corner here. Ike Taylor was picked in the fourth round and that was an absolute steal. He became one of the best cornerbacks to play for this franchise in the modern era.

Taylor was not the best all-around player in the league, but he was the number one option to defend opposing receivers. His play was great despite him playing with some hall of fame talents like Troy Polamalu and James Harrison. That was a special defense and Taylor was able to create a stronger unit on the field.

That secondary was special, but Taylor allowed the club to focus on other deployments of their talents. This corner was able to take on the top receivers one on one and be successful. He did have some negatives for his game, most notably him not being able to catch the football.

Taylor struggled to create takeaways throughout his career, despite having a big turnover in Super Bowl XL. He was a special player that played with a great intensity that the entire defense was able to play with as a unit. Getting a number one corner at that point in the draft is a steal and one of Colbert’s best selections.