Steelers get handed grades for their first-round picks of the last decade

2016: Artie Burns, CB, Miami

Artie Burns was the Steelers backup choice after missing out on William Jackson III just one pick before. They reached for a cornerback here and they got a player that had an ok start to his career before it fell apart. He started a lot of games for the club, but he wasn’t producing the quality play as a first-round pick should. An upgrade for his starting spot was found and Burns was out of a job in Pittsburgh.

Grade: D

This just seemed to spell disaster at the time of the selection since it was such a reach. Burns came in and started for a while and that’s why this didn’t grade out as an F. This pick only reinforced the fact of how much the franchise struggles to evaluate and develop talent in the secondary through the draft.

2017: T.J. Watt, EDGE, Wisconsin

T.J. Watt was someone that the Steelers kept a close eye on throughout the draft process. He ultimately was their selection, and many compared him to his brother, J.J. Watt. Quickly, T.J. began to make a name for himself as he had a great rookie season and kept getting better. He is coming off a Defensive Player of the Year effort and looks to have no stop sign in sight.

Grade: A+

There can be an argument made that Watt deserves to have at least one or two more Defensive Player of the Year awards in his trophy case. He is a special talent that is currently on a Hall of Fame trajectory if he keeps playing at this level. This player also just tied for the record of most sacks in a single season, despite missing a good chunk of game time.