The Steelers have had mixed results with their first-round picks of the past decade, let’s take some time to grade them.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the more consistent franchises in the NFL, especially since the 1970s. They have found ways of finding talent in the draft and developing their own talent. That mindset is continued today, and the success of the draft class will kind of dictate how the team does on the field.
There have been many great talent evaluators that called Pittsburgh home. There have been many great diamonds in the rough found late in the draft that have gone on to have great careers in the league. Great value happens after the first round all the time, but those first-round picks always get the most attention.
Those that get selected by the black and gold on night one of the event have a ton of pressure on them as soon as they hear their name called. Fans immediately expect this player to come in and be an immediate impact player on day one. That is not a crazy expectation as first-round picks should be a starter for your team for the next decade or so, depending on how long their career turns out.
First-round picks are starting to become more tradable in today’s NFL over the past couple of years. That was almost unthinkable before that, and the Steelers still try their best to stick with their winning formula. Keep your pick and wait your turn to select a player on that first night.
It has been a mixed bag as far as results go for Pittsburgh over the last decade of the draft. From 2012 to 2022, these players have gotten a lot of attention during their playing days. Some were deemed as busts while others went on to have great careers and were tremendous values.
2012: David DeCastro, OG, Stanford
David DeCastro fell to the Steelers in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. This was considered tremendous value at the time and this player continued to show it throughout his career. He went on to be one of the top guards during his career in the NFL, all with Pittsburgh. He retired early, but he was a great player that was always one of the best at his position.
Grade: A
This was a tremendous pick that helped secure the offensive line during his entire career. He was rarely off the field due to injury and was a reliable starter that was underrated when compared to other players across the league. He is a player that might be forgotten about as time goes on, but fans should remember the tremendous play that he displayed on the football field for the black and gold.
2013: Jarvis Jones, EDGE, Georgia
Jarvis Jones was a highly productive player coming out of college before his medical concerns started dipping into his draft stock. The Steelers still took the gamble on him, and that bet did not pay off as this player became a first-round bust. He barely produced any pressure on the quarterback, and he was out of the league within five seasons.
Grade: F
This was just too much of a gamble that did not pay off for the club. They needed another pass rusher for a rebuilding defense at the time, but this was too much of a reach, especially with the medical concerns. This was one of the biggest first-round busts in the last decade for Pittsburgh.
2014: Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State
Ryan Shazier was another nice selection as the player fell to the Steelers in the first round. Many didn’t think that he would drop to the 15th overall pick at the time, but he did. This was great value as this freakish athlete would become a keystone for the middle of the still retooling defense. He would come in on day one and make an immediate impact, only to have his career cut short due to injury.
Grade: B+
This was a great selection by the black and gold. Shazier was on track to become one of the better defensive players in the NFL before the injury cut his career short. He was a special talent that will always have fans wondering, what if? That is something that won’t be answered, but it was a great value selection.
2015: Bud Dupree, EDGE, Kentucky
Bud Dupree was another player that most experts didn’t see dropping to the Steelers in the first round. He was their selection when it was their turn to pick, and the club was graded highly for the choice at the time. Dupree had a slow start to his career with the black and gold until T.J. Watt showed up and he started to produce at a high level.
Grade: B
This was a good pick by the team, but they only got a couple of quality seasons out of this player. He has developed nicely since his rookie year and has made a nice career for himself in the NFL. He currently plays for the Tennessee Titans.
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.
2018: Terrell Edmunds, S, Virginia Tech
Terrell Edmunds was one of the most shocking first-round picks in the last decade. Heading into the draft, many had him going at some point on day two, likely in the third round. The Steelers saw potential in this player and selected him. He has gotten better every season in the NFL and hasn’t missed many games with injury.
Grade: C+
This safety has been a solid starting player for the black and gold over the last two years. He did take some time to catch on, but he is a reliable player now. The potential they saw in him has been somewhat rectified, but that still doesn’t take away that this player was a major reach that could’ve been taken later.
2019: Devin Bush Jr., LB, Michigan
Devin Bush was a player that the Steelers had targeted this entire draft. They even traded up ten spots to go and get this player. He is a speedy linebacker that is the new age kind of player that Pittsburgh was looking for on their defense. Unfortunately, a major knee injury has dampened his somewhat promising career and that could lead to bad things soon.
Grade: C-
This player probably has another season before he can set this grade in stone. He has been an okay starter for the team thus far and showed good promise before his injury. Hopefully, he can bounce back and start playing some fast football and anchor the middle of this defense for years to come.
2020: Traded for Minkah Fitzpatrick
The Steelers did something unthinkable and traded away their first-round pick almost a half year before the draft even started. They had not figured out the safety position and needed to find an answer, so they went out and acquired a big name. Minkah Fitzpatrick has been one of the best safeties in the NFL since joining the Steelers and the club still managed to have a decent draft class, despite not having a first-round pick.
Grade: A
It was a great trade that saw the team get a great player that has been consistent in his play. He has also been one of the top performers in the NFL when it comes to the position that he plays. The picks that they gave up were used on players that have not worked out in the league to this point and this has been a major win for Pittsburgh.
2021: Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
Najee Harris was another player that just made sense for the Steelers leading up to the draft. Many kept penciling in his name to them with their first-round pick in most mock drafts, and those people were right. Harris would join the club as they continued to try and look for a replacement for James Conner. Harris had a good rookie season in 2021 despite running behind one of the worst offensive lines in Pittsburgh history.
Grade: B
He has been a nice addition on offense since being drafted here, but his selection still ignored the major issues. The offensive line is still atrocious, and the team needs to fix that so Harris and others on offense can succeed more. He will be a productive back for years to come, even though this was a little rich for a running back.
The Steelers have been one of the best franchises at finding and developing talents since entering the NFL. Their first-round picks over the last decade have had mixed results.