15 all-time greatest draft picks in Pittsburgh Steelers history
By Tommy Jaggi
8. S Troy Polamalu
When completely healthy, you can probably count on one hand the number of Steelers who have ever made an impact like Troy Polamalu. The aggressive, play-making safety was truly one-of-a-kind with what he was able to bring to the table.
It was this type of competitiveness that his teammates rallied around — having every bit of confidence that Polamalu could come up with a big play at any moment. For most of his career, he was an absolute difference-maker on defense.
In 2003, Kevin Colbert traded up to land Polamau with the 16th overall pick — a move that many questioned at the time. However, by his second NFL season, Polamalu had already put that discussion to rest after recording 97 tackles, 14 pass defenses, and 5 interceptions by the age of 23.
In the following seasons, Polamalu established himself as one of the most iconic players in football. He played all 12 of his NFL seasons in Pittsburgh and recorded 8 Pro Bowl appearances and 4 first-team All-Pro honors. Polamalu was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 and played a large role in Pittsburgh’s two Super Bowl victories of the 2000s.