The Steelers had an up and down draft in 2013, but it is time to rewind and make better selections.
The 2013 NFL Draft was one pegged with some high-profile names, with many in the first round becoming busts. There were no marquee quarterbacks to name so different teams prioritized different positions at the start. It was an unusual first round, especially early on, with the number of positions taken before the first quarterback was at 16 overall.
This re-draft for the Steelers is just a simple and fun exercise to look back and see who they selected and which player should have been the pick. It is always easier to make these picks now almost ten years after this draft concluded. There are not too many rules that this process will go through.
The Steelers will have all their picks that they made in this draft, but they cannot complete any trades. If the player was still available when their pick is up, they can select that prospect. It was a fun game to play, and it led to a nice draft class overall.
Steelers take DeAndre Hopkins in the first round, not Jarvis Jones
The Steelers first-round selection was Jarvis Jones, but they could have gotten one of the best receivers in the game. DeAndre Hopkins is the first-round pick in this re-draft and the team could have had both Antonio Brown and Hopkins on the same team. That would have been one of the deadliest duos of all time.
Instead, Pittsburgh went with Jones. He was not able to do enough for this defense and quickly became a first-round bust. He had a highly productive career at Georgia, but he just could not put it together in the NFL.
Le’Veon Bell stays the Steelers pick in the second round
Le’Veon Bell is someone that some fans might not like too much nowadays, but they cannot forget what he accomplished in Pittsburgh. He remains the Steelers choice in the second round of this draft as he became a steal. He was a unique runner that could also compliment all phases that are asked of a running back.
The amount of skill that he applied to the black and golds offense each week was nearly immeasurable. Imagine him, Antonio Brown, and DeAndre Hopkins on the field at once and trying to see a defense defend that. it would be a topflight offense that could have won a ring.
Logan Ryan helps the secondary as they by-pass Marcus Wheaton
Logan Ryan was tough to pass on at this point in the draft. He was selected over Marcus Wheaton as the Steelers needed to add some youth to an aging group in the secondary. He became a reliable veteran corner for the Patriots before he eventually left that franchise.
This cornerback would have made the Steelers secondary better during their transition period between Ike Taylor and Joe Haden. Adding some players to that group in the third round was hard to pass up. He is still playing in the NFL by displaying position flexibility at safety.
J.C. Tretter helps add depth to the interior of the Steelers offensive line
J.C. Tretter has become one of the better centers in the NFL since coming into the league. He got his start in Green Bay before becoming the starting center for the Cleveland Browns. This group was starting to form into one of the better offensive lines in the league at this point. Tretter would have secured that front even more and potentially made some names expandable to provide some cap relief in some instances.
Kenny Stills brings more speed to a newly renovating receiving group
Kenny Stills was the next selection as he was chosen over Landry Jones in the fourth round. He provides a speedy option for the Steelers that they were starting to miss with Mike Wallace departing.
Having a trio of Antonio Brown, DeAndre Hopkins, and Stills would have been one of the best formed at the time. Getting a fast receiver over a backup quarterback was something that would have provided better value to this club.
David Quesenberry brings aboard some competition for the starting tackle spot
David Quesenberry was chosen over a cornerback, Terry Hawthorne, that the Steelers originally took. At this time, the club had many questions about the left tackle spot on the team. Bringing in Quesenberry would provide competition for the starting spot and allow for better options to come through the door later. This prospect would have been a good swing option and depth piece at least.
The Steelers draft an upgrade at safety and take Jordan Poyer
Jordan Poyer was selected instead of their original pick, Justin Brown. That player did not work out too well, but Poyer did. Ryan Clark was still on the team as the starter in 2013 which kept a dynamic safety duo intact. The defense was getting older and bringing a future starter like Poyer in would have been a great step towards stability for the future of the defense.
Vince Williams stays as their second sixth-round selection
Vince Williams stayed as the selection here as he became one of the best linebackers that the Steelers have had over the past decade. His ability against the run and timing his blitzes just right were something that the team is currently missing. He was a steal in the sixth round and would be a terrible choice to pass on here. He brings another starter to this group that needed it at the time.
Nicholas Williams remains their last pick in the draft
Nicholas Williams was a player that did not accomplish a ton with Pittsburgh and took some time before adjusting to the NFL level. He has bounced around the league for a while despite becoming a solid starting contributor to the middle of different club’s defenses. Williams is another selection in this Steelers re-draft that provides a future starter to a defense that was starting to transition from an old guard and into a new era.
The Steelers missed on some of these picks in 2013, but it was not their worst class. They could have an immaculate class with some of these re-draft selections.