The Steelers have a storied history of building their team through the draft and these players were their best.
The Steelers have been one of the most consistent and successful franchises since the beginning of the Super Bowl era. They accomplished this feat by drafting and developing their own talent. This has allowed them to keep their rosters full of highly skilled football players.
This list has included both players that stuck around with the franchise for varying amounts of time. Some only stayed for a couple of weeks and saw success at another team, while others spent most of their careers, if not all, in the black and gold colors.
The draft is something that fans always get excited for as they know the club normally finds good talent. The rankings for this list were based on where the player was selected in the draft and how their career played out. It will be a list that many will debate over as they see certain players better than others.
10. Terry Bradshaw selected first overall by the Steelers in 1970
Terry Bradshaw marked another step in the right direction for the Steelers franchise. He had a slow start to his career before he finally got to the Hall of Fame form that many people know of today. He had a rifle for an arm and was able to lead some good offenses in the late 70s for Pittsburgh.
He was the first overall selection in 1970, but starting off with arguably the franchise’s best quarterback, is a bold start. He was able to have a great career and help the club get four Super Bowl victories, despite having a bad start to his professional life. He was instrumental in helping the team get to the next level in a couple of the big games and created a machine that was hard to beat that was complemented by an even better defense.
9. John Stallworth was a big part of the Steelers 1974 draft class
John Stallworth was one of the best receivers in franchise history. He played during a different era that just started to see a glimpse of the new style of passing attack entering the game of football. He was laser fast and coupled that with his size created for big mismatches for the opposing teams trying to cover him.
This player does not get enough credit that he deserves. He is a very humble and quiet person that was on a team full of vocal leaders. He got overshadowed by the likes of Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, and others at times, but people need to respect what Stallworth did in his career.
The Steelers took him in the fourth round of the 1974 draft. He was one of the best selections in that class, despite it including four other Hall of Famers. He was able to help the Pittsburgh offense take things to another level that it lacked before.
Many remember Lynn Swann for his dynamic and acrobatic catches during big games, and for good reason. Many forget though how much more consistent and important that Stallworth was for this club. He helped create a more dynamic offense that allowed for Terry Bradshaw to take deep shots down the field.
8. Ben Roethlisberger was selected 11th overall by the Steelers in 2004
Ben Roethlisberger just retired this past offseason, but it was time for him to finally ride off into the sunset. He was a unique player for the NFL as he displayed some great abilities on the football field. He was strong and able to shake off attackers while looking down the field to make a play.
His style was backyard football, and he was successful enough to become one of the best to ever play at his position in NFL history. The Steelers have had some good quarterbacks during their history, but Roethlisberger might just be the best to ever wear a black and gold jersey at the position he played at.
Big Ben was taken 11th overall so the value aspect might not be there when compared to others on this list, and that is why he is not lower. He was able to have a decorated career with a couple Super Bowl rings to boot. A storied football life that will end up in Canton when it is all said and done.
The debate between him and Terry Bradshaw for who was the best gun slinger this team ever had will always be prevalent. Bradshaw played in a different era, but Roethlisberger really produced high numbers. It is a different game, but the stats do not lie when it comes to singular accolades.
7. Jack Lambert falls to the Steelers in the 1974 draft
Jack Lambert was another big part in shaping the 1974 draft class as the best in NFL history. The Steelers selected him in the second round, and he quickly became the literal face of fear for the club. His nasty personality on the football field translated well with the Steel Curtain defense and led him to a Hall of Fame career.
One thing that Lambert and his fellow teammates, especially on defense, would not allow to happen is to be embarrassed. They would not accept being pushed around or bullied by anyone on the team. A famous example is when he attacked a player for going after the Steelers kicker that missed a field goal.
He was a leader for the franchise and helped secure the middle of the defense for years. This linebacker was one of the most feared players in NFL history and became a fan favorite early on. He played with some great players, but like other Hall of Famers on this team, he stood out among his peers.
Lambert was able to secure many individual accolades as well as team-oriented ones. He helped the club continue its success during the 70s and create a tough linebacker tradition that still carries on today. He helped set the standard at middle linebacker which is something many expect by those players in Pittsburgh.
6. Johnny Unitas was drafted by the Steelers but made his career elsewhere
Johnny Unitas is a name that the Steelers missed out on. He was a local Pittsburgh product that would be drafted by his hometown team in the ninth round of the 1955 NFL Draft. He would not last long with the franchise as he was released before the regular season of his rookie year.
That was a big miss by the black and gold as they continued to be a laughingstock in the NFL during this time. Getting a player like Unitas could have made them more competitive and perhaps win a championship. Instead, they let a local guy go and the rest is history.
He would join the Baltimore Colts and win a Super Bowl championship there. This quarterback was also one of the best to ever play the game at his position. Throwing the ball started getting some more attention during this period rather than just an offense totally relying on their run game.
This was the type of player that the Steelers needed during this time in their history, but they sadly missed it. He would benefit the most as he went on to have a Hall of Fame career that spanned 18 years. They saw the talent from Unitas when they took him in the draft, but sadly they did not see it for long enough to see the benefits.
5. Mel Blount was a third-round steal for the Steelers in 1970
Mel Blount is one of the most underrated cornerbacks in NFL history. He is one of the best cornerbacks that ever played for the Steelers on one of the best defenses in the history of the league. He had a long career that spanned many great accolades that helped aid his career to end up in Canton.
Many people forget that the 1970 draft was the next big step for the Steelers to be put in the direction of winning football. That draft started with Terry Bradshaw getting selected first overall by the black and gold before they turned their attention to the defensive side of the ball. Blount was their third-round pick during that year.
He would go on to have a storied career, all with Pittsburgh. He caused a rule change as well, with the style of play that he displayed on the football field. The NFL changed things so a big corner like Blount could not manhandle receivers trying to get open down the field.
The stats do not lie and this player had eye-popping numbers. He was able to do it all during his career before he eventually retired following the 1983 season. He secured Super Bowl championships and had nearly double the interceptions in his career than Troy Polamalu had.
4. Antonio Brown was one of the best value picks in franchise history
Antonio Brown was one of the biggest draft steals in NFL history. You can debate his character all you want, but this player was one of the best to ever do it at his position when he was on the field. Fans still have a bitter taste in their mouth, and they have every reason to after the stunt that he pulled to give up on his team.
He was a sixth-round pick by the Steelers in the 2010 NFL Draft. He would have a slow start to his career with many different veteran receivers still ahead of him on the depth chart. He worked hard and kept his head down trying to get a starting spot with the black and gold, which he eventually accomplished.
At the beginning of his career, he was a quiet guy that slowly lost his humble beginnings. Mental health and failure to find a good support system around him seemed to be the demise of Brown with his stature in the league. He was one of the best receivers to play this game, and his stats prove that.
It is a shame to watch someone so talented and hardworking just fall off a cliff. His career has quickly folded and seems to be forced to an end. No team wants to go near him after his most recent on-field fiasco that will probably keep him from entering the Hall of Fame.
3. Mike Webster helped stabilize the Steelers offensive line during a dynasty
Mike Webster is one of the most underappreciated Steelers of all time. He rounds out the list of the 1974 draft class of this group. He was the fifth-round selection that year and he helped stabilize the front unit for this football club.
Many do forget how solid the offensive line became for the team during that dynasty of the 70s. Webster was the cornerstone for that, and it helped Franco Harris and company get to their full potential during their careers. Some might be surprised to see him sitting at number three on this list, but it is well deserved.
He was the first of many great centers that would follow after his career ended. Even though there have been some Hall of Fame talents play for this franchise at his position, this player stands alone. He was the best out of any center that has come to play for Pittsburgh throughout their history.
The number of accolades both singular and team-oriented are staggering. It made him an obvious candidate for the Hall of Fame, where his bust continues to stand for eternity. Many know about his sad story during his post-NFL life, but his career was unmatched in league history. It was a remarkable career for an even better person.
2. Troy Polamalu became a figure that has become an icon for the franchise
Troy Polamalu, otherwise known as the “Flying Hawaiian”, was the best safety to play for the Steelers. That is an argumentative statement that will be debated till the end of time. There was no player better, perhaps in league history, that could make the kind of athletic and instinctive plays that he did.
Pittsburgh drafted him in 2003 with the 16th pick in the draft. The club had to trade up to get a chance at selecting this young safety coming out of USC. They were successful in their efforts and were able to pick him. The rest, as they say, is history.
Being on some of the better defenses in the last couple of decades helps someone’s career out. Polamalu was on some of those great defensive units during the 2000s. The thing that made him stand out was his ability to do everything well. He was able to stand out from the crowd of talented teammates.
This safety got many different accolades in his career, and it was well deserved. Those successes allowed him to wind up in the halls of Canton. There his long legendary locks of hair will always be stuck in bronze for fans to see. A nearly perfect career for an even better person that so happened to also be very good at football.
1. Joe Greene was the change that the Steelers needed to start it all
Joe Greene still lands at the number one spot for this list of players originally picked by the Steelers in the draft. Many might have thought going into this article that it could have had other players that were more successful elsewhere, but that was not the case. That was infused into this article, but Pittsburgh normally does not miss out too often on talented players.
This was the selection that turned the tides for the black and gold. Up unit this point, the franchise was continuously a laughable club that had very little success in the NFL. Greene would bring a winning spirit along with him that was eventually paired with many Hall of Fame teammates.
The tenacity and style of play that he brought was something that this franchise was looking for. Many scrutinized the pick at the time after the 1969 NFL Draft, but those people could not have been more wrong. This player was the beginning of a new era that would allow for many successful seasons to happen in the future.
Eventually, this player would have many different names, some on this list even, join him onto the team. It would still take a few years, but then a dynasty was formed. If you ask someone to name the best Steelers player of all time, the majority will name Greene at the top spot.
The Steelers have made their success through the draft. It has allowed them to become one of the most successful franchises in the Super Bowl era.