Every first-round pick in Pittsburgh Steelers history

Everything starts to come together in the 70s for Pittsburgh

1970 (Pick 1): Terry Bradshaw (QB), Louisiana Tech

Back-to-back great picks by the franchise here will only make them one of the best in the NFL. The Steelers select Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw number one overall. Quarterback is an increasingly important position at this point in the league’s timeline. Bradshaw had the arm strength and toughness that this club needed.

1972 (Pick 13): Franco Harris (RB), Penn State

Seems like the Steelers cannot miss in these recent years as the 70s were very kind to the black and gold. Franco Harris was another great selection that wound up being another Hall of Fame player that had one of the most iconic plays in NFL history. Harris would help them establish a consistent run game throughout his career.

1973 (Pick 24): J.T. Thomas (DB), Florida State

Perhaps the least notable out of these recent selections, J.T. Thomas is one of the unsung heroes of the dynasty teams of the 1970s. He would not make a Hall of Fame career, but he was a consistent starter that was able to be effective with Mel Blount opposite of him. Thomas fit the mold of that defense and was a solid first round selection.

1974 (Pick 21): Lynn Swann (WR), USC

Pittsburgh kicked off the best ever draft class with their top pick Lynn Swann. He would also go on to have a Hall of Fame career with his acrobatic catches throughout his career. One cannot dismiss the number of Hall of Famers that this club was able to get out of this draft class entirely. It turned everything into championship level.