On the eve of his 17th NFL Draft as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mike Tomlin has been praised throughout his tenure for the ability to find players in later rounds who become solid contributors, and in some cases stars.
For example, the Steelers haven't drafted a wide receiver in the first round since Tomlin arrived. But names like Mike Wallace (third round, 2009), Emmanuel Sanders (third round, 2010), Antonio Brown (sixth round, 2010), Martavis Bryant (fourth round, 2014), JuJu Smith-Schuster (second round, 2017), Diontae Johnson (third round, 2019), Chase Claypool (second round, 2020) and George Pickens (second round, 2022) have all played key roles for Pittsburgh after being drafted on days two or three.
Just last year, the Steelers' overall draft class was ranked as one of the top 10 in the NFL by some analysts due to the key contributions of four players in their top five picks.
But how has Tomlin fared in his Steelers career when it comes to drafting first-round picks? This is an extremely important selection, as a misfire can set an organization back years on end. In this day and age, nearly every team expects its first round choice to be an immediate starter.
Make no mistake, the Steelers' draft process is a group effort, led by the owner, general manager, and Tomlin. With former GM Kevin Colbert now retired, it will be interesting to see if new GM Omar Khan's approach is different this year. But until the 2023 NFL Draft takes place, all that we have to go on is the historical data of first-round selections that have occurred since 2007, the year Tomlin arrived.
So, after examining NFL.com for pre-draft measurables and information, here's a breakdown of those first-round draft choices since Tomlin became head coach, as well as my grade for each selection.
Spoiler alert...if this study was a report card, Tomlin would have a 2.67 GPA. Not exactly scholarly, but understanding the nature of the draft, not bad. Nine of his 15 first-round choices (the Steelers didn't have a first round pick in 2020) have been better than average, including six players that earned an A.
2007-2011 First-Round Draft Choice Grades
2007: A
1 (15). Lawrence Timmons, ILB, Florida State
Pre-Draft Measurables: 6-1, 234, 4.66 40-yard, 35-inch vertical, 25 Bench
Timmons played in the NFL for 11 years, starting nine of them, with 172 career games played. He rang up over 1,000 tackles, 35.5 sacks, 13 forced fumbles, and collected 12 interceptions over the course of his career, which included two Super Bowl trips (one win). Timmons earned one Pro Bowl honor with the Steelers before ending his career with the Miami Dolphins in 2017.
2008: C-
1 (23). Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
Pre-Draft Measurables: 5-10, 225, 4.45 40-yard, 33.5-inch vertical, 26 Bench
Mendenhall played six years in the NFL, starting four of them, with 72 career games played between Pittsburgh (2008-2012) and Arizona (2013). He had two 1,000-yard rushing seasons for the Steelers (2009 and 2010). Overall, he rushed for 4,236 career yards (1,081 career attempts) and 37 TDs.
2009: D
1 (32). Evander “Ziggy” Hood, DE, Missouri
Pre-Draft Measurables: 6-3, 305, 4.83 40-yard, 34 Bench
Hood never became a mainstay for the Steelers, but he managed to carve out a 10-year NFL career with five different teams. His best season with the Steelers was in 2012 when he made 16 starts and posted 42 total tackles and 3.0 sacks. Hood ended his journeyman career with 14.0 career sacks. He was a five-year starter and played in 142 career games.
2010: A+
1 (18). Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida
Pre-Draft Measurables: 6-4, 304, 5.29 40-yard, 26-inch vertical, 27 Bench
One of the best centers in Steelers’ history, Pouncey could one day find himself in the Hall of Fame. He played for 11 seasons, starting nine of those, and totaled 134 games played overall. He was a two-time first-team All-Pro and was selected to nine Pro Bowls, all with the Steelers.
2011: A+
1 (31). Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State
Pre-Draft Measurables: 6-5, 294, 4.95 40-yard, 35-inch vertical, 34 ¼-inch arms
Heyward is also one of the best players in Steelers’ history, and he’s still going strong after just completing his 12th NFL season. A 10-year starter, he’s played in 183 career games and is one of the top sack artists in Steelers’ history with 78.5 on his resume. Heyward has been named first-team All-Pro three times and has been selected to six Pro Bowls.
2012-2016 First-Round Draft Choice Grades
2012: A+
1 (24). David DeCastro, OG, Stanford
Pre-Draft Measurables: 6-5, 316, 5.43 40-yard, 29.5-inch vertical, 34 Bench
If Pouncey is considered one of the best centers in team history, DeCastro has to be considered one of the organization’s best offensive guards. His nine-year NFL career included eight years as a starter, 125 games played, two first-team All-Pro selections, and six trips to the Pro Bowl.
2013: F
1 (17). Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia
Pre-Draft Measurables: 6-2, 245, 4.88 40-yard, 30.5-inch vertical, 20 Bench
Jones was a big disappointment, as he was never able to live up to the expectations that followed him after a decorated college career. He only lasted four years in the NFL, playing 50 career games and spending one season as a starter. Jones finished his pro days with just 6.0 sacks and two interceptions.
2014: A
1 (15). Ryan Shazier, ILB, Ohio State
Pre-Draft Measurables: 6-1, 237, 4.38 40-yard, 42-inch vertical, 25 Bench
The speedy Shazier was on his way to a legendary career in the Black & Gold until suffering his career-ending spinal injury. He had great instincts and was the leader in the middle of the Steelers defense. Shazier played in 46 career games, serving as a starter for three seasons. He had 7.0 sacks and seven interceptions.
2015: B-
1 (22). Bud Dupree, OLB, Kentucky
Pre-Draft Measurables: 6-4, 269, 4.56 40-yard, 42-inch vertical
Currently a free agent, Dupree has played in the NFL for eight years, serving as a starter for five of them. He spent his first six years with the Steelers and had a career season high 11.5 sacks and 17 hurries in 2019. Overall, he’s played in 103 career games and has posted 46.5 sacks with Pittsburgh and Tennessee.
2016: D
1 (25). Artie Burns, CB, Miami (FL)
Pre-Draft Measurables: 6-0, 193, 4.46 40-yard, 33-inch vertical, 7 Bench, 33 ¼-inch arms
Burns had a promising beginning to his NFL career, intercepting a Joe Flacco pass in his first start and finishing with three total as a rookie. But the expectations heaped upon him as the Steelers’ first cornerback selected in the first round since Chad Scott in 1997 were too much to overcome. He played four years with the Steelers before signing with the Chicago Bears in 2020 and spent last season with the Seattle Seahawks. Overall he’s played in 72 career games over seven seasons and has collected four interceptions.
2017-2022 First-Round Draft Choice Grades
2017: A+
1 (30). T.J. Watt, OLB, Wisconsin
Pre-Draft Measurables: 6-4, 252, 4.69 40-yard, 37-inch vertical, 21 Bench
Entering his seventh season, Watt is already considered one of the best defensive players in Steelers history. Through 87 career games (and 87 career starts), he has totaled 77.5 sacks and six interceptions. The 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year has been named first-team All-Pro three times and has made five trips to the Pro Bowl. He tied the NFL single-season sack record with 22.5 in 2021 but only finished with 5.5 last season while missing seven games due to injury.
2018: C
1 (28). Terrell Edmunds, SS, Virginia Tech
Pre-Draft Measurables: 6-1, 217, 4.47 40-yard, 41.5-inch vertical, 32 ¾-inch arms
The Steelers shocked a lot of draft analysts and loyal fans when they selected Edmunds in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He was rated by most to be a second or third round pick. Still, Edmunds provided solid yet unspectacular play for Pittsburgh over his five years with the team, all as a starter. He recently signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles and has played 79 career games with 5.0 sacks and five career interceptions.
2019: D-
1 (10). Devin Bush, ILB, Michigan
Pre-Draft Measurables: 5-11, 234, 4.43 40-yard, 40.5-inch vertical, 21 Bench
The Steelers moved up to 10th overall to draft Bush, whom they thought could finally be the one to replace the injured Ryan Shazier. Bush played great as a rookie, making 15 starts and posting 109 total tackles (109 solo) along with two interceptions and four passes defended.
However, Bush suffered a torn ACL in the fifth game of the 2020 campaign and was never the same after that. He recently signed a free agent deal with the Seattle Seahawks after starting two years for the Steelers and playing in 52 career games. He finished his Steelers career with 4.0 sacks and two interceptions, along with 286 total tackles.
2020: No First-Round Draft Choice
Pittsburgh traded their first-round pick to the Miami Dolphins the year prior, in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Wide Receiver Chase Claypool was the Steelers’ first pick of the draft at number 49 overall (second round). He was traded to the Chicago Bears midway through last season.
2021: B
1 (24). Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
Pre-Draft Measurables: 6-2, 230
The Steelers needed a running back and were happy to draft Harris, who has started all 34 games in his two-year NFL career. He has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons and earned a trip to the Pro Bowl as a rookie. Overall, Harris has 579 career rushes for 2,234 yards and 14 TDs, while adding 115 receptions for 696 yards and six touchdowns in his first two seasons.
2022: B
1 (20). Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh
Pre-Draft Measurables: 6-3, 217, 4.73 40-yard, 33.5-inch vertical
Following the retirement of legendary quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers looked next door to the University of Pittsburgh to find his replacement. Pickett made his Steelers debut in the second half of week four against the New York Jets and quickly made an impact with two rushing touchdowns. He went on to throw for over 300 yards in his first career start (at Buffalo) the next week.
Picket went through rookie growing pains until the last half of the season but kept getting better as the season wore on. He capped off the 2022 campaign with back-to-back weeks of throwing the game-winning touchdown pass with less than a minute remaining in weeks 16 and 17. Overall, Pickett threw for over 2,400 yards and seven touchdowns and looks like he’s the quarterback of the future for the Steelers.