Top 10 worst Pittsburgh Steelers draft picks of all-time

4. LB Huey Richardson, 1991 (#15)

Incredibly, Stephens was not the biggest draft bust for the Steelers in the 1990s. That honor belongs to linebacker Huey Richardson. Richardson was a stud linebacker for the Florida Gators in college, earning All-SEC and All-American honors. His selection by the Steelers was somewhat of a surprise, both to him and the team. According to Max McCartney, the Steelers' former director of scouting, the top three players on their board were selected consecutively before their pick. They panicked and selected Richardson, who was not a natural fit for the Steelers defense.

Richardson only played in five games as a rookie. The following year, head coach Chuck Noll retired and was replaced by Bill Cowher. Cowher tried Richardson in multiple positions, but he continued to struggle. Cowher then traded Richardson to the Washington Redskins for a seventh-round pick and would have cut him had a trade not materialized. Richardson appeared in 11 more games before leaving football for good. 

There are numerous external factors that led to Richardson’s failure. Perhaps if he had ended up on a different team, he would have had more success. Maybe if he had been put in a better role on the defense, he could have performed up to expectations. Regardless, Richardson was a major failure and a low note for the legendary Chuck Noll to end his career.