Where are they now? The Steelers that have moved on to other teams in recent years
- Matt Feiler is still a starter
- Artie Burns makes a name for himself as quality depth
- James Conner is still getting the job done
- JuJu Smith-Schuster is not the same
The Pittsburgh Steelers missed out on Javon Hargrave's prime
It seems to be a consensus that Javon Hargrave was the best selection by the Steelers in the 2016 NFL Draft. He was also great value for the team as they were able to select him in the third round of the event. There was a lot of talent across the defensive trenches for the black and gold at the time of this selection. It allowed Hargrave to grow his role.
Both Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt were the starters in the interior. Tyson Alualu was also a part of the club during Hargrave's time with the organization. The depth of the Steelers' defensive front was great and it allowed Hargrave to be a nose tackle and backup to Tuitt and Heyward. There was a constant starter on the field no matter which four played.
After a terrific four seasons with the Steelers, the club had to decide if they wanted to roll with Tuitt or keep Hargrave. They decided to keep Tuitt as he was the proven starter at the time. Little did they know Tuitt would retire just a couple of years later. Hargrave would land with the Philadelphia Eagles via free agency with a huge contract.
He only grew in his dominance as a full-time starter with the Eagles. Hargrave played in Philadelphia for three seasons and signed another massive contract with the San Francisco 49ers this past free agency period. He is off to another strong start to the season and should finish with a couple of sacks shy of ten. His situation makes you wonder what if the Steelers kept him over Tuitt years ago?