In sitting down to write this article and its evil twin (Biggest Steelers Draft Misses of the Past 20 Years), I found that it was easier to pick the mistakes than it was to pick the true-blue bargains. For the purpose of this piece, I am setting some ground rules:
1. We are automatically eliminating first-round picks. In a 32-team league, every team should be able to make a solid first-round pick. Yes, occasionally there will be some BIG misses – JaMarcus Russell, Charles Rogers and David Carr for instance – but usually a first-round pick will provide at least a few good seasons for their franchise. By eliminating first-round picks for the Steelers, we are nixing Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu and Casey Hampton et al.
2. Players on this list need to have been productive for the Steelers. A player such as CB Keenan Lewis (2009 3rd round) was a solid pick, but he never truly earned his place in Pittsburgh. Because of the NFL’s free agency rules, Lewis was just coming into his own when his contract ran out. Therefore, I won’t be placing him on this list – although a case could be made that he was a draft bargain.
3. The player must have spent at least FIVE in productive seasons Pittsburgh OR he must be signed through his fifth year. No one-year flash-in-the-pans here.
With the rules in place, let’s take a look at the best Pittsburgh Steelers draft day bargains since 1994
1994 3rd Round (88th overall) – OLB Jason Gildon, Oklahoma State
We start this list with perhaps one of the best draft picks of the Bill Cowher era. With the Steelers defense beginning to age out, Cowher began to rebuild his roster starting with a classic Pittsburgh move. Jason Gildon was a defensive end for the Oklahoma State Cowboys and one of the most prolific pass-rushers in the Nation. He was a two-time first team All-Big Eight selection and still holds the Cowboys record for career tackles for loss (63.0). His 33.0 career sacks rank second all-time for Ok State. Pittsburgh was looking for the heir apparent to Pro Bowl OLB Greg Lloyd, who had begun to run into injury issues. Gildon was the perfect choice. After spending his first two seasons as the backup to Lloyd and Kevin Greene, Gildon took over as the starting LOLB in 1996. He would start 125 games between 1996-2003, making three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances in 2000, 2001, and 2002. He is the Steelers all-time leader in career sacks with 77.0 and defensive touchdowns with three. Though the Steelers did not win a Super Bowl during his career, Gildon was the defensive superstar for the franchise during a run of five AFC Championship Game appearances in 11 seasons. Gildon would finish his career in 2004 with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
1995 5th Round (151st overall) – DB/S Lee Flowers, Georgia Tech
The Steelers seemed to be set in the defensive secondary in 1995. With Rod Woodson, Willie Williams, Carnell Lake, Darren Perry, and 1993 first-round pick Deon Figures all on the roster, there didn’t seem to be much room for another defensive back. In the fifth round of the 1995 draft, Pittsburgh selected DB/S “Lethal” Lethon Flowers from Georgia Tech. Flowers had a great career for the Yellow Jackets, but NFL teams seemed to have a hard time figuring out just what position he would play in the pros. The Steelers were noted for their ability to figure out a way to utilize every player on their roster, regardless of position. Flowers was a perfect fit for the team – a big, physical player who seemed to always deliver bone-jarring hits. During his first three seasons, he was used primarily on special teams and along with fellow backup Myron “Boom” Bell, Flowers earned a reputation as a guy you didn’t want to see bearing down on you with the ball in your hand. When starting CB Chad Scott was injured in 1998, Carnell Lake moved over from strong safety to left cornerback and Flowers was installed as the starter to replace him – a position he would hold until 2003. During that time, Flowers became one of the most popular Steelers on the roster. Despite playing on a team littered with Pro Bowlers on both sides of the ball, it was not uncommon to count as many No. 41 Flowers jerseys in the Heinz Field stands as No. 36 Bettis or No. 86 Ward. A true blue-collar player with a lunch box mentality, “Lethal” Lethon was a playmaker. He tallied eight forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries, four interceptions, and 12.0 sacks during his time with the Steelers. In 2003, Pittsburgh drafted SS Troy Polamalu from USC and the Lee Flowers era came to an end.
1998 3rd round (92nd overall) – WR Hines Ward, Georgia
Few players have defined the Pittsburgh Steelers like Hines Ward. The most prolific wide receiver in franchise history, Ward holds Steelers WR career records for most games played (217), receptions (1,000), receiving yards (12,083) and receiving touchdowns (85). Ironically, heading into the 1998 NFL Draft, it was unknown just what role Ward would actually fill in the NFL.
While playing for Georgia in college, Ward played wide receiver, tailback and even quarterback. His 1,965 receiving yards place him 10th all-time on the Bulldogs career leaderboard. He rushed for 1,066 yards from 1994-1997, and was the starting quarterback in the 1995 Peach Bowl, completing 31 of 59 passes for 413 yards – both Georgia bowl game records. His 3,870 all-purpose yards are also the most in Georgia history. It was also while in Athens that Ward developed his incredible blocking skills, a talent that would end up becoming his calling card in the NFL. During pre-draft physicals, it was revealed that Ward was missing the ACL in his left knee – the result of a childhood bicycle accident.
The Steelers were in the market for young wide receivers during the 1998 Draft, having lost Pro Bowl WR Yancey Thigpen to free agency and preparing to lose WR Charles Johnson following the 1998 season. After selecting OG Alan Faneca in the first round and DE Jeremy Staat in round two, Pittsburgh began looking for receivers. Options included San Diego State burner Az-Zahir Hakim, Wisconsin WR Donald Hayes, Iowa WR Tim Dwight and Ward. The Steelers had started the modern-era trend of multi-purpose players when they drafted Kordell Stewart in 1994 and proceeded to use him as a WR and QB, and they viewed Ward as another athlete with the same capabilities.
After spending one season as the third receiver and special teams gunner, Ward took over as a starter in 1999. By the time the Steelers moved into their new digs at Heinz Field in 2001, Ward was firmly entrenched as the number one receiver. It was once he started playing on the natural surface at Heinz that he truly found his groove, tallying over 1,000 receiving yards in four straight seasons from 2001-2004. In 2005, Ward missed one game and finished with 975 receiving yards, then made up for it in the postseason by catching 15 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns. In Super Bowl XL against Seattle, Ward put the final nail in the Seahawks coffin with a 43-yard touchdown catch from WR Antwann Randle El. He would leave Detroit with the Super Bowl MVP trophy.
Ward remained a big part of the Steelers offense until 2010 and continued his workmanlike performance – after taking over a starting spot in 1999, Ward would miss just six games through 2011. Following the 2011 season, the Steelers made it clear that Ward would not be in their plans for 2012. After receiving offers from several teams as a free agent, Ward decided to ensure his legacy and retire as a Pittsburgh Steeler on March 20, 2012. In one of the most emotional speeches in Pittsburgh sports history, Hines Ward declared “The black and gold runs deep in me. I will always be a Steeler for life.”
1999 3rd round (73rd overall) – OLB Joey Porter, Colorado State
Following the 1998 season, the Steelers began to once again restock their linebacker depth chart. In keeping with the tradition of converting college defensive ends into 3-4 outside linebacker, the Steelers chose Colorado State DE Joey Porter. A converted tailback, Porter had moved to the defensive line for his junior season with the Rams. Over the course of his senior season, Porter tallied 15 sacks and 12 tackles for loss.
After receiving calls from several teams who were interested in drafting him, the Steelers jumped on Porter in round thee of the 1999 draft. Porter came into Pittsburgh and wore No. 95 during the preseason – earning comparisons to Greg Lloyd (the last Steeler to wear the number). He decided to change to No. 55 before the regular season to develop his own Steelers identity. The 1999 season saw Porter become a special teams ace for Pittsburgh. As the season wore on, Porter began to get more playing time on defense. He recorded two sacks, blocked a punt and returned a fumble for a 46-yard touchdown.
By 2000, Joey Porter was the Steelers starting ROLB. In his first full season he recorded 10.5 sacks and scored another defensive touchdown. He would make his first Pro Bowl in 2002 by tallying 9.0 sacks, four interceptions, and led all Steelers linebackers with 61 solo tackles. Porter would miss just six games for the Steelers from 2000-2006, finishing his Pittsburgh career with 60.0 sacks, 10 interceptions, and eight fumble recoveries. Porter was released prior to the 2007 season and he would play three seasons for Miami and two for Arizona before signing a one-day contract with the Steelers on August 3, 2012 to have “the honor of retiring as a Pittsburgh Steeler.”
1999 4th round (109th overall) – DE Aaron Smith, Northern Colorado
Being a defensive end for Pittsburgh is not a position for players who worry about personal statistics. While other teams utilize their DE’s as pass-rushers, the Steelers ends are used a primarily run-stoppers who open holes for linebackers to rush the quarterback. Aaron Smith was an under-the-radar player coming out of Division II (now FCS Division I) Northern Colorado. The Steelers took a flier on Smith in the third-round with the thinking that he could develop into a rotational end. Within a year of Smith being in Pittsburgh, it was obvious that he was going to be a lot more than that.
In 2000, Smith started 15 games and proved to be a rock against the rushing game. From 2001-2006, Smith started every game for the Steelers, making the Pro Bowl in 2004. Injuries began to take their toll in 2007, causing him to miss five games. After coming back in 2008 to play in every game and post one of his best statistical seasons, Smith began to wear down. He was only able to play in 15 games over the next three seasons before calling it a career in 2011. Smith was one of the stalwarts on the Steelers two-time Super Bowl winning defense under Dick LeBeau and is considered one of the best defensive players in team history.
2002 7th round (242nd overall) – DE Brett Keisel, Brigham Young
Very few seventh-round picks ever actually make the regular season roster, let alone provide outstanding play and leadership to your organization for over a decade. Brett Keisel not only did those things, he also became one of the most beloved public figures in Pittsburgh. You would be hard-pressed to find a player who committed as much time to charity as him. Whether it was showing up to hospitals unannounced to spend time with children, or donating time and money to several local causes, Keisel has set the standard for exceptional public service. On the field, he has been just as good. After backing up starters from 2002-2005, Keisel took over the starting RDE slot in 2006 after it was vacated by Kimo Von Oelhoffen. He has remained the starter since then, and may end up coming back to Pittsburgh for one more season in 2014.
2003 4th round (125th overall) – CB Ike Taylor, Louisiana-Lafayette
Ike Taylor has been a steady leader for the Steelers ever since arriving from Louisiana-Lafayette in 2003. Taylor came into the NFL with one major skill that was coveted by scouts – speed. He ran a 4.31-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and also showed his chops as an athlete by dominating every exercise in the DB grouping. The Steelers were impressed by him, and with CB Chad Scott nearing the end of his run, Taylor seemed like the perfect fit as the long-term solution. In 2003, Taylor was used primarily as a kick returner and nickel back. By 2005, Taylor had secured the starting LCB job and he made the most of it, shutting down the No. 1 wide receiver on each team the Steelers faced.
That would be the story of Ike Taylor in Pittsburgh – he would always be the top corner, always match up against the top competition, and usually he would hold his man to reasonable levels of performance. The one knock on Ike Taylor over the years has been his lack of interceptions, and that is a viable argument. His career high interception total was three in 2007, and for his career he has only tallied 14 interceptions.
Over the years, Taylor has taken on a leadership role in the locker room. Now a 34-year old veteran, Taylor will be returning to Pittsburgh in 2014 to finish out a four-year contract extension he signed in 2010. All signs are pointing to this being the final season in Pittsburgh – and perhaps, in the NFL – for Taylor. Few can argue however, that the Steelers did not get an enormous draft day bargain when they plucked Taylor out of Cajun Country in 2003.
Honorable Mention
1996 4th round (126th overall) – ILB Earl Holmes, Florida A&M
“The Rattler” Earl Holmes was a superb inside linebacker for the Steelers from 1996-2001. He teamed up with Levon Kirkland and then Kendrell Bell to form two of the most intimidating ILB duos in football. During his Steelers run, Holmes started 79 games, tallied 11.5 sacks, an interception, five forced fumbles, and 5 fumble recoveries. Holmes went on to finish his career with Cleveland (2002) and Detroit (2003-2005) before retiring. In 2013, Holmes was named the head coach of his alma mater, Florida A&M.
1998 4th round (117th overall) – DB Deshea Townsend, Alabama
Deshea Townsend was selected with the Steelers next draft pick after Hines Ward, giving the 1998 Steelers draft a pair of players who spent over a decade in the black and gold. Townsend spent the majority of his career as a backup who played in nickel and dime packages, but in 2004 he was promoted to the starting RCB position opposite Ike Taylor. From 2004-2007, Townsend was a capable starter in the Steelers defense secondary, racking up 21 interceptions and adding 15.5 sacks.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have not only been able to find good players in the late rounds of drafts, they have been able to find great players. This list includes many players who contributed immensely to the success of the Steelers franchise from 1994-2013. This week, we will once again sit down to watch as the Steelers attempt to find the next group of overlooked prospects and turn them into stars for the black and gold.
