List of Pittsburgh Steelers first-round draft picks

Last updated

Byron "Whizzer" White was selected fourth overall in the 1938 draft - he went on to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. Justice White Official.jpg
Byron "Whizzer" White was selected fourth overall in the 1938 draft – he went on to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, participated in the first NFL draft prior to the 1936 season. The franchise changed its name to the Steelers prior to the 1940 season, to represent the city's heritage of producing steel. [1]

Contents

The event, which is officially known as the "Player Selection Meeting", [2] is held each April. The draft is used as the primary means to distribute newly available talent (primarily from college football) equitably amongst the teams. Selections are made in reverse order based on the previous season's record, i.e. the club with the worst record from the previous season selects first. Through 2009, only two exceptions were made to this order: the Super Bowl champion always selects last (32nd), and the Super Bowl loser is awarded the penultimate (31st) pick. Beginning in 2010, teams making the playoffs will be seeded in reverse order depending upon how far they advance. [3] The draft consists of seven rounds. Teams have the option of trading selections for players, cash and/or other selections (including future year selections). Thus, it is not uncommon for a team's actual draft pick to differ from their assigned draft pick, or for a team to have extra or no draft picks in any round due to these trades. [4] The Steelers have traded away their first-round pick eight times; they have had two first-round selections in two drafts.

The Steelers' first selection in the inaugural NFL draft was William Shakespeare, a halfback from Notre Dame. [5] The Steelers have selected first overall three times, drafting Bill Dudley in 1942, Gary Glick in 1956 and Terry Bradshaw in 1970. The team has selected second overall once, and third overall four times. [5] Through 2023, ten Steeler first-round picks have gone on to have playing careers deemed worthy of enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Terry Bradshaw, Len Dawson, Bill Dudley, Alan Faneca, Joe Greene, Franco Harris, Bobby Layne, Troy Polamalu, Lynn Swann, and Rod Woodson. [6] The team's most recent first-round selection was Broderick Jones, an offensive tackle from the University of Georgia.

Key

Position Key
AbbreviationPositionAbbreviationPositionAbbreviationPosition
BBackK Kicker NT Nose tackle
C Center LB Linebacker FB Fullback
DB Defensive back P Punter HB Halfback
DE Defensive end QB Quarterback WR Wide receiver
DT Defensive tackle RB Running back G Guard
E End T Offensive tackle TE Tight end
Symbol Key
SymbolMeaning
^Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
 * Selected number one overall
Selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career
No draft pick that year
YearEach year links to an article about that particular NFL Draft
PickNumber of the pick within the first round
PositionPosition of the player
CollegeAttended college

Player selections

1954 first-round selection Johnny Lattner played only a single NFL season. Jlattner.jpg
1954 first-round selection Johnny Lattner played only a single NFL season.
Franco Harris caught the "Immaculate Reception" in the 1972 NFL Playoffs. Franco Harris Obama Rally January 2009.jpg
Franco Harris caught the "Immaculate Reception" in the 1972 NFL Playoffs.
Lynn Swann, drafted in 1974, was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001. LynnSwann-McCainRallyWashingtonPA2008.jpg
Lynn Swann, drafted in 1974, was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.
Rod Woodson, drafted in 1987, was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009. Rod Woodson 20010607-4.jpg
Rod Woodson, drafted in 1987, was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009.
Alan Faneca was a 5-time All-Pro for the Steelers after being drafted in 1998. Alan Faneca throwback.jpg
Alan Faneca was a 5-time All-Pro for the Steelers after being drafted in 1998.
Troy Polamalu made the Pro Bowl six consecutive years from 2004 to 2009, and was Defensive Player of the Year in 2010. Troy Polamalu-vsRams-Dec-20-07.jpg
Troy Polamalu made the Pro Bowl six consecutive years from 2004 to 2009, and was Defensive Player of the Year in 2010.
Drafted in 2004, Ben Roethlisberger became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl in 2005 at the age of 23. Ben Roethlisberger Steelers cropped.jpg
Drafted in 2004, Ben Roethlisberger became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl in 2005 at the age of 23.
Pittsburgh Steelers first-round draft picks
YearPickPlayer namePositionCollegeNotes
1936 3 William Shakespeare RB Notre Dame
1937 5 Mike Basrak RB Duquesne
1938 4 Byron White RB Colorado
1939 No pick [a]
1940 3 Kay Eakin RB Arkansas
1941 No pick [b]
1942 1 Bill Dudley *†RB Virginia
1943 7 Bill Daley FB Minnesota
1944 10 Johnny Podesto RB St. Mary's (CA)
1945 2 Paul Duhart RB Florida
1946 3 Doc Blanchard FB Army
1947 5 Hub Bechtol WR Texas
1948 3 Bobby Layne QB Texas [p]
9 Dan Edwards WR Georgia
1949 6 Bobby Gage RB Clemson
1950 8 Lynn Chandnois RB Michigan State
1951 9 Butch Avinger FB Alabama
1952 6 Ed Modzelewski FB Maryland
1953 5 Ted Marchibroda QB Detroit
1954 7 Johnny Lattner RBNotre Dame
1955 6 Frank Varrichione OT Notre Dame
1956 1 Gary Glick *DB Colorado State [c]
19565 Art Davis RB Mississippi State
1957 5 Len Dawson QB Purdue
1958 No pick [d]
1959 No pick [e]
1960 6 Jack Spikes FB TCU
1961 No pick [f]
1962 5 Bob Ferguson RB Ohio State
1963 No pick [g]
1964 10 Paul Martha RB Pittsburgh
1965 No pick [h]
1966 3 Dick Leftridge RB WVU
1967 No pick [i]
1968 10 Mike Taylor OT USC
1969 4 Joe Greene DT North Texas
1970 1 Terry Bradshaw *†QB Louisiana Tech
1971 8 Frank Lewis WR Grambling
1972 13 Franco Harris RB Penn State
1973 24 J. T. Thomas DB Florida State
1974 21 Lynn Swann WR USC
1975 26 Dave Brown DB Michigan
1976 28 Bennie Cunningham TE Clemson
1977 21 Robin Cole LB New Mexico
1978 22 Ron Johnson DB Eastern Michigan
1979 28 Greg Hawthorne RB Baylor
1980 28 Mark Malone QB Arizona State
1981 17 Keith Gary DE Oklahoma
1982 12 Walter Abercrombie RBBaylor
1983 21 Gabriel Rivera DE Texas Tech
1984 23 Louis Lipps WR Southern Mississippi
1985 20 Darryl Sims DE Wisconsin
1986 9 John Rienstra G Temple
1987 10 Rod Woodson DBPurdue
1988 18 Aaron Jones DE Eastern Kentucky
1989 7 Tim Worley RBGeorgia
198924 Tom Ricketts OTPittsburgh [j]
1990 21 Eric Green TE Liberty [k]
1991 15 Huey Richardson DEFlorida
1992 11 Leon Searcy OT Miami
1993 23 Deon Figures DBColorado
1994 17 Charles Johnson WRColorado
1995 27 Mark Bruener TE Washington
1996 29 Jamain Stephens OT North Carolina A&T
1997 24 Chad Scott DBMaryland
1998 26 Alan Faneca G LSU
1999 13 Troy Edwards WRLouisiana Tech
2000 8 Plaxico Burress WRMichigan State
2001 19 Casey Hampton DTTexas [l]
2002 30 Kendall Simmons G Auburn
2003 16 Troy Polamalu DBUSC [m]
2004 11 Ben Roethlisberger QB Miami (OH)
2005 30 Heath Miller TEVirginia
2006 25 Santonio Holmes WROhio State [n]
2007 15 Lawrence Timmons LBFlorida State
2008 23 Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois
2009 32 Evander Hood DT Missouri
2010 18 Maurkice Pouncey C Florida
2011 31 Cameron Heyward DE Ohio State
2012 24 David DeCastro G Stanford
2013 17 Jarvis Jones LB Georgia
2014 15 Ryan Shazier LB Ohio State
2015 22 Bud Dupree LB Kentucky
2016 25 Artie Burns CB Miami
2017 30 T. J. Watt LB Wisconsin
2018 28 Terrell Edmunds S Virginia Tech
2019 10 Devin Bush LB Michigan
2020 No pick [o]
2021 24 Najee Harris RB Alabama
2022 20 Kenny Pickett QB Pittsburgh
2023 14 Broderick Jones OT Georgia

Notes

Related Research Articles

The 1989 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft was held April 23–24, 1989, at the Marriott Marquis in New York City, New York. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season.

The 1979 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1979, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, New York. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season.

The 1974 NFL draft took place at the Americana Hotel in New York City, New York, on January 29–30, 1974. Each of the 26 NFL teams were granted 17 selections for a total of 442 picks.

The 1948 NFL draft was held on December 19, 1947, at the Fort Pitt Hotel in Pittsburgh. This was the second year that the first overall pick was a bonus pick determined by lottery, with the previous year's winner Chicago Bears ineligible from the draw; it was won by the Washington Redskins, who selected halfback Harry Gilmer.

The 1953 National Football League draft was held on January 22, 1953, at Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia. Selections made by the folded Dallas Texans were assigned to the Baltimore Colts, since the Dallas team had moved to Baltimore.

References

Specific

  1. "Steelers' History" (PDF). Pittsburgh Steelers. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 28, 2008. Retrieved April 27, 2008.
  2. Branch, John (April 9, 2000). "The 2000 Liars Club/ Draft makes Broncos coach cloak intentions". The Gazette (Colorado Springs). Archived from the original on October 23, 2007. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
  3. Duffy, Mike (March 26, 2009). "New Draft Order, More Rule Changes". BaltimoreRavens.com. Archived from the original on March 29, 2009. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
  4. Alder, James. "NFL Draft Basics:Determining Order of Selection". About.com . Archived from the original on January 10, 2007. Retrieved May 26, 2008.
  5. 1 2 3 "Steelers' All Time Draft History" (PDF). Pittsburgh Steelers. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 20, 2009. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  6. "Hall of Famers by Franchise". Pro Football Hall of Fame official Web site. Archived from the original on May 1, 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2008.
  7. "Steelers Quarterback Roethlisberger Seriously Injured in Motorcycle Crash". Fox News. Associated Press. June 12, 2006. Archived from the original on May 20, 2007. Retrieved July 10, 2008.
  8. "Pro Football Draft History: 1939". Pro Football Hall of Fame official Web site. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
  9. "Pro Football Draft History: 1941". Pro Football Hall of Fame official Web site. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
  10. "Pro Football Draft History: 1956". Pro Football Hall of Fame official Web site. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
  11. "Pro Football Draft History: 1958". Pro Football Hall of Fame official Web site. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
  12. "Pro Football Draft History: 1959". Pro Football Hall of Fame official Web site. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
  13. "Pro Football Draft History: 1961". Pro Football Hall of Fame official Web site. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
  14. "Pro Football Draft History: 1963". Pro Football Hall of Fame official Web site. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
  15. "Pro Football Draft History: 1965". Pro Football Hall of Fame official Web site. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
  16. "Pro Football Draft History: 1967". Pro Football Hall of Fame official Web site. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
  17. "Pro Football Draft History: 1989". Pro Football Hall of Fame official Web site. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
  18. "2001 NFL Draft weekend trades". cnnsi.com. CNN. Retrieved May 5, 2007.
  19. "2003 NFL Draft trades". ESPN. April 26, 2003. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
  20. "2006 NFL Draft Trader". ESPN. April 27, 2006. Retrieved July 4, 2008.
  21. "Dolphins Trade Minkah Fitzpatrick to Steelers for 2020 First-Round Pick". Sports Illustrated. September 16, 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  22. "Bobby Layne". Pittsburgh Steelers . Retrieved January 4, 2024.

General