From Burress to Bush: Ranking Every Steelers First-Round Pick Since 2000
Now that the NFL season is officially over, the focus of every football fan shifts to April and the 2021 NFL Draft. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the best drafting teams over the last 20 years, ringing in Hall of Famers, multiple All-Pro selections, and Super Bowl MVPs along the way. While there have been several great first-round selections that have come through the Steel City, there have been a few that didn't exactly pan out. So let's take a look at each of the Steelers' first round picks from the last two decades and rank them from worst to best.
20. LB Jarvis Jones (2013, 17th overall)
The excitement surrounding the Steelers selection of Jarvis Jones was high in 2013. He was a stud off the edge coming out of Georgia and then just… kind of flopped in the NFL. He had just six sacks in four seasons with the Steelers before being let go following the 2016 season, where he signed with the Arizona Cardinals and hasn't played a snap since.
19. CB Artie Burns (2016, 25th overall)
Things started off well for Burns. He had three interceptions and 13 pass defenses in his rookie year. After that, though, Burns seemed to be the corner targeted most by opposing quarterbacks. He was beat often and gave up big plays, which could very well have been one of the catalysts for the Steelers signing Joe Haden in 2018. Burns left Pittsburgh for Chicago in 2020 but missed the season with an injury.
18. RB Rashard Mendenhall (2008, 23rd overall)
This pick was surprising then, and it's still somewhat of a head-scratcher now. Willie Parker was coming off a year in which he ran for over 1,300 yards, so taking a running back in the first round seemed out of the question. That said, the Steelers took Mendenhall the pick before the Titans took Chris Johnson. He had a solid three-year stretch from 2009-11, rushing for 1,000 yards twice before injuries plagued his 2012 season, which would be his last in Pittsburgh.
17. S Terrell Edmunds (2018, 28th overall)
Edmunds was getting the Artie Burns treatment from fans this season. He isn't as explosive as his safety counterpart Minkah Fitzpatrick which leaves him on the receiving end of criticism. Fair nor not, the narrative on Edmunds is that he is inconsistent and incapable of creating turnovers. Hopefully, the two interceptions he had against Jacksonville starts to suppress that narrative.
16. DE Ziggy Hood (2009, 32nd overall)
The Steelers were hoping that Hodd would be the next in line of impact defensive ends that preceded him, and he did okay in his role. From 2009-13, Hodd played in every game and put solid pressure on the quarterback. The only reason he isn't higher is because guys like Brett Kiesel shined brighter, and linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley got the vast majority of visits to the quarterback.
15. G Kendall Simmons (2002, 30th overall)
Simmons was a vital member of the Steelers offensive line from 2002-08. He started all 16 games three of those seasons and was a member of both Super Bowl teams. It was evident how much he was missed in 2008 when Ben Roethlisberger was sacked more than any quarterback after Simmons went down four games into the season.
14. LB Ryan Shazier (2015, 14th overall)
Ryan Shazier was electric in his short stint with Pittsburgh. His combination of speed and hard-hitting was the driving force of the defense during his time in black and gold, and something Pittsburgh clearly missed until they found Devin Bush (more on him later).
13. WR Plaxico Burress (2000, 8th overall)
Burress may not have been as popular as Hines Ward, but he was arguably a more gifted receiver. The tandem of Burress and Ward was one of the league's best for a short span before he left for New York in 2005 before returning to Pittsburgh in his final season in 2012.
12. LB Bud Dupree (2015, 22nd overall)
Dupree has really come to life the last two seasons. He has 19.5 sacks in his last 27 games played. He was well on his way to eclipsing his 11.5 sack total from 2019 before he tore his ACL against Baltimore. Dupree has proven he is among the most valuable commodities on the Steelers defense. He and T.J. Watt have been the best pass-rushing tandem in the NFL. Hopefully, Pittsburgh sees that he is worth the payday he is looking for in free agency.
11. LB Devin Bush (2019, 10th overall)
Bush had an immediate impact on the defense in 2019, leading the team in tackles as a rookie. His presence in the middle of the field was what Pittsburgh was missing after the injury to Ryan Shazier, and exactly why they traded up in the draft to take him. He had his coming out Party against the Chargers on a Sunday night in which he recovered a fumble for a touchdown and intercepted a pass on back to back drives. Pittsburgh will be excited to have him back in 2021 after he played in just five games before tearing his ACL. He has all the potential to be a star in this league.
10. LB Lawrence Timmons (2007, 15th overall)
Mike Tomlin's first-ever draft pick proved to be a good one. Timmons was one of the leaders on the Steelers defense for a decade, having multiple seasons in which he racked up north of 100 tackles and made a Pro Bowl in 2014. His horizontal speed and ability to take away the middle of the field in pass coverage made him a fan favorite in his ten seasons with Pittsburgh, and he earned a Super Bowl ring in his second season.
9. WR Santonio Holmes (2006, 25th overall)
The playoff run that Santonio Holmes went on in the 2008-09 season alone puts him in the top 10. His punt return for a touchdown against the Chargers set the tone for Pittsburgh, and his long receiving touchdown in the AFC Championship Game against Baltimore was a vital part of the win. Then, of course, the final drive against Arizona in Super Bowl XLIII. He told Ben Roethlisberger he wanted the ball, and Ben kept going back to him the entire drive. It was capped off by that throw and that catch with that toe-tap that gave the Steelers their sixth Super Bowl.
8. DT Casey Hampton (2001, 19th overall)
What a load Casey Hampton was. 6'1", 325 pounds in the middle of the Steelers defensive line, "Big Snack" racked up five Pro Bowls and two Super Bowls in his 13 seasons with the Steelers. Many different linemen came and went from 2001 up until his retirement after the 2012 season, but he was the one constant through all that time. The big run-stuffer was one of the most popular players of the 2000s and also one of the most productive.
7. TE Heath Miller (2005, 30th overall)
No, those weren't boos you heard. That was the sound of everyone in Heinz Field yelling "HEATH" every time the tight end touched the ball. Miller was ole' reliable for Ben Roethlisberger for 11 seasons. Anytime the play broke down, Miller was always a solid bet to be the one who Ben aimed for, and more often than not, he made the play. He was a two-time Pro Bowler and is almost certainly the best tight end in the team's history.
6. G David DeCastro (2012, 24th overall)
DeCastro is one of the two best guards over the last decade. He has made it to six Pro Bowls and been named to two All-Pro teams in his nine seasons. He was one of the keys to the success Le'Veon Bell had when he was among the best running backs in football, and he keeps Ben Roethlisberger clean, rarely allowing sacks. He is this generation's Alan Faneca, right down to the jersey number, and he could very well end up in Canton.
5. DE/DT Cam Heyward (2011, 31st overall)
Heyward is one of the best defensive linemen of his era. He has made the Pro Bowl each of the last four seasons and has twice been named an All-Pro. Whether he is in the three technique or five technique, he will wreak havoc on opposing lineman. Along with being a great player, Heyward is the vocal leader of the Steelers' defense. We'll see if he can make it five consecutive Pro Bowl appearances in 2021.
4. LB T.J. Watt (30th overall, 2017)
Some may say Watt is a little too high, but what he has done since being drafted is nothing short of incredible. He has been in the running for Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons for a reason. In 2019, he totaled 14.5 sacks and led the NFL with eight forced fumbles. He followed it up by leading the NFL in sacks in 2020 with 15. Watt is not just among the best defensive players in the NFL, but the best players overall. He will be a force in the Steel City for years to come.
3. C Maurkice Pouncey (2010, 18th overall)
What a career the newly-retired center had. A member of the 2010s All-Decade Team, Pouncey was a nine-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro. He was the leader of one of the best offensive lines in football for over a decade while leading the way for multiple thousand yard rushing seasons by various Steelers running backs. If Pouncey wasn't the best center in the league, he was always in the conversation and he will be enshrined in Canton in the future.
2. S Troy Polamalu (2003, 16th overall)
Troy Polamalu may be the most unique player in NFL history. His speed, his athleticism, his inhuman ability to make circus catches and jaw-dropping hits made him one of the most fascinating players in NFL history. The list of accolades for the legendary safety is longer than his hair; Eight Pro Bowls, four All-Pro team selections, 2010 Defensive Player of the Year, 2000s All-Decade team, two-time Super Bowl champion, and NFL Hall of Famer. One thing is for certain; there will never be another Troy Polamalu.
1. Ben Roethlisberger (2004, 11th overall)
Okay, yes, we all knew who No. 1 was going to be, but could it have been anyone else? 14 consecutive wins (including playoffs) to start his career, the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl before winning another ring three years later, and appearing in another Super Bowl just two years after that. Big Ben holds every major passing record in Steelers' history and a few all-time records as well. He is the only quarterback to throw for 500 yards in a game three times, and his 47 completions against the Browns in the 2021 Wildcard game are the most in any game in NFL history. Throughout his career, Ben Roethlisberger took a lickin' and kept on tickin'. He is a without-a-doubt Hall of Famer and one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. By the looks of it, he's still not done.
Jarrett Bailey is a contributor with AllSteelers. Follow Jarrett on Twitter @JBaileyNFL, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.
