Ranking Every Steelers Draft Class of Last Decade: Franchise-Changing to Forgettable

With the 2026 NFL Draft on the horizon, the Pittsburgh Steelers will have an influx of rookie talent hit the roster in short order.

Though the Steelers almost certainly aren't going to use all 12 of the picks they currently own, they'll still primed to bring in one of their larger draft classes in recent history.

Pittsburgh has drafted well in the 2020s, but the end of the 2010s was a bit rough on that front outside of one year in particular.

With that, here are our rankings for the Steelers' draft hauls over the last decade.

1). 2017

It goes without saying that selecting a future Hall of Fame pass rusher and one of the best defensive players of an entire generation at No. 30 overall will prop up an entire draft class.

That's the case with T.J. Watt, who is the Steelers' all-time sacks leader with 115 as well as an eight-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro. The 31-year-old, who signed a three-year extension worth $123 million extension last July, remains a star as he enters the 10th season of his career.

While his Steelers career ended on a bit of a sour note, JuJu Smith-Schuster was also a good pick in the second round at No. 62, logging 3,855 yards and 26 touchdowns with a Pro Bowl nod across five seasons with the team.

Cornerback Cameron Sutton appeared in 93 games (41 starts) across two stints with Pittsburgh after it selected him in the third round that year, while running back James Conner posted 3,265 yards and 26 touchdowns for the team over four years after also going in the third round.

Though he only ever played in six contests as a Steeler, quarterback Joshua Dobbs has gone on to carve out a nice career after being picked in the fourth round.

Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) reacts after a play during the second half of an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

2). 2023

First-round pick Broderick Jones hasn't quite played as well at offensive tackle as Pittsburgh had hoped, and the organization is likely to decline his fifth-year option this offseason after he suffered a significant neck injury in Week 12 last year.

Regardless, the Steelers found a ton of value throughout this draft. It starts with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. in the second round, as the Penn State product has followed in his father's footsteps and become a star at his position, putting him in line for a massive extension.

Fellow second-rounder Keeanu Benton has held down the fort on the interior of the defensive line, starting 40 games and recording 7.5 sacks, while third-round tight end Darnell Washington has established himself both as an elite blocker and useful weapon in the passing game, finishing 2025 with 364 yards on 31 catches.

EDGE rusher Nick Herbig was an absolute steal in the fourth round, as he appears to be on the fast track to stardom with 16 sacks across his career while starting just 11 contests thus far.

Injuries have gotten in the way of cornerback Cory Trice Jr. at every turn after Pittsburgh took him in the seventh round, but it hit with its other seventh-rounder by picking offensive lineman Spencer Anderson, who has served as a valuable backup and could earn the starting job at left guard in 2026.

3). 2024

Though he's effectively only played a single season after suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 of his rookie year, right tackle Troy Fautanu looks like the long-term solution at right tackle for the Steelers after they landed him in the first round at No. 20.

Center Zach Frazier has already emerged as one of the better players at the position after going No. 51 overall in the second round, and right guard Mason McCormick has already started 31 games for Pittsburgh as a fourth-rounder.

Wide receiver Roman Wilson hasn't panned out thus far, but fellow third-round pick Payton Wilson has been solid at inside linebacker with 204 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions in 34 games.

Jan 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) makes a catch against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

4). 2021

Running back Najee Harris wasn't necessarily a star for the Steelers after going No. 25 in the first round, though he still posted 5,461 yards and 34 touchdowns in 68 games for the team while having his fifth-year option declined.

Pat Freiermuth, who was selected in the second round, is one of the better receiving tight ends in the NFL and was rewarded with a four-year, $48 million extension ahead of the 2024 season. He has 2,676 yards and 22 touchdowns to his name, but it doesn't seem like he's standing on super solid footing in Pittsburgh in terms of his future with the organization at the moment.

Kendrick Green started 15 games as a rookie for the Steelers at center after being picked in the third round, but it wasn't pretty, and he was later traded to the Houston Texans in 2023.

Pittsburgh did, however, find a steal with offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. in the fourth round, as he started all 66 games he played in for the team before signing a four-year, $82 million deal with the Tennessee Titans in March 2025.

Defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk had also been a key depth piece over his five seasons with the Steelers after going in the fifth round, suiting up for 60 games and logging 63 tackles with a sack.

5). 2022

Quarterback Kenny Pickett was a whiff in the first round, but George Pickens returned plenty of value in the second with 2,841 yards and 12 touchdowns over 48 games before being traded to the Dallas Cowboys last offseason, where he grew into one of the better wide receivers in the league.

Third-round pick DeMarvin Leal never put it all together on the defensive line in Pittsburgh, but fourth-round wide receiver Calvin Austin III finished out his tenure with the team with 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns in 48 games before joining the New York Giants as a free agent this offseason.

Tight end Connor Heyward was also a good pick in the sixth round, recording 449 yards and five touchdowns while holding down a role as a blocking specialist and on special teams for four seasons before signing with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Nov 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) looks on before a play during the second quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

6). 2020

Chase Claypool fizzled out after a strong rookie year, but Pittsburgh did land the second-round pick it used on Porter Jr. upon trading the former to the Chicago Bears in 2022.

EDGE rusher Alex Highsmith is the crown jewel of this class, as he's posted 45 sacks in 90 games after being taken in the third round.

The only other pick of note for the Steelers was fourth-round offensive guard Kevin Dotson, who started 30 games for the team before being dealt to the Los Angeles Rams ahead of the 2023 campaign, where he's become a star over the last three years.

7). 2025

After his rookie year, in which he was strong against the run and added three sacks in 12 games, defensive tackle Derrick Harmon looks like a home run pick at No. 21 overall.

Third-round running back Kaleb Johnson had a rough first season that was defined by a special teams mistake in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks, though Jack Sawyer emerged as a legit rotational piece off the edge in the fourth round.

Fifth-round defensive tackle Yahya Black was also solid in a tertiary role as a rookie, and seventh-round linebacker Carson Bruener is already a stalwart on special teams, but this class could receive a huge boost if Will Howard grows into a starting-caliber quarterback for the Steelers after being taken in the sixth round.

Jan 15, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) runs the ball in the second half against the Buffalo Bills in a 2024 AFC wild card game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Leei-Imagn Images

8). 2019

Linebacker Devin Bush started 48 games for the Steelers after going No. 10 overall, but he's been better since leaving the team, evidenced by the fact that he signed a three-year deal worth $30 million with the Chicago Bears this offseason.

Third-round wide receiver Diontae Johnson had the biggest impact of any player in this class for Pittsburgh, putting up 4,363 yards and 25 touchdowns with a Pro Bowl nod in 2021. He was later traded to the Carolina Panthers in March 2024.

While the likes of Benny Snell, Isaiah Buggs, Zach Gentry and Ulysees Gilbert all spent at least three years with the Steelers as Day 3 picks, none of them ever became more than replacement-level depth options.

9). 2018

Safety Terrell Edmunds wasn't worth taking at No. 28 overall, but he still played in 84 games (75 starts) over two stints in Pittsburgh and put up 417 tackles with five sacks and five interceptions.

Second-round wide receiver James Washington logged 1,629 yards and 11 touchdowns in four seasons with the black and gold, while quarterback Mason Rudolph has been a good backup who can fill in as a starter when needed in his two stints with the Steelers as a former third-round pick.

Chukwuma Okorafor also turned out to be a good pick in the fourth round, making 59 starts at offensive tackle across six seasons in Pittsburgh.

September 22, 2019; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Javon Hargrave (79) during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

10). 2016

Cornerback Artie Burns started just 32 of the 58 contests he played in for the Steelers as a first-round pick, and second-round safety Sean Davis didn't pan out while starting 42 of the 64 games he appeared in for the team.

Pittsburgh found a gem in third-round defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, who recorded 14.5 sacks in 63 games with the team, but the two-time Pro Bowler later became a star for the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers.

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