Steelers' Arthur Moats Offers The Truth About Recent Steelers Draft Busts

Who is the biggest bust in Pittsburgh Steelers' recent history? That is a very subjective question that could lead to myriad answers. On Thursday, one popular Steelers podcaster and former player, Arthur Moats was asked to choose from a list of three potential "busts." 

Artie Burns, Jarvis Jones or Devin Bush

A quick recap for anyone who doesn't remember their Steelers' history. Burns, a cornerback, was drafted in the first round by the Steelers, 25th overall. He had a solid rookie season but then experienced a steady drop-off in production. After four lackluster years, the Steelers declined the fifth-year option on him and he is now with the Seattle Seahawks. 

With a similar tale, Jones, an outside linebacker out of Georgia, dazzled the Steelers with his tremendous college football stats. His talent did not transfer to the pros. Despite being selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 2013 draft, 17th overall, he too only lasted four years. 

Bush, an inside linebacker, is currently still on the Steelers' roster. The team seems likely to give him the old "Artie Burns treatment" and let him go to free agency. He was the highest selection out of these three, 10th overall in the 2019 draft. He had a tremendous rookie season that showed all the promise expected, but a knee injury during the 2020 season ended that. Despite returning to the team he has never looked anything like the rookie Devin Bush. 

Who Is The Biggest Steelers Bust?

Moats, who was with the Steelers from 2014-2017, played with both Jones and Burns. He was asked on his podcast, The Arthur Moats Experience, who was the biggest bust and he initially said that he couldn't answer, he didn't feel right speaking ill of any of his former teammates. 

Moats started by telling his co-host Deke that a case could be made that they aren't true busts like JaMarcus Russell. Russel was selected with the first pick in the draft by the then-Oakland Raiders. He never developed and spent only three years in the NFL.  Moats mentions that Bush had an excellent rookie season and showed potential. It seems clear that his injury is what set him back and questioned if because of that he's a bust. As for the Jones, Moats commented.

"Jarvis (Jones) started for four years. He was producing interceptions, tackles for a loss, he just didn't give you a ton of sacks and that's what first-round draft pick edge rushers are graded upon. I'm taking Jarvis over Taco Charlton, they both first-rounders, to me Taco is nowhere near as productive a player."

"Artie definitely fell off hard though. That rookie year watching him and AB (Antonio Brown) go at it. I was like 'I think we got one' and it was like the confidence just shifted and it never came back. We felt good about both of them (Burns and Sean Davis). We knew kind of what the issue was with him, we were moving him around a little bit too much and he spin. He looked like he had Pro Bowl skills."

Moats said that both Burns and Bush at least had a "peak" in their career. They had a season where there was a legit potential that validated the Steelers' selection, Jones less so.  

"Jones was just more of a forgetful career. He never had a splash. The problem is the first-round grade it never leaves you. Once you're taken in the first round that is forever attached to you and that's the standard that we're gonna hold you to."

Moats agrees there are levels to the "bust" label and says that it depends on how someone perceives it. He said that the average person doesn't understand. He names some clear-cut busts in the NFL and included Johnny Manziel, Albert Haynesworth and more.

"I can't call you a bust when you still got over 30-40 starts at the NFL level. You might not be producing to the level that we want and we can say that you didn't live up to expectations. To say you're a bust, that means you were the worst of the worst like you quit, you shut it down, you sucked, there was no productivity out of you in any way shape, or form. I don't think any of them dudes give me that, I think that all three gave me at least some form of productivity."    

Moats definitely played it safe, not naming anyone specific, but he does bring up a good point about how fans and the media view "busts" in professional sports. Do you agree with Moats that you can't really call any of these guys busts? If you disagree then who do you think was the biggest bust? Who is the Steelers player that you think was the biggest bust in team history? Or in the whole NFL? Comment below. 

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