Ranking The Steelers' 5 Best Draft Steals Of The Past Decade

The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off a couple of impressive draft classes heading into the 2023 season. In 2022, the offense was led by the then-rookie duo of Kenny Pickett and George Pickens who are poised for a strong sophomore season this year. In this year’s draft, we saw some of the best moves made by the Steelers throughout the draft weekend that we haven’t seen in years. Those moves resulted in trading up for top-ranked left tackle Broderick Jones, grabbing Joey Porter Jr. at the 32nd overall spot, adding to the defensive front by tapping into the University of Wisconsin pond with Keeanu Benton and Nick Herbig, and nabbing a slated sleeper in Cory Trice Jr. late in the third day.

Looking beyond the past two draft classes however, there have been a slew of other draft-day diamonds the Steelers uncovered that weren’t called in the first round. Recently, ESPN compiled their own list of their top 50 biggest draft steals of the past decade. With a couple of former Steelers’ picks deep on the list, let’s take a look at some names that could fall into that category specifically for Pittsburgh. For reference, similar to how ESPN conducted their rankings, each player would need to have been called in the second-round or later, have fallen half of a round after they were projected, and we’re excluding members from the recent 2023 draft class in this.

Ranking the Steelers’ Top Five Draft Steals Since 2013

1. Le’Veon Bell, Running Back, Drafted 48th overall in 2013

Fans everywhere know what Bell did for the Steelers’ offense through his five years in Pittsburgh. In that time, he posted 7,996 combined all-purpose yards with 42 touchdowns. In addition, he currently holds the Steelers’ record of most rushing yards by a single player with his 236-yard performance in 2016 against the Buffalo Bills.

Bell revolutionized the Steelers’ running attack during his years as a critical member of the “Killer B’s” offensive attack. In an organization that is known for their ground-and-pound approach to the running back position, Bell created his unique patience-grounded technique that we have yet to see again. In addition to the rushing attack, Bell was equally crucial in the passing game as well. He posted 2,660 receiving yards with seven touchdowns.

Looking back at the 2013 running back class, it was one that was relatively weak in hindsight. In that same second round where the Steelers selected Bell, we saw Giovanni Bernard selected at 37th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals, Montee Ball at 58th overall to the Denver Broncos, Eddie Lacy at 61st overall to the Green Bay Packers, and Christine Michael at 62nd overall to the Seattle Seahawks. Beyond them, only four other running backs would be called in the next 77 selections that followed.

2. Javon Hargrave, Defensive Tackle, Drafted 89th overall in 2016

In a constant search to rebuild the defensive front, the Steelers hit it big with Hargrave in the 2016 draft. Measuring 6’2” and weighing 305 pounds, Hargrave was an effective gap-plug in the middle of the defensive line, yet was athletic enough to move around interior offensive linemen. In his four years in Pittsburgh, he tallied 168 total tackles with 14.5 sacks, four fumble recoveries, and a touchdown.

After he played out his rookie contract in 2019, Hargrave priced himself out of the Steelers’ price range and landed across the state with the Philadelphia Eagles. In Philadelphia, he continued his dominance inside by racking up 161 total tackles and 23 sacks in the past three seasons. Now with the San Francisco 49ers, he is looking to continue his upward trajectory towards another Pro Bowl season.

While the defensive tackle position isn’t one of the historically premier draft jewels, the 2016 draft featured some elite talent. However, coming out of South Carolina State and being considered relatively undersized for the position, Hargrave got buried on a lot of draft boards. To compare some hindsight in today's NFL world, some names who got called before Hargrave were Sheldon Rankings, Kenny Clark, Robert Nkemdiche, and Vernon Butler.

3. Cameron Sutton, Cornerback, Drafted 94th overall in 2017

For being drafted in the third round, Sutton carved out a special spot in the Steelers’ defense. After only starting two games in his first three seasons, Sutton showed extreme promise at the inside cornerback position after the departure of Mike Hilton after the 2020 season. After Steven Nelson left Pittsburgh, Sutton moved to the outside and was one of the top playmakers on the Steelers’ defense.

In his time in Pittsburgh, Sutton posted 168 total tackles with two sacks, five forced fumbles, and eight interceptions. Similar to Hargrave, Sutton’s performance priced him outside of the Steelers’ price range this past offseason, landing him in the NFC North with the Detroit Lions with a new three-year, $33 million contract. While the 2017 cornerback draft class was fairly deep, Sutton has proved he should have gone sooner than the 94th overall spot, and his new paycheck accurately reflects that.

4. Vince Williams, Linebacker, Drafted 206th overall in 2013

Williams made a name for himself in Pittsburgh by being that underestimated player on defense who wasn’t afraid to get dirty. While he wasn’t necessarily the flashiest of linebackers in the NFL, Williams was a consistent contributor in the middle of the defense and was one of the most available in the second half of his eight-year career.

While logging time with only the Steelers throughout his career, Williams posted 479 total tackles with 20.5 sacks, six fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and a touchdown. As Williams came ready to work each week, he grew into becoming a fan favorite and created somewhat of a blueprint for the Steelers to use when prospecting younger players in today’s game at the position. That includes developing young talent that may be rough around the edges at first, but grooming them into consistent starters on an NFL roster. In a 2013 draft that featured the likes of Barkevious Mingo, Manti Te'o, Zavier Gooden, and Nico Johnson, Williams definitely should be considered one of the Steelers’ biggest draft deals.

5. Martavis Bryant, Wide Receiver, Drafted 118th overall in 2014

While I see arguments on both sides for this, it is hard to argue Bryant’s contributions to the Steelers’ offense in his three seasons in Pittsburgh. In offenses that featured Antonio Brown, Bell, and Juju Smith-Schuster, Bryant was Ben Roethlisberger’s favorite deep threat down the field. Bryant tallied 1,917 receiving yards on 126 catches with 17 touchdowns through his 36 games with the Steelers. In addition, he also posted 71-yards rushing with a touchdown as well.

Although Bryant’s NFL career was seemingly cut short due to multiple suspensions, it is hard to ignore what he was able to accomplish during his time in Pittsburgh. Not to mention, in the 2014 draft that had the likes of Sammy Watkins, Kelvin Benjamin, Paul Richardson, Bruce Ellington, and Josh Huff all get called before him, Bryant’s numbers far exceeded what scouts expected from him. It is because of his impressive stat line and the fact he got suspended for something that is beginning to become more relaxed in the league today, that he should be included in this list.

Who do you think was missed on this list? Who would you swap out? Let us know in the comments below!

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