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The NFL Draft has been particularly good to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl era. Art Rooney II, Dick Haley, Tom Donahoe and Kevin Colbert have set the NFL gold standard for putting together some of the best drafts in league history. The Steelers have had a treasure trove of hits in rounds 1 through 5, but for this team building exercise, we are only going to deal with the round 6 or later draft picks and unsigned free agents.
The Steelers have found a few notable players over the years on offense in the late rounds, such as former All-Pro and All-World head case, Antonio Brown. A trio of gifted running backs in Frank Pollard, Willie Parker and Merril Hoge, and offensive line stalwarts like Tunch Ilkin and John Jackson as well. But when it comes to finding late round hidden gems, the Steelers have consistently drafted defensive superstars in the late rounds or brought in undrafted free agents that would rival other NFL teams all-time defenses. If you count the early rounds, I believe the Steel Curtain all-time team is light years ahead of all other defenses. I also think that the all-time Steeler 6th round or later defense might be a top 10 all-time unit in the Super Bowl era too.
Since this is a late round all-time defensive team, I will go with four defensive linemen, four linebackers and four defensive backs. The “better late than never” dozen are:
Walter Loos Jr. / Sports Illustrated
Greenwood was beyond dominant for the Steelers during the 1970’s and should have been the MVP of Super Bowl X. He was First Team All-Pro in 1974 and ’75 and a 6x Pro Bowler. He is the number one all-time Hall of Fame snub in NFL history.
George Gojkovich / Getty Images
Holmes was quite the character for the original Steel Curtain. Sacks were not an official statistic in the 1970’s, but unofficially Holmes is credited with 40 sacks and the 2x Super Bowl champion had one of the coolest haircuts in team history.
George Gojkovich / Getty Images
Dunn was also a part of two Super Bowl Championship teams and when the Steelers transitioned to a 3-4 defense in 1982, he was the starting nose tackle for six years. He never made a Pro Bowl, but he had 105 career starts, including his first year as full-time starter on the Steelers fourth and final Super Bowl win of the 20th century.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Keisel was a fan favorite in Pittsburgh for 12 seasons. ‘The Beard’ made one Pro Bowl, was the starting defensive end for three Super Bowl teams and a 2x champion. Arguably the best 7th round pick in team history.
Stephen Dunn /Allsport
I recently wrote an article extolling Lloyd’s virtues, which you can read if you click here. He was the leader of Bill Cowher’s new Steel Curtain and for five seasons, one of the most dominant forces in league history.
Doug Benc / Getty Images
Harrison is a former 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 5x Pro Bowler, 2x First Team All-Pro and Steeler workout legend. He owns an all-time Super Bowl moment with his 99-yard interception return in Super Bowl XLIII and he is currently the Steelers all-time leader in sacks.
George Gojkovich / Getty Images
Little entered the starting lineup for the Steelers in 1984 and spent the next nine years in the middle of the defense. He only made one Pro Bowl, but he started both Steeler playoff victories in the 1980’s for Chuck Noll.
Don Wright / AP
Vince Williams was a thumper. He did not make a Pro Bowl in his eight-year career in Pittsburgh, but he was one of the best run stuffing linebackers in the NFL and played a steady brand of inside linebacker that the Steelers could not replace in 2021 as their run defense without him was awful.
Steelers.com
The Steelers 1974 draft class is the best in league history. It was so good in fact that for good measure, they brought in a player every other team in the league passed on as an undrafted free agent who became a Hall of Fame safety. 51 career interceptions 5 Pro Bowls, 3 All-Pro selections and 4 shiny Super Bowl rings.
George Gojkovich / Getty Images
Wagner became a starter as a rookie in 1971 and until he broke a neck vertebra in 1977, started every game for the Steelers. He returned as the full-time starter in 1978 and started his third Super Bowl for the Steelers. In 1979, he underwent surgery halfway through the season and missed the Steelers fourth Super Bowl against the Los Angeles Rams.
George Gojkovich / Getty Images
Perry entered the league in 1992 and started 126 straight games — 110 for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had 35 career interceptions including 6 during his rookie season where he was named to the 1992 All-Rookie Team. He never made a Pro Bowl, but he did start for the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX.
Rusty Kennedy / AP File
Woodruff played in all 16 games as a rookie for the Steelers Super Bowl XIV team. He was one of the Steelers starting cornerbacks for the entire decade of the 1980’s. He had 37 career interceptions and while he never made a Pro Bowl, he was a quality starter for a decade.
If this were your starting defense in the Super Bowl era, you would win a lot of games and be a top tier defense. One actual Hall of Famer (Shell), two all-time snubs (Lloyd and Greenwood), and one probable Hall of Famer (Harrison).
Did I miss anyone, Steeler Nation? Please comment below if you think I missed anyone and remember that they must be a 6th round or later pick, or an undrafted free agent. Comment below or on twitter @thebubbasq.
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
The Steelers have found a few notable players over the years on offense in the late rounds, such as former All-Pro and All-World head case, Antonio Brown. A trio of gifted running backs in Frank Pollard, Willie Parker and Merril Hoge, and offensive line stalwarts like Tunch Ilkin and John Jackson as well. But when it comes to finding late round hidden gems, the Steelers have consistently drafted defensive superstars in the late rounds or brought in undrafted free agents that would rival other NFL teams all-time defenses. If you count the early rounds, I believe the Steel Curtain all-time team is light years ahead of all other defenses. I also think that the all-time Steeler 6th round or later defense might be a top 10 all-time unit in the Super Bowl era too.
Since this is a late round all-time defensive team, I will go with four defensive linemen, four linebackers and four defensive backs. The “better late than never” dozen are:
Defensive Line
Walter Loos Jr. / Sports Illustrated
L.C. Greenwood, 10th Round 1969
Greenwood was beyond dominant for the Steelers during the 1970’s and should have been the MVP of Super Bowl X. He was First Team All-Pro in 1974 and ’75 and a 6x Pro Bowler. He is the number one all-time Hall of Fame snub in NFL history.
George Gojkovich / Getty Images
Ernie Holmes, 8th Round 1971
Holmes was quite the character for the original Steel Curtain. Sacks were not an official statistic in the 1970’s, but unofficially Holmes is credited with 40 sacks and the 2x Super Bowl champion had one of the coolest haircuts in team history.
George Gojkovich / Getty Images
Gary Dunn, 6th Round 1967
Dunn was also a part of two Super Bowl Championship teams and when the Steelers transitioned to a 3-4 defense in 1982, he was the starting nose tackle for six years. He never made a Pro Bowl, but he had 105 career starts, including his first year as full-time starter on the Steelers fourth and final Super Bowl win of the 20th century.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Brett Keisel, 7th Round 2002
Keisel was a fan favorite in Pittsburgh for 12 seasons. ‘The Beard’ made one Pro Bowl, was the starting defensive end for three Super Bowl teams and a 2x champion. Arguably the best 7th round pick in team history.
Linebackers
Stephen Dunn /Allsport
Greg Lloyd, 6th round 1987
I recently wrote an article extolling Lloyd’s virtues, which you can read if you click here. He was the leader of Bill Cowher’s new Steel Curtain and for five seasons, one of the most dominant forces in league history.
Doug Benc / Getty Images
James Harrison, Undrafted 2002
Harrison is a former 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 5x Pro Bowler, 2x First Team All-Pro and Steeler workout legend. He owns an all-time Super Bowl moment with his 99-yard interception return in Super Bowl XLIII and he is currently the Steelers all-time leader in sacks.
George Gojkovich / Getty Images
David Little, 7th Round 1981
Little entered the starting lineup for the Steelers in 1984 and spent the next nine years in the middle of the defense. He only made one Pro Bowl, but he started both Steeler playoff victories in the 1980’s for Chuck Noll.
Don Wright / AP
Vince Williams, 6th Round 2013
Vince Williams was a thumper. He did not make a Pro Bowl in his eight-year career in Pittsburgh, but he was one of the best run stuffing linebackers in the NFL and played a steady brand of inside linebacker that the Steelers could not replace in 2021 as their run defense without him was awful.
Defensive Back
Steelers.com
Donnie Shell, Undrafted Free Agent 1974
The Steelers 1974 draft class is the best in league history. It was so good in fact that for good measure, they brought in a player every other team in the league passed on as an undrafted free agent who became a Hall of Fame safety. 51 career interceptions 5 Pro Bowls, 3 All-Pro selections and 4 shiny Super Bowl rings.
George Gojkovich / Getty Images
Mike Wagner, 11th Round 1971
Wagner became a starter as a rookie in 1971 and until he broke a neck vertebra in 1977, started every game for the Steelers. He returned as the full-time starter in 1978 and started his third Super Bowl for the Steelers. In 1979, he underwent surgery halfway through the season and missed the Steelers fourth Super Bowl against the Los Angeles Rams.
George Gojkovich / Getty Images
Darren Perry, 8th Round 1992
Perry entered the league in 1992 and started 126 straight games — 110 for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had 35 career interceptions including 6 during his rookie season where he was named to the 1992 All-Rookie Team. He never made a Pro Bowl, but he did start for the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX.
Rusty Kennedy / AP File
Dwayne Woodruff, 6th Round 1979
Woodruff played in all 16 games as a rookie for the Steelers Super Bowl XIV team. He was one of the Steelers starting cornerbacks for the entire decade of the 1980’s. He had 37 career interceptions and while he never made a Pro Bowl, he was a quality starter for a decade.
If this were your starting defense in the Super Bowl era, you would win a lot of games and be a top tier defense. One actual Hall of Famer (Shell), two all-time snubs (Lloyd and Greenwood), and one probable Hall of Famer (Harrison).
Did I miss anyone, Steeler Nation? Please comment below if you think I missed anyone and remember that they must be a 6th round or later pick, or an undrafted free agent. Comment below or on twitter @thebubbasq.
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
