Steelers' 3 best, worst defensive line draft picks in Kevin Colbert era

Editor’s note: This NFL Draft will be the 20th under Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert. His tenure has produced two Super Bowls and a consistent playoff contender. Colbert’s drafts mostly reflect that. Like all NFL personnel men, though, he has had some picks he’d like to have back. In conjunction with the Trib’s daily positional previews leading up to the draft, we’ll look back at Colbert’s three best and three worst picks at each position.

Investing three early draft picks over a six-year span earlier this decade set the Pittsburgh Steelers up with a quality group of starters along the defensive line.

Cameron Heyward (first round, 2011), Stephon Tuitt (second round, 2014) and Javon Hargrave (third round, 2016) generally lived up to their draft standing. Heyward earned a first-team All-Pro nod in 2017, and together they comprise a reliable, steady unit.

Two decades ago, the Steelers similarly built a longtime three-man defensive line unit via the draft over a four-year span: Aaron Smith (fourth round, 1999), Casey Hampton (first round, 2001) and Brett Keisel (seventh round, 2002).

All but one (Smith) of the six men who have dominated the Steelers defensive lines for the past two decades were drafted under Kevin Colbert. Getting those six has lessened the need to hit on many other defensive linemen, although it has used the draft for depth at a position that requires plenty of bodies.

Ziggy Hood (first round, 2009) and Kendrick Clancy (third round, 2000) are the only defensive linemen other than the Steelers taken in the top three rounds since Colbert took over in 2000.

Here are some of the best and worst defensive linemen picks since then:

Three best

1. Brett Keisel

2002, seventh round, 242nd overall

Keisel might not be the best Steelers defensive linemen of this century, but as one of the final 20 picks of his draft, he definitely was the best value and biggest steal. Named to the Pro Bowl in 2010, Keisel was a starter for eight of his 13 NFL seasons — all with the Steelers. He had 254 tackles and 30 sacks in 156 games.

2. Casey Hampton

2001, first round, 19th overall

Like Keisel, “Big Snack” was a big part of the Steelers defensive core that five times was the NFL’s No. 1-ranked defense, made it to three Super Bowls and won two. The prototype for a NFL nose tackle when he was drafted, Hampton gave the Steelers 11 years of service as the anchor for some stellar defenses.

3. Cameron Heyward

2011, first round, 31st overall

Heyward has been a captain on defense for several years and seems to get better the longer he’s in the league. He has 20 sacks the past two seasons. In 2017, he led the team in sacks and became the rare Steelers 3-4 defensive end recognized to earn All-Pro.

Three worst

1. Alameda Ta’amu

2012, fourth round, 109th overall

Ta’amu’s name reigns as recognizable in Pittsburgh because of a South Side incident that allegedly involved drunken driving, striking other vehicles and punching a police officer. He certainly is not remembered in Pittsburgh for his football abilities, as he never appeared in a regular-season game for the Steelers.

2. Orien Harris

2006, fourth round, 133rd overall

Players taken after the 130th pick don’t need to become stars — or even starters — to be classified as successes. They do, though, need to at least appear in a regular-season game for the team that drafted them. Harris didn’t do that, although he did make it into 20 games elsewhere.

3. Ryan McBean

2007, fourth round, 132nd overall

McBean’s Steelers career was better than Harris — by one game. He was cut at the end of his second training camp with the team. At least McBean, though, went on to start 21 games for the Broncos over three seasons in Denver.