In one sign of the significance Mike Tomlin places on the position, three times over his first 11 drafts as coach, the Pittsburgh Steelers spent their first-round pick on an outside linebacker.

On four other occasions during the Tomlin tenure, the Steelers took an outside linebacker in the second or third rounds.

“Good outside linebackers,” Tomlin said Thursday, “are the engine in our car.”

Of all the OLBs Tomlin has had, none have provided the consistent horsepower of T.J. Watt.

Watt was named the Steelers’ MVP on Thursday for the third consecutive season.

Watt is the fourth outside linebacker to win the award since 1992, when then-new coordinator Dick LeBeau ushered in an era in which the OLBs were the stars of the Steelers defense.

But neither Greg Lloyd nor Joey Porter nor James Harrison won team MVP three times. And no one at any position topped balloting — conducted by the Steelers players — three seasons in a row.

Then again, no Steelers player had 21½ sacks in a season before, like Watt does headed into Sunday’s regular-season finale. None had at least 13 sacks in four consecutive seasons, either; only Reggie White had accomplished that for any team in NFL history.

Watt was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week three times this season. He has eight multi-sack games — including the Steelers’ first four-sack game in 20 years — and leads the NFL in tackles for loss (20) and QB hits (36) this season.

“He plays hard, knows how to play the game, knows angles (and) knows how to create angles,” said Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, whose team will host the Steelers on Sunday. “He has a really good move set with his hands, really good head fakes, etc.

“He’s just a really talented, good football player that is having an amazing season.”

Watt is within one sack of Michael Strahan’s NFL record set in 2001. And Watt has played in only 14 games — and left before halftime of three of those — because of injury.

Tomlin called Watt’s impact “immeasurable.”

“There are tangible things like stats, and that tells a story,” Tomlin said. “But it’s the things that the stats don’t tell:his approach to business, his communication, his leadership. And it’s not outward vocal leadership. (It’s) his words of encouragement — he’s a very good technical teacher — with his peers. He helps young guys grow and develop. … The way he takes them under his wing.”

Watt was a finalist for NFL Defensive Player of the Year each of the past two seasons when he had 14 ½ and 15 sacks, respectively. He is a likely shoo-in to again be among the top three vote-getters for that honor for this season. The winner will be announced next month.

Watt did not take part in team drills or preseason games throughout training camp as he and the Steelers negotiated a contract extension signed days before the regular season began. Watt signed for four additional years at $112 million with $80 million fully guaranteed.

The high salary and missed practice time haven’t affected Watt’s standing in the eyes of his teammates, in part because of the work ethic they say he exudes and his perseverance through injury.

“Regardless of what happens,” veteran nose tackle Montravius Adams said, “I know (Watt) is still going to be out there and he is going to give 100% every play. Can’t ask for nothing more.”

Watt joined Lloyd, Kevin Greene, Chad Brown, Jason Gildon, Joey Porter and LaMarr Woodley as Steelers outside linebackers who made the Pro Bowl in the years since Watt was born in 1994.

Of that group, Greene was inducted into the Hall of Fame, and Harrison won NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Watt could surpass them all if he continues on his current career trajectory.

“Knowing the lineage of (OLB) guys who have come here before,” Watt said, “who had the stats and were able to create splash and have the big plays be the catalyst for making plays for the defense was definitely something that was appealing to me.

“Schematically, (the Steelers are) a great fit, like I said when I got drafted here, and it’s been an even better fit as far as the coaching staff and just the city of Pittsburgh.”

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