Steelers: Le'Veon Bell, Javon Hargrave among best NFL Draft steals of the last decade
You never have to rebuild if you're constantly reloading. How else do the Pittsburgh Steelers stay above .500 every season?Entering expensive free agent waters is relatively new territory for the Steelers, but hitting on draft picks on all three days is what has kept the roster competitive for a generation. A couple of those draft […]
You never have to rebuild if you're constantly reloading. How else do the Pittsburgh Steelers stay above .500 every season?
Entering expensive free agent waters is relatively new territory for the Steelers, but hitting on draft picks on all three days is what has kept the roster competitive for a generation.
A couple of those draft picks in recent memory garnered special praise in ESPN's 50 biggest NFL draft steals of the past decade, as both running back Le'Veon Bell and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave cracked the list.
A second-round pick (48th overall) all the way back in 2013, Bell quickly established himself as the Steelers' top back and racked up accolades just as fast. He made three Pro Bowls and was a two-time First Team All-Pro during his first and only five years in Pittsburgh.
Bell didn't play a sixth year in Black and Yellow colors due to his infamous contract dispute, but his run in the Steelers' backfield definitely garners his place at No. 20 on the list.
Hargrave grabbed the No. 41 slot on the list as a former third-round pick by the Steelers back in 2016. He spent his first four years holding down the middle of Pittsburgh's imposing defensive front before moving on to the Philadelphia Eagles. He made his first Pro Bowl in 2021, went to the Super Bowl a year later, and signed a massive four-year, $84 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers a month later.
Hargrave was knocked hard in the NFL draft process for short arms, small hands and an FCS level of competition at South Carolina State. But he has emerged as one of the premier defensive tackles in the game, adding 11 sacks and 30 pressures to his résumé in 2022 alone. Hargave just cashed in with an $84 million contract with the 49ers, further solidifying his status as a legendary draft steal. – ESPN's Matt Miller
30-year old defensive linemen don't normally cash in so extravagantly this late in their careers. For Hargrave to keep up his dominant level of play, he's absolutely one of the best mid-round picks in the last 10 years.
10 years from now, we'll probably see Alex Highsmith, George Pickens, and Keanu Benton make a future list.
Major outlet has Steelers with one of the biggest steals the NFL Draft
An obvious choice.
Featured image via © Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
