One of the greatest debates in the NFL revolves around the idea of the draft steal. The Pittsburgh Steelers have found several of these players over the years. Players like Alex Highsmith, William Gay, Nick Herbig, and many others come to mind. However, in a recent article for Sports Illustrated, the last 25 years of draft picks were evaluated to determine the biggest steal from each draft class. The Steelers were snubbed in a major way.
Of course, the unanimous greatest draft steal of all time is Tom Brady. However, since Brady’s selection, the Steelers have uncovered several draft steals who became impact players. Some even developed into the best players in football. On this list, SI got two major selections wrong, relegating them to honorable mentions instead. Here are the two biggest draft steal snubs:
Zach Frazier — 2024
SI gave the honor to Ladd McConkey of the Los Angeles Chargers. While McConkey is certainly worthy of consideration, Zach Frazier has arguably made a greater impact. His presence has transformed the Steelers’ interior offensive line and provided stability at the center position, an area the franchise had struggled to solidify for years. Frazier has already proven to be a tremendous value as a second-round pick.
The jury is still out on the 2024 NFL Draft class, but there is no denying that both Frazier and McConkey have been strong contributors for their teams. The Chargers already had a solid group of receivers before selecting McConkey, while the Steelers desperately needed to address their long-standing issues at center. That difference should have been enough to give Frazier the edge.
Antonio Brown — 2010
reuters.com,2018:newsml_MT1USATODAY11694284:1240637538
No, Rob Gronkowski was not the biggest steal of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was selected 10 picks into the second round. Gronkowski lived up to expectations and is arguably the greatest tight end in NFL history. There is no denying that. However, giving him the title of the biggest draft steal in 2010 is a stretch. That honor belongs to the second-greatest draft steal of the last 25 years: Antonio Brown.
Forget all of the off-field issues that remain fresh in people’s minds. Brown was one of the greatest wide receivers to ever play the game. He was a sixth-round pick, and no one expected him to reach the heights he ultimately achieved. Yet, he became the best receiver in football at his peak. There will never be another Antonio Brown.
Were his off-field controversies a headache? Yes. Was he too emotional on the sideline at times? Absolutely. Could he be counted on every Sunday to make game-changing plays and put up video game numbers? You know it. Sorry, Mr. Gronk, but there is no reality where a generational sixth-round draft steal should lose out to a high second-round selection.
