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5 most successful draft picks of Kevin Colbert’s tenure as Pittsburgh Steelers GM

Kevin Colbert at the NFL Combine
Kevin Colbert at the NFL Combine

Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert announced earlier in the year his intention to step down from his role after the 2022 NFL Draft. Now that the draft has taken place, Colbert’s time as general manager of the Steelers has ended.

He has spent the last 22 years with the Steelers, first as Director of Football Operations from 2000 to 2010, and the first, and so far the only, general manager of the Steelers since 2010.

Colbert was instrumental in drafting some of the best players in franchise history. He was pivotal in building two Super Bowl-winning teams that won Super Bowl XL and XLIII with him as general manager. Here are five of the most successful draft picks during Kevin Colbert’s tenure as Pittsburgh Steelers general manager.

#5 - Maurkice Pouncey, C, 2010

Maurkice Pouncey vs. New York Jets
Maurkice Pouncey vs. New York Jets

Maurkice Pouncey was drafted by Colbert and the Steelers with their first-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. He would go on to become arguably the best center of his generation.

Pouncey played in Pittsburgh from 2010 to 2020 and made the Pro Bowl nine times in his 11 NFL seasons. He was named a first-team All-Pro three times: in 2011, 2012, and 2014.

Pouncey was a home-run pick for the team. With fellow offensive lineman David DeCastro and Alejandro Villanueva, he would form excellent protection for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and create plenty of running lanes for Le’Veon Bell and, later, James Conner.

Pouncey announced his retirement from the NFL in February 2021 and will surely be a Pro Football Hall of Famer one day.

#4 - T.J. Watt, LB, 2017

T.J. Watt vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
T.J. Watt vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected linebacker T.J. Watt, brother of J.J. Watt, out of Wisconsin with the 30th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. So far, T.J. has more than repaid the faith shown in him by general manager Kevin Colbert. Since being drafted, Watt has been a pillar of the team's defense and has been selected to four Pro Bowls in his five NFL seasons.

Watt also took home NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2021 after tying Michael Strahan’s NFL season sack record with 22.5 quarterback takedowns. He has led the league in sacks, TFLs, and quarterback hits over the last two years, and the Steelers seem to have found the star of their defense for years to come.

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