David DeCastro has been one of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ best first round picks over the last decade. But he very nearly didn’t become a Steeler. At least, that’s according to this draft-day nugget tweeted out by NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala. Pittsburgh was apparently set on drafting Alabama linebacker Dont’a Hightower at #24 back in 2012. But Team President Art Rooney II stepped in and compelled Kevin Colbert/Mike Tomlin to instead choose DeCastro.
Here’s the tweet.
One of the first behind-the-scenes stories I was told when I moved to PIT in 2012: #Steelers were all set to draft stud LB Dont'a Hightower.