In this article, I break down Pittsburgh’s 1st Round pick in their previous eight drafts, which amounts to seven players overall since they traded away their top selection in 2020 for Minkah Fitzpatrick. For each draft, I’ve considered the circumstances that led to their top pick, including roster depth and the talent available when they selected. Then, I’ve created a 1-10 scale that evaluates the degree to which each pick was the Best Player Available (BPA), with low scores representing need-based picks and high scores indicating BPA. What the evidence shows is clear — when the Steelers have had the freedom to go BPA in Round 1, it has paid big dividends.
History shows the best-player-available approach is a smart draft strategy for the Steelers
