In 2009, the Steelers drafted a defensive end in the first round of the draft for the first time since taking Huey Richardson with the No. 15 overall pick in 1991. Ziggy Hood wasn’t the colossal bust that Richardson was, but he never earned a second contract with the Steelers. Two years after selecting Hood, the Steelers doubled down and selected another defensive end in the first round.
That time, they got it right. Cam Heyward was taken with the No. 31 overall choice and has developed into one of the top defenders in the NFL. The Steelers have made their defensive line a priority in recent years and found Heyward’s bookend in 2014 when they invested their second-round pick in Stephon Tuitt, who started 14 games last season in his first as a full-time starter.