Best draft picks in Pittsburgh Steelers history
Stacker compiled a list of the best draft picks in Pittsburgh Steelers history using career Weighted Approximate Value (wAV), a metric developed by Pro-Football-Reference.com to estimate career impact. The ranking also lists individual accolades such as Pro Bowl selections, First-Team All-Pro honors, and total years as a starter. Players were assigned to their originally drafted teams, excluding any draft-day trades. Data is as of April 2026.
#10. Alan Faneca (1998, Round 1, Pick 26)
- Position: G
- Career wAV: 108
- Pro Bowls: 9
- First-Team All-Pro: 6
- Games Played: 206
- Seasons as Starter: 13
#8. Joe Greene (1969, Round 1, Pick 4) (tie)
- Position: DT
- Career wAV: 109
- Pro Bowls: 10
- First-Team All-Pro: 4
- Games Played: 181
- Seasons as Starter: 12
#8. Len Dawson (1957, Round 1, Pick 5) (tie)
- Position: QB
- Career wAV: 109
- Pro Bowls: 7
- First-Team All-Pro: 2
- Games Played: 211
- Seasons as Starter: 12
#7. Jack Lambert (1974, Round 2, Pick 46)
- Position: LB
- Career wAV: 111
- Pro Bowls: 9
- First-Team All-Pro: 6
- Games Played: 146
- Seasons as Starter: 10
#5. Jack Ham (1971, Round 2, Pick 34) (tie)
- Position: LB
- Career wAV: 113
- Pro Bowls: 8
- First-Team All-Pro: 6
- Games Played: 162
- Seasons as Starter: 12
#5. Johnny Unitas (1955, Round 9, Pick 102) (tie)
- Position: QB
- Career wAV: 113
- Pro Bowls: 10
- First-Team All-Pro: 5
- Games Played: 211
- Seasons as Starter: 14
#4. Mike Webster (1974, Round 5, Pick 125)
- Position: C
- Career wAV: 114
- Pro Bowls: 9
- First-Team All-Pro: 5
- Games Played: 245
- Seasons as Starter: 14
#3. Cameron Heyward (2011, Round 1, Pick 31)
- Position: DE
- Career wAV: 115
- Pro Bowls: 7
- First-Team All-Pro: 4
- Games Played: 228
- Seasons as Starter: 13
#2. Ben Roethlisberger (2004, Round 1, Pick 11)
- Position: QB
- Career wAV: 131
- Pro Bowls: 6
- First-Team All-Pro: 0
- Games Played: 249
- Seasons as Starter: 17
#1. Rod Woodson (1987, Round 1, Pick 10)
- Position: DB
- Career wAV: 142
- Pro Bowls: 11
- First-Team All-Pro: 6
- Games Played: 238
- Seasons as Starter: 15
Copyright 2026 Stacker Media, LLC
This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 12:29 PM.