NFL draft: Pittsburgh Steelers history of trading down

Advertisement

NFL draft: Steelers history of trading down

While the Pittsburgh Steelers have been fairly active in trading up, trading down is less frequent. In 22 drafts, the majority under now-former general manager Kevin Colbert, the Steelers have traded back a half-dozen times.

Let’s take a look at the trades and which players they acquired with those selections.

2023 – TE Darnell Washington, LB Nick Herbig

Conor Courtney/Getty Images

In Omar Khan’s first draft in the general manager role, the Steelers made two draft-day trades. Their second was a trade back, sending No. 80 (third-round) to the Carolina Panthers for pick No. 93 and No. 132 (fourth-round) which produced Darnell Washington and Nick Herbig.

2010 – CB Bryant McFadden, WR Antonio Brown

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

This trade back involved a player and a pick, sending fifth-round pick (No. 155) to the Arizona Cardinals for Bryant McFadden and a sixth-rounder, No. 195. That pick gave the Steelers arguably the best pass-catcher in franchise history, Antonio Brown.

2009 – G Kraig Urbik, WR Mike Wallace

Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

In Colbert’s second of three consecutive drafts trading down, the Steelers send Nos. 64 and 132 to the Denver Broncos for guard Kraig Urbik (No. 79) and wide receiver Mike Wallace (No. 84).

2008 – OT Tony Hills, S Ryan Mundy

Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

Pittsburgh sent its No. 123 fourth-round pick to the New York Giants in exchange for a fourth-rounder Tony Hills (No. 130) and safety Ryan Mundy (No. 194).

2006 - S Anthony Smith, WR Willie Reid

James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

The Steelers sent their second-round No. 64 pick to the Minnesota Vikings for Nos. 83 and 95, safety Anthony Smith and wide receiver Willie Reid.

2001 - NT Casey Hampton, OT Mathias Nkwenti, DE Rodney Bailey

Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Colbert made a doozy of a statement in his first NFL draft as Steelers general manager, trading the team’s No. 16 first-round pick. They got a trio of picks in return: Nos. 19, 111 and 181, which became nose tackle Casey Hampton, offensive tackle Mathias Nkwenti and defensive end Rodney Bailey.

More Draft news