The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long history of bringing in edge rushers and having them pan out to be stars. The most recent is Alex Highsmith who is entering the last year of his rookie deal in Pittsburgh. Highsmith is only the most recent name on this list of the elite edge rushers in Pittsburgh. How do the Steelers seem to luck into these edge rushers?
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Steelers 2020 linebackers, Bud Dupree (#48) and TJ Watt (#90) get ready to rush the passer.
The Steelers have always found success in edge rushers and seem to always have the ability to get players to the football, especially in passing situations. This is in large part to do with mega star, TJ Watt, the 2021 AP Defensive Player of the Year. He is the third fastest player to 75 sacks behind his brother J.J. Watt and Reggie White. TJ has averaged a little under 13 sacks a year since coming into the league, and the star signed a long-term contract to keep being the pride and joy of Pittsburgh. The Steelers have always found success on the other side of TJ Watt as well, the first player to hold that mantle being Bud Dupree.
Dupree, who had his best two seasons before leaving for the Tennessee Titans on a big deal, came into the league in 2015 from Kentucky University. Dupree has had meetings with the Steelers in the last two weeks to hopefully rekindle what he and Watt had together and re-sign with the franchise. Having 17 sacks over his last two years in Pittsburgh, Dupree was a great addition to be alongside TJ, but even before these two rushers, the Steelers had success at this position.
(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Harrison and Vince Williams take a break during practice at training camp in Latrobe, Pa., on Monday, Aug. 1, 2016.
James Harrison was a one-man wrecking crew for the Steelers for the better part of 10 years. Winning Defensive Player of The Year in 2008, and being famous for some pretty insane workouts, Harrison was the golden child and embodied Steelers culture and what it meant to play in the black and gold. The defense around him was riddled with stars and Steelers legends like Joey Porter, and LaMarr Woodly, to name a few. The Steelers have always seemed to have a bounty of feared pass rushers, with the group mentioned above all having a role in Steelers history, and some having roles in championship teams that will stand in history forever. The Steelers have a knack for finding edge talent. Who in this class might be able to add to this group of stars?
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Nolan Smith
With the 32nd pick, the Steelers have the option to take a long-term edge rusher addition to cement the position for the upcoming years. Players like Nolan Smith out of Georgia, Lukas Van Ness out of Iowa, or Myles Murphy from Clemson are all options that the Steelers could be looking at adding. With all three having an upside and the ability to start right away, the Steelers are going to be faced with decisions that could change the direction of the franchise immediately.
What do you think the Steelers will do in the upcoming NFL Draft? Who is your favorite edge rusher in Steelers' history? Let us know on Twitter or in the comments.
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