Steelers' Secrets Revealed As Long-Time Assistant Exposes Team's Detailed Draft Process

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a weird position with their current team. The organization is clearly making the moves to win now, but the franchise also wants to set itself up for the future. Aside from a franchise quarterback, the team is full of young talent, and that talent will only grow as the Steelers are projected to have 12 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. There has been a recent injection of youth on both sides of the ball through the draft, as Pittsburgh continues to draft young players that have been able to make a meaningful impact. 

The rookie class in 2024 was good and has the chance to get better, and fans are excited about the rookies coming in during the 2025 season. In order for any team to have success it has to be able to hit on some players in the draft. Ideally, organizations want their top picks to work out, but the best teams find a way to select players later on in the event that can be impactful. 

Every team's process when it comes to the draft is probably a little different, and dynamics chance when going from team to team. However, long-time Steelers coach Keith Butler sat down with Talegate Sports to discuss what the process looks like in Pittsburgh.

"The scouts have determined who's gonna be drafted high, who ain't gonna be drafted high." Butler said. "What you have to do as a coach is you gotta go in and, as a coordinator, I had to look at like 50 guys. In order to study those guys, you have to watch three or four games from their last year to see what kind of players they are and see what they do best and see what they struggle with or try to determine that. And then you go in and you stack the board. You try to put people up there that you want that you think fits what we do."

Butler explained that scouts throughout the year get top prospects together for the coaching staff, and then positional coaches and coordinators take a look at the film of some of these players. This is likely where the Steelers start to get an idea of who the franchise will want to pay attention to during the NFL's Scouting Combine, as well as build out a schedule for visiting Pro Days.

Butler has been with Pittsburgh in different capacities. He was the linebackers coach from 2003 through 2014, and he then served as the defensive coordinator from 2015 through 2021. The weight of his opinion during he draft process likely changed over his time in Pittsburgh, but he did mention that Head Coach Mike Tomlin has a ton of say through the NFL Draft.

"It stops with the GM." Butler said. "But, the Steelers anyway, the head coach got a big say and the head coach usually if he knows his assistants, he usually has a good idea about what they think too."

Tomlin having the most say makes sense considering he is the head coach, but Butler made sure to mention that he is usually on the same page with his assistant coaches. Other executives also have some say, including former General Manager Kevin Colbert when he was in Pittsburgh, and current General Manager Omar Khan.

Steelers Seem To Be Breaking Out Of Streak Of Rough Draft Picks

For a while, the Steelers struggled during the NFL Draft. Their first-round picks did not pan out in 2018 or 2019, and the 2022 draft was a disaster after selecting Kenny Pickett in the first round. The organization also took a lot of heat for selecting Najee Harris in the first round in 2021, as this was during the peak of the argument discussing the value of running backs. 

Recent drafts seem to suggest the organization is using a different strategy while approaching the event, which could be due to Assistant General Manager Andy Weidl, who has become known as some sort of draft expert throughout the league.

What do you think about these comments from Butler? Let us know in the comments below!

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