Since Mike Tomlin became the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach in 2007, the team has shown the ability to excel at drafting wide receivers. The team has not drafted a receiver in the first round once since 2007, yet has seen a plethora of receiving talents play for them. Not every pick has been a slam dunk, but the vast majority of Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers drafted by the team go on to do great things. This article will outline the good, the bad, and the ugly receivers drafted during the Tomlin era. Tomlin, general manager Kevin Colbert, and the rest of the Steelers organization are the gold standard for drafting receivers in the NFL.
Pittsburgh Steelers Wide Receivers Drafted in the Mike Tomlin Era
The Good
Antonio Brown
Undoubtedly the greatest Steelers receiver drafted since 2007, Antonio Brown was an absolute steal for the Steelers. A sixth-round selection out of Central Michigan, Brown came into the league as an undersized, primarily special teams player. However through the course of his career, Brown went on to become one of the best receivers in the NFL, and one of the best in NFL history. In his nine years with the Steelers, Brown accumulated over 11,000 yards with 75 touchdowns. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler and a four-time first-team All-Pro. He is arguably the greatest Steelers wide receiver of all time, and a tremendous draft pick in the sixth round.
Of course, Brown’s time as part of the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers came to a rocky end. Numerous off-field incidents led to him being traded to the Oakland Raiders prior to the 2019 season. Brown will now remain a controversial figure in Pittsburgh, but because of his on-field contributions, he is undoubtedly one of the greatest Steelers receivers of all-time.
Emmanuel Sanders
A third-round selection in 2010, Emmanuel Sanders is another great receiver drafted by the Steelers. In his 11-year career so far, Sanders has almost 8,000 receiving yards and 42 touchdowns. He was also a two-time Pro Bowler as a member of the Denver Broncos in both 2014 and 2016. Despite only playing four years with the Steelers, Sanders is one of the best receivers drafted by Mike Tomlin and company. It is unfortunate for Steelers fans that Sanders left the team as a free agent in 2014, but he has gone on to have an extremely successful NFL career. Sanders is now one of the most respected veterans in the NFL and was first given a chance in the league by the Steelers.
READ MORE: The Extraordinary History of the Pittsburgh Steelers Logo
Mike Wallace
Another third-round selection by the Steelers, speedster Mike Wallace went on to have a very successful career in the NFL. In his nine-year career, Wallace totaled over 8,000 receiving yards and 57 touchdowns. Similar to the aforementioned Sanders, Wallace and the team could not agree to a contract extension after the 2012 season, as he left the Steelers to join the Miami Dolphins. Despite his short tenure with the Steelers, Wallace was still a solid draft pick by the team. He established himself as one of the best deep threat receivers in the NFL and was drafted with great value in the third round of the 2010 draft.
Juju Smith-Schuster
Coming out of USC, Juju Smith-Schuster was the fifth receiver drafted in the 2017 draft. A second-round selection, Juju has gone on to have an explosive young career so far. At just 23 years of age, Smith-Schuster already has three NFL seasons under his belt. He has almost 3,000 yards and 17 touchdowns. He had a Pro Bowl season in 2018, where he caught 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns, making him a top-five receiver that season. Coming up on a contract year, many Steelers fans hope the team can keep Smith-Schuster around long-term. History shows Mike Tomlin and company typically don’t extend wide receivers long term, but Juju may be an exception.
Diontae Johnson
A third-round selection in 2019, Johnson had a very solid rookie season. Totaling 680 yards and five touchdowns, Johnson has a promising future ahead. Johnson is one of the brightest young receiving prospects in the NFL and aims to be a presence for the Steelers as his game develops.
James Washington
A second-round pick in 2018, Washington has been a solid target for the Steelers over his short career. Totaling 952 yards in two seasons, Washington’s physical nature of play fits right in with the Steelers. Although he may never be a superstar in the NFL, Washington’s physical play style will fit in well with the Steelers moving forward.
Chase Claypool
The newest Steelers receiver is a physical freak out of Notre Dame. At 6’4” with a 4.42 40 yard dash, Claypool seems to be a very solid pick in the second round of the 2020 draft. It is too early to tell how Claypool will look like for the Steelers, but the Canadian has all the measurable to succeed under Mike Tomlin and the Steelers.
THE BAD
Markus Wheaton
A third-round selection out of Oregon State, many Steelers fans had high hopes for Markus Wheaton. Unfortunately, Wheaton never really panned out for the team. In his four years with the Steelers, Wheaton totaled 1,508 yards, with eight touchdowns. Wheaton was not terrible by any means, but never really lived up to his full potential. He will largely be remembered by Steelers fans for his 2015 performance against the Seattle Seahawks. Wheaton put up 201 yards and a touchdown against the prime “Legion of Boom” in Seattle. He certainly showed flashes of brilliance over his career, but could never consistently show his talents.
Demarcus Ayers
As a seventh-round selection, Ayers only appeared in two games with the Steelers, catching six passes and one touchdown. Ayers was waived after one season and now plays in the CFL for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. As a seventh-round pick, Ayers wasn’t exactly a bust, but his NFL career did not last long.
Toney Clemons
Another seventh-round selection, Clemons never played a game for the Steelers. He was signed from the Steelers practice squad from the Jaguars and played only four career NFL games.
Justin Brown
A sixth-round pick in 2013, Brown played just eight games for the Steelers. Brown was subsequently waived by the Steelers the following year. He now played for the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL. As a late round selection, Brown is not exactly a bust but did not work out for the Steelers.
Dallas Baker
A seventh-round pick, Baker had just one reception in his eight games with the Steelers. His NFL career was short and is now a wide receivers coach for Marshall University.
THE UGLY
Limas Sweed
Possibly the biggest receiving bust of the Tomlin era, Limas Sweed was a 2008 second-round draft pick out of Texas. Sweed only played two seasons with the Steelers, accumulating 69 yards and no touchdowns. He was released by the Steelers following an Achilles injury in 2010. Sweed never panned out in the NFL largely due to his inconsistent hands and injury problems. However, Steelers fans will remember Sweed for his vicious block in the AFC Championship Game against the rival Baltimore Ravens.
Sammie Coates
Sammie Coates was a 2015 third-round selection from Auburn. Coates only played two seasons with the Steelers, totaling just over 500 yards and two touchdowns. Coates battled a number of injuries over his short career and was traded to the Cleveland Browns prior to the 2017 season. Coates never lived up to his third-round selection, resulting in a rather short NFL career.
Martavis Bryant
On the field, Martavis Bryant was an absolute monster. A fourth-round pick out of Clemson, Bryant ran a blazing 4.42 40 yard dash, while standing at 6’4”. There is no denying his talent when he is on the football field. Unfortunately for Bryant and the Steelers, his off-field issues got in the way of his talent. After numerous failed drug tests, the Steelers traded Bryant to the Oakland Raiders for a third-round pick. Bryant is currently a free agent.
