As is becoming tradition in the NFL draft, former franchise greats for all 32 teams are set to announce draft picks in Kansas City, celebrating a remarkable career while welcoming in a new player to their respective franchises.
For the Pittsburgh Steelers, former All-Pro guard and Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021 guard Alan Faneca will announce the Steelers’ second-round pick on Friday. It will be the Steelers’ selection at No. 49 overall, which is Pittsburgh’s original second-round pick, instead of No. 32 overall, which was acquired from the Chicago Bears in the Chase Claypool trade last season.
According to Steelers.com’s Teresa Varley, Faneca will attend the draft in Kansas City along with his son, Burton.
“It’s always nice to get back in and be a part of anything NFL related, anything Steelers related,” Faneca told Varley, according to Steelers.com. “It’s fun to step back into that world a little bit. And I’m bringing my son, Burton, with me. It’s nice to really share those moments with my kids who weren’t around much at all when I was playing. He’s been asking lots of questions just randomly in the car. It shows me he’s been thinking about it. He’s excited. He loves to get back and be a part of it. To see that excitement and to be able to share with him gets me excited.”
Along with Faneca, former Steelers outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley and current Steelers outside linebacker Alex Highsmith will announce the Steelers’ fourth-round pick at No. 120 overall from the Steelers Youth Flag Football Tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Saturday.
Faneca was drafted No. 26 overall by the Steelers in the 1998 NFL Draft out of LSU and went on to play 10 seasons with Pittsburgh and 13 total in the NFL with the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals. Faneca helped lead the Steelers to a win in Super Bowl XL over the Seattle Seahawks. He threw the key block that sprung Willie Parker on the Super Bowl record 75-yard touchdown run to open the second half. He earned six first-team All-Pro and two second-team All-Pro accolades, while also making nine trips to the Pro Bowl.
Woodley was a second-round pick by the Steelers in the 2007 NFL Draft out of Michigan and appeared well on his way to a legendary career with the Steelers, recording seasons of 11.5, 13.5, 10.0 and 9.0 sacks in his four of his first five seasons, but injuries ultimately derailed his career. In seven seasons in Pittsburgh, Woodley recorded 57.0 career sacks and earned second-team All-Pro recognition and a Pro Bowl berth in the 2009 season.
Highsmith, who wears the same number of 56 that Woodley did during his time in Pittsburgh, has put together an impressive first three seasons and is coming off of a career-high 14.5 sacks in 2022. A third-round pick out of Charlotte, Highsmith became the full-time starter for the Steelers opposite T.J. Watt in the 2021 season.
