Pittsburgh Steelers OLB T.J. Watt has been a game-wrecker ever since he entered the league as the No. 30 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. And in a recent All-Decade Mock Draft, Watt was named the best player to be picked No. 30 since 2015, a selection that PFF’s Trevor Sikkema called a no-brainer.
“This was perhaps the easiest selection of them all. Watt, who has been one of the best players in the NFL over the past decade, was an absolute steal for the Steelers at No. 30 overall in 2017. He is a six-time Pro Bowler, a four-time first-team All-Pro and a Defensive Player of the Year winner while being considered for the award in a handful of other years,” Sikkema wrote.
Watt was the only played drafted by the Steelers to make the list, but he’s more than deserving. He only has one Defensive Player of the Year award, but he should have more as he’s tied for the all-time single-season sack record. Watt was the only one considered to go No. 30, which isn’t much of a surprise because there have been more busts than hits at the slot in the first round since 2015. Names like DeAndre Baker, Damarious Randall, Vernon Butler and Noah Igbinoghene all have gone with the No. 30 overall pick, and in totality, it’s not a very impressive group. George Karlaftis and Gregory Rousseau, both EDGE rushers, are among Watt’s toughest competition to be considered for the best pick.
Patrick Queen, now with the Steelers, also made the list as the best player to be selected at No. 28 overall. EDGE Payton Turner was also considered by Sikkema, but Queen was an All-Pro in 2023 and drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. Sikkema wrote that Queen’s rising coverage grade over the past two seasons and a lack of competition made him the pick.
“Queen’s career got off to a rough start, as he recorded 29.7 and 43.5 PFF overall grades in his first two seasons. But his past two single-season grades have been above 70.0. That high overall grade was based on much better coverage grades in 2022 and 2023. Fortunately for him, the competition at this pick number wasn’t too stiff,” Sikkema wrote.
Minkah Fitzpatrick also made it the list, but he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins, who misused him as a slot corner in his rookie season before he was traded to Pittsburgh and became an All-Pro in his second season. He beat out Marshon Lattimore as the best player to be selected at No. 11. The Dolphins did a good job knowing that Fitzpatrick could be a good player in their evaluation, but the Steelers were the team that properly utilized him and saw him take his game to the next level.
EDGE Myles Garrett was named the best No. 1 overall pick since 2015, edging out Joe Burrow. The AFC North was well-represented, with six picks coming from the division, although the Bengals didn’t have a single selection make the list. Queen, Marlon Humphrey and Lamar Jackson made it for the Ravens, while Garrett and David Njoku were the two Browns draft picks selected, with Watt the lone Steeler.
It’s a fun exercise to look back on and see some steals or some spots where there just hasn’t been a lot of talent dating back to 2015. Watt certainly qualifies as a steal as a late first-round pick who’s blossomed into the best defensive player in football.
