PFF: Jarvis Jones Worst Steelers Draft Pick of Last 15 Years
The Steelers have been one of the best-drafting teams in NFL history, and that success has largely continued under current general manager Kevin Colbert, but even the best make mistakes in the tough-to-project selection process.
Pro Football Focus rated the worst draft selection for each team since 2006 on Friday and for the Steelers, that man was 2013 first-round pick Jarvis Jones.
Looking for an edge rusher, the Steelers took Jones with the No. 17 overall pick, but Jones lasted just four NFL seasons and started 35 games while earning a total of six NFL sacks.
“Jones had notoriously bad testing numbers coming out of Georgia, but the Steelers still nabbed the SEC defensive player of the year,” Michael Renner of PFF wrote. “After 28 sacks his final two seasons with the Bulldogs, he managed six in four seasons before exiting the NFL. Thankfully, the Steelers went the opposite route on the edge a few years later and ended up with T.J. Watt.”
Pro Bowlers Eric Reid, Kyle Long, Tyler Eifert and Desmond Trufant went in the five picks after Jones. The Steelers did better with their second pick, landing three-time Pro Bowl running back Le’Veon Bell.
The Steelers did not pick up the fifth-year option on Jones’ contract and he became a free agent after the 2016 season. The Steelers used their next first-round pick on another outside linebacker, taking T.J. Watt at No. 30 in 2017.
Jones has been out of the NFL since 2018 and recently returned to Georgia to finish his undergraduate degree.
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