Grading the Steelers 2013 draft class
The Steelers 2013 draft class certainly came with its share of up and downs. It’s not often a draft gives you an All-Pro player along with one of the worst picks in franchise history, but Pittsburgh’s 2013 draft did exactly that.
As in all drafts, it was never all good or all bad for the Steelers. Rather, it was a drastic mix of both. After four years in the books, here are my grades for each player of the Steelers 2013 draft class.
1st Round – Jarvis Jones, OLB
Grade: F
If there was a grade worse than an ‘F’, Jarvis Jones certainly earned it. I was scared initially when they drafted him, because Jarvis tested as such a horrible athlete coming out of Georgia, and his play only solidified my concerns. Here is how his athleticism matches up against other NFL players at his position:
| Measurable | Measurement | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Hand Size | 9⅛” | 12 |
| 40 Yard Dash | 4.92s | 6 |
| Vertical Jump | 30½” | 11 |
| Broad Jump | 117″ | 50 |
| 3-Cone Drill | 7.43s | 11 |
| 20 Yard Shuttle | 4.69s | 1 |
| Bench Press | 16 reps | 9 |
The broad jump was the only athletic category Jones was average in. Every other measurable category, Jarvis was horrendous. On top of being a poor athlete, Jones showed absolutely zero promise as a pass rusher on the Steelers. He garnered just 1 sack in his first season and only 6 sacks in his four-year tender with Pittsburgh.
Jarvis Jones’s lack of production and complete inability to make a difference make him, in my opinion, led him to be one of the worst picks in the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
2nd Round – Le’Veon Bell, RB
Grade: A+
What a turnaround in round two for the Steelers. After drafting one of the worst players in recent memory, the Steelers rejuvenate themselves by selecting an All-Pro running back in round 2. Bell didn’t start off completely dominant as a rookie, but by his sophomore season, he was lighting up the NFL.
Bell was one of the top backs in the league in 2014, 2016, and 2017. He was on pace for a great season through six games in 2015 before tearing his ACL on a Vontaze Burfict tackle. Le’Veon has been arguably the best overall back in the league since 2014 and his ability to catch and block make his production incredibly difficult to match.
No matter what happens with Bell this offseason, he will no doubt be considered one of the best running backs in Steelers history, and one of the greatest picks they ever had in the 2nd round.
3rd Round – Markus Wheaton, WR
Grade: C+
I truly believe Wheaton would have received a better grade if not for a career riddled by injuries. Though Wheaton never possessed the traits to be a star receiver, he could have been a solid contributor for the Steelers, and in fact, he was at times.
Over a 19 game stretch from 2014 to 2015, Markus Wheaton compiled 1,393 yards and 7 touchdowns. The end of this stretch was capped by a fantastic 6-game stretch, which included 4 touchdowns and a 201 yard game against Seattle on the Road.
Wheaton wasn’t a real consistent player, and because of his injuries and the emergence of Martavis Bryant, he never really became more than a 3rd option in Pittsburgh for Big Ben. Wheaton was a decent pick, but not as good as some other receivers they have taken in the 3rd round in recent years.
4th Round – Shamarko Thomas, SS
Grade: D-
How does a player live up to be the eventual heir apparent to the great Troy Polamalu? Well, they can’t. Those were the shoes that Shamarko Thomas was asked to fill after being drafted by the Steelers in 2013.
Shamarko was a fast, hard-hitting player, but his lack of discipline and football instincts left him with just 2 defensive starts in 5 seasons with the Steelers. Pittsburgh got a solid gunner and special teams player out of Thomas, but he never lived up to his billing.
4th Round (Comp.) – Landry Jones, QB
Grade: A-
Some of you probably snickered when you saw this grade from Landry Jones, but hear me out: Jones has been a solid backup for years now. He has filled in quite nicely in Roethlisberger’s absence and played in 18 games over the past three seasons.
Though Jones definitely isn’t franchise material, the Steelers got what they were looking for in Landry. Other than maybe Mike Glennon, Jones turned out to be the best quarterback in this very weak draft class headlined by E.J. Manuel, Geno Smith, Matt Barkley, and Ryan Nassib. So if we look at it from that perspective, the Steelers did quite well with a compensatory 4th.
5th Round – Terry Hawthorne, DB
Grade: F
The Steelers experimented with the Illinois product in the 5th round but he didn’t make it through the final cuts out of training camp his rookie year. The 5th round is very hit or miss, but this was a bad pick by the Steelers.
6th Round – Justin Brown, WR
Grade: D-
Antonio Brown‘s don’t grow on trees. It’s just hard to hit on receivers in the 6th round. Justin Brown (no relation) played just 8 games with the Steelers and compiled 94 yards before being cut. Give him some credit for making the initial 53-man roster, but his time was short-lived.
6th Round (Comp.) – Vince Williams, LB
Grade: A
Anytime you can find a starter as a former 6th round compensatory pick, you’re doing alright. Williams isn’t the biggest or fastest linebacker in the game. He doesn’t have a special trait that stands out, and he’s not a player opposing offenses must fear.
Williams is probably best suited as a teams’ 3rd linebacker who can come in and be a solid piece when the starters get tired or injured. However, considering where he was drafted and the success he has had, it’s hard not to give Vince a good grade here. You could do far worse at the end of the 6th round.
7th Round – Nicholas Williams, DT
Grade: F
The Steelers selected a long and tall defensive tackle with their final pick in 2013. Like most 7th round picks, Williams just didn’t do enough to warrant a roster spot in Pittsburgh. He did, however, end up dressing in 26 games between the Chiefs and Dolphins from 2014-2016.
Overall Draft Grade: B
The Steelers 2013 draft was by no means spectacular. It’s hard to have a great draft when your very first pick is a complete bust. However, Le’Veon Bell more than made up for the erred pick in the first round. The Steelers also found a rotational wide receiver and a solid backup quarterback in this draft. In the late rounds, the Steelers drafted a linebacker who would prove to be a starter for them.
The Steelers found contributors on 4 of their 9 picks. While the success rate isn’t good, Pittsburgh struck gold by drafting an All-Pro running back who has helped the Steelers to some of the best offensive years in their impressive history. Ultimately, this turned out to be a pretty solid draft for Kevin Colbert and company – despite the 1st round bust.
