Throwback Thursday: Top Pitt Panthers drafted by Steelers

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Steel City Underground takes fans back in time to feature events, special moments, and historical times and players in the world of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Steelers Nation. Join us in our “Steelers Throwback Thursday” series as we revisit these moments.

Football fans in western Pennsylvania love cheering on the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) Panthers on Saturdays and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Sometimes, the two worlds can intersect in a pretty convenient way, as stars from the college program graduate to the Steelers for their professional football journey.

We’ll take a look at three of the best University of Pittsburgh stars to get drafted by the Steelers since 1989.

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James Conner

Perhaps the most inspiring player to have made the Panthers-to-Steelers leap is James Conner. While he was a junior at the University of Pittsburgh, Conner was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, which put his promising football career on hold. It seemed like the timing could not have been worse for the aspiring star, as he had just rushed for 1,765 yards and an astonishing 26 touchdowns as a sophomore.

Whether it was helping Pitt beat the NCAAF odds or beating cancer, Conner was determined to come back with a vengeance once he returned to the gridiron. He helped the Panthers boost their offensive output during the 2016 season as he rushed for 1,092 yards and 16 touchdowns.

The Steelers selected Conner in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. While he was sparingly used as a rookie, Conner had a stellar sophomore campaign and rushed for 973 yards and 12 touchdowns on his way to a Pro Bowl year. In his four seasons with the Steelers, Conner played in 50 games, carried the ball 532 times for 2,302 yards and 22 touchdowns. The running back also caught 124 passes for 963 yards and 4 touchdowns.

In 2019, against the Cleveland Browns, Conner did the unthinkable: he rushed for two touchdowns in three consecutive games, surpassing the franchise record and Steelers greats like Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Jerome Bettis, Fast Willie Parker, and Le’Veon Bell.

Although he departed the Steelers for the Arizona Cardinals, Conner has continued to find success in the NFL for the past four seasons and outperformed his stats while in Pittsburgh.

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Hank Poteat

We have to go back to the 1990s to relive Hank Poteat’s Pittsburgh Panthers career. He was a running back and defensive back, but was largely known for his contributions on special teams as a return man. In 1998, Poteat led the conference in kickoff return yardage with 764.

Poteat was selected by the Steelers in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. The cornerback was widely used as a  primary handler of punt and kick returns in Pittsburgh in 2000 and 2001, bringing one punt return back to the house as a rookie. During his Steelers career, Poteat played in 41 games in three seasons, returned 76 punts for 788 yards and 1 touchdown as well as 45 kick returns for 818 yards. When utilized at defensive back, Poteat forced eight fumbles, and recovered 3 loose balls.

Poteat went on to play three seasons with the New York Jets, three with the New England Patriots, one with the Cleveland Browns, before finishing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2004, Poteat was a Super Bowl champion with the Patriots.

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Kenny Pickett

Kenny Pickett had one of the most famous, or infamous, plays in college football history during Pitt’s 2021 campaign. Using his mobility, Pickett was off to the races down the field as a defender appeared sure to bring him down. However, the quarterback faked a slide and juked out the defender, as Pickett continued on for a touchdown.

While many have debated the merits and legality of the tactic, Pickett couldn’t fake his way to 42 passing touchdowns and 4,319 yards as a senior in 2021. His well-rounded skill set compelled the Steelers to select him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Even though his tenure with the Steelers didn’t last very long, Pickett finished his two-year Steelers stint with a winning 14-10 record, even though the numbers weren’t always pretty. He threw for 4,474 yards in that span for 13 touchdowns.

Pickett requested a trade from the team after the 2023 NFL season – one that saw him replace Mitch Trubisky – upon hearing that the Steelers were bringing in veteran Russell Wilson per ESPN. The Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles agreed on a trade; the deal was agreed upon on condition that the Eagles would trade back a 2024 third-round pick (No. 98) and fourth-round pick (No. 120) as well as two 2025 seventh-round picks. This offseason, Pickett was traded to the Cleveland Browns.

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Honorable Mention

Jerry Olsavsky (1989, 10th round (258th overall)

 

Throwback Thursday: Top Pitt Panthers drafted by Steelers appeared first on Steel City Underground.

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