Do the Steelers have another second-round draft jinx brewing?
Back when I started covering the team, there was a long-standing joke about the failures of their second-rounders, beginning with Willie Fry, Zack Valentine and Bob Kohrs, three in a row at the tail end of their Super Bowl dynasty years. That jinx extended for the most part until the mid-1980s, eased off and then stopped dead in its tracks when they drafted Dermontti Dawson and Carnell Lake in consecutive second rounds in 1988 and 1989.
They’ve had some outstanding success with some second-round picks in more modern times, particularly with some still on the team, such as Marcus Gilbert, Stephon Tuitt and what they hope will be their next one in rookie Sean Davis.
But not only have they missed badly with such a high draft choice as one in the second round, there have been injuries and other circumstances that have clouded the pick.
Senquez Golson is the most recent example. Drafted in the second round last year, he never practiced with the team as a rookie, opening on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list because of a shoulder problem that eventually required surgery. He had a few practices this spring before a hamstring injury put him on ice the rest of the time. And now, it appears he will miss all of this season with a lisfranc foot injury.
What looked like one of their all-time best No. 2 picks (the Jacks — Ham and Lambert — along with Dawson share that distinction), Le’Veon Bell, appears to be stuck with some sort of jinx with his injuries, one drug suspension and a second that is under appeal.
The No. 2 the year before Bell, Mike Adams in 2012, needs no further explanation. In 2010, there was Jason Worilds, who started off slowly, had two decent years, and then turned down $10 million annually to became a missionary.
They traded away their second-round pick in 2010 to Denver to acquire two third-round picks and chose guard Kraig Urbik with the first of them. He languished on the inactive list as a rookie, and the Steelers cut him the next year. Buffalo claimed him, and he became a starter for the Bills, making good money, and is now with the Miami Dolphins. (The Steelers did recoup somewhat on their second third-rounder by selecting Mike Wallace).
In 2008, they drafted Limas Sweed in the second round, which also needs no further elaboration.
They hit it big in 2007 with LaMarr Woodley, who rang up three seasons of double-digit sacks and made a Pro Bowl before he faded away while an anonymous teammate ripped him for not physically taking care of himself.
They had various success with other second-rounders in this century, including Bryant McFadden (2005), Antwaan Randle El (’02), Kendrell Bell (’01) and Marvel Smith (’00). But they also had consecutive big-time busts with Alonzo Jackson (’03) and Ricardo Colclough (’04).
Somewhat perplexing is the fact the Steelers almost always hit with their No. 1 picks in the 21st century, just not so much with their second-rounders, for whatever reasons. A jinx? Not totally, but not a great track record either.
• Onto a few Ask Ed questions, which can be sent to ebouchette@post-gazette.com
YOU: Ed: a year or two ago, I recall that Mel Blount recommended that the Steelers give a chance to a wide receiver, and he was in camp. Do you recall, and if so, what ended up with him? Is he still with the team?
ED: He is C.J. Goodwin, who played basketball for two years at Bethany College, transferred to Fairmont State and played football there and then transferred to California University (Pa.) and played there. He had worked for Blount. The Steelers signed him in 2014 after a tryout that Blount recommended but he did not make it after two training camps and was cut last August. He joined the Falcons practice squad last November and, interestingly, they converted him this year to a cornerback. He is in their training camp today trying to make it on defense.
YOU: This week the Steelers waived injured two players. How badly were the injuries and what kind of compensation will they receive?
ED: Those would be RB Brandon Johnson of Penn State and center Quinton Schooley of North Carolina State. I’m not sure what their injuries were and while you are correct, they were waived injured, the Steelers did not designate what those injuries were. They probably were minor and unless those injuries were determined to keep them out for a long time, they won’t get much because they would not collect game checks until the start of the regular season.
First Published: August 3, 2016, 11:41 a.m.