The 2008 season for the Pittsburgh Steelers ended in a Super Bowl championship in one of the greatest games ever played. This put the Steelers at pick No. 32 in the 2009 NFL draft. It’s hard to be too critical of the Steelers pick despite the fact that defensive tackle Ziggy Hood didn’t work out as a pro.
But what if they could do it all over again? This is what Pro Football Focus did when they redrafted the first round of the 2009 draft using their draft grades as a guide.
In their redraft, they gave the Steelers former Ole Miss offensive tackle Michael Oher. Oher spent eight seasons in the NFL and started all 110 games he played in. Oher was originally drafted No. 23 overall by the Baltimore Ravens. Oher never made a Pro Bowl or was named as an All-Pro.
Having Oher as the 32nd-best player in this draft highlights just how bad the 2009 draft was. The Detroit Lions got it right with Matthew Stafford No. 1 overall but even looking at the rest of the Steelers picks, you can see just how bad it was. Wide receiver Mike Wallace was the Steelers best pick in the third round. He went No. 17 overall in the redraft.