The Pittsburgh Steelers know how to draft wide receivers. While schools like Penn State University have declared themselves ‘Linebacker University’, the Steelers could dub themselves a ‘Wide Receiver Factory’.
In the Kevin Colbert era, the amount of quality wide receivers the team has brought in is ridiculous. Emmanuel Sanders, Martavis Bryant, Mike Wallace, Santonio Holmes and plenty more, but the one which stands above the rest?
Antonio Brown.
What makes this entire story even more special is how Brown was an after thought. Drafted the same year as Emmanuel Sanders, Brown was expected to compete as just a return man. Sanders was the polished receiver, and Brown was just a late round pick who might turn out to be a special teams ace.
What Brown did next was not just be the return man the Steelers had been hoping to find, but showed he completed what was then called the ‘Young Money Crew’. Brown, Sanders and Wallace were the trio, along with veteran Hines Ward, but of the trio it is Brown who has stood out.
When it comes to receptions and yardage, no one in the NFL has out-produced Brown on his historic 4-year run at wide receiver, and it is amazing to think Brown was a 6th round pick with little-to-no expectations placed on him coming out of Central Michigan.
Whether Brown is the greatest Draft ‘Steal’ of all-time is debatable, but if he isn’t atop the list, he certainly is in the upper echelon.
If you haven’t watched it yet, check out the video on Brown’s ascension from 6th round afterthought to All-Pro above!!