Although the NFL season just ended, we’re already in the heart of the offseason. Free agency is just a couple of weeks out with the 2026 NFL Draft, one held in Pittsburgh, not far behind. The annual NFL Combine, the league’s biggest job interview, is underway with testing beginning Thursday. The Steelers have a front-row seat to watch some of the top prospects take the field in Indianapolis.
Every year, there’s a handful of incredible combine performances that stand out among the rest. This year is sure to be no different. But what kind of athletic freaks have the Steelers drafted in the past? Let’s take a look at five notable performances throughout history that helped those players land with Pittsburgh on draft day.
For clarity, this list will only include players drafted by Pittsburgh. For example, DK Metcalf had an excellent showing in the combine back in 2019. But the Steelers didn’t draft him, so he won’t be on here.
No. 5 – Joey Porter Sr., LB, Colorado State (1999)
Porter took on the combine back in 1999, and he made the most of it. His total RAS score (Relative Athletic Score) came in at an impressive 9.71 out of 10. Arguably, his strongest effort came in the vertical jump at a whopping 39 inches. His broad jump came in at just over 10 feet, and he put up 27 reps on the bench press. Porter also showcased his speed for his position, running a 4.68 40-yard dash. If he had scored better in the shuttle (4.41) and three-cone (7.37) drills, he might even be higher up this list.
The Steelers ended up drafting Porter in the third round that year, and he went on to have a stellar eight-year run with the Steelers.
No. 4 – Scott Shields, S, Weber State (1999)
How about the player drafted the round before Porter? Scott Shields is another defender who had a terrific combine, which helped land him in Pittsburgh. Shields’ RAS score came in at 9.92, nearly perfect. His 40-yard dash time was his strongest attribute, 4.55 seconds. But his short-area quickness took center stage, with his 20-yard split at 2.56 seconds, and his 10-yard split was 1.53 seconds. His broad jump was nearly identical to Porter’s, and Shields just narrowly beat him out with a 4.06-second short shuttle and a 7.03-second three-cone drill.
Unfortunately, Shields didn’t live up to the hype as a second-round pick. He played just two seasons with the Steelers and was out of the NFL afterwards.
No. 3 – T.J. Watt, OLB, Wisconsin (2017)
Coming in with exactly the same RAS score at 9.92 is T.J. Watt. He always fit the bill in terms of his size, but Watt really impressed the Steelers with his explosiveness during his combine. His 37-inch vertical jump, 6.79-second three-cone drill, 4.13-second shuttle, and a broad jump of well more than 10 feet all turned heads. There really was no weakness on display during his weekend at the combine. Watt’s “worst” number came in the 40-yard dash (4.69 seconds), but even then he showed his quickness with an impressive 1.59-second 10-yard split.
His combine performance certainly wasn’t a fluke. Watt was drafted with the 30th overall pick in 2017 and has cemented himself as one of the best players in franchise history.
No. 2 – Bud Dupree, OLB, Kentucky (2015)
Really, it could be considered a toss-up between Watt and Dupree here. Dupree was nearly perfect in multiple areas, which is why I give him the edge. Dupree’s vertical jump of 42 inches and his broad jump of 11 feet, six inches, were both simply incredible. Of all linebackers in combine history, Dupree is second of all linebackers in combine history in both vertical and broad jump, according to NFL.com. His overall RAS score came in at 9.47.
The Steelers ended up taking Dupree with the 22nd overall pick in 2015, and he put together some solid moments over six years in Pittsburgh.
No. 1 – Kordell Stewart, QB, Colorado (1995)
Many regard Kordell Stewart as a quarterback who was ahead of his time. His performance at the 1995 combine is evidence of that, and it helped him land with the Steelers. Stewart comes in first on this list with two perfect RAS grades. He achieved a perfect 10 in both his broad jump of nearly 10 and a half feet and his 40-yard dash at 4.52 seconds.
Aside from his basic height and weight measurements, Stewart’s worst score was a 9.26/10 in the shuttle, which he finished in a still-impressive 4.13 seconds. Those two perfect grades stand out, and Stewart was extremely well-rounded in the rest of his testing. His total RAS score came out to 9.85.
The Steelers ended up selecting Stewart late in the second round that year. He’d go on to spend eight years in Pittsburgh and start 80 games for the franchise.
Honorable Mentions
OG Mason McCormick – 9.96 RAS Score
It’s easy to see why the Steelers selected McCormick in the fourth round in 2024 with his combine performance. He was elite in his speed, explosion, and agility testing. However, his size measurements weren’t great. McCormick also didn’t participate in the bench press, which could have altered his score significantly if he had.
LB Ryan Shazier – 9.87 RAS Score
Shazier was incredible in all of his explosion and agility grades. He certainly would have made this list had he run the 40-yard dash at the combine. Because he didn’t, it’s impossible to factor his speed grades into his total score. At his Pro Day, Shazier ran an impressive 4.36-second 40-yard dash.
DL Evander ‘Ziggy’ Hood – 9.70 RAS Score
Hood was a tough one to leave off this list. His speed was shocking, registering an impressive 1.62-second 10-yard split as a defensive lineman. However, his size and agility grades weren’t special, which made him miss the top five.
WR Mike Wallace – 9.39 RAS Score
Wallace had an impressive showing, running a 4.33-second 40-yard dash and a broad jump of well over 10 feet. But just 14 reps on the bench press and a 4.27-second shuttle time hurt the rest of his efforts.
TE Mark Bruener – 9.39 RAS Score
Bruener posted impressive explosion grades, with a 4.19-second shuttle time and a vertical jump of 34 inches. However, his lackluster speed grades pushed his overall score down.
RB/WR Dri Archer – 8.99 RAS Score
Ah, the Madden Mobile legend. Archer was known for his speed. He posted elite numbers in those categories, specifically his 4.26-second 40-yard dash. But his game was too predicated on speed to bring up his overall score.
Dermontti Dawson – 8.46 RAS Score
For an offensive lineman, Dawson posted an impressive broad jump of over nine feet and a 4.94-second 40-yard dash. However, he didn’t have any elite scores and wasn’t impressive on the bench press, either.
Related Items:Bud Dupree, Dermontti Dawson, Dri Archer, Joey Porter Sr., Kordell Stewart, Mark Bruener, Mason McCormick, Mike Wallace, Ryan Shazier, Scott Shields, T.J. Watt, Trending, Ziggy Hood
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