Take Two: Steelers draft Sanders and Brown in 2010
Steel City Underground is doing a series where we will break down each instance of double-dipping in the NFL draft during the Mike Tomlin area. By double-dipping we mean drafting two players of the same position. This has happened much more than most may think, which is detailed in the original article. We will be taking a look at the rosters prior to those players being drafted along with whatever happened with these players.
The Players
The Steelers drafted two wide receivers in the 2010 NFL Draft: Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown
Sanders was a three-year starter at SMU, where he put up solid numbers and earned all-conference honors in his last two seasons. His NFL.com draft profile classified him as nothing more than a role player, due to his smaller stature:
Sanders is on the short side with less-than-adequate bulk… He probably fits the No. 3 or 4 receiver description more than a No. 1 or 2, but he should be able to contribute early on as a return specialist.
Antonio Brown had a similar reputation, with the added drawback of coming from a smaller college program. His NFL.com draft profile felt he should’ve stayed in school one more season:
He is undersized and will initially struggle with the physical aspects of the game at the next level. He generally has lined up out of the slot and would have trouble with his release against some of the physical cornerbacks at the next level if he lines up on the line of scrimmage.
Route running skills could use some refinement. Needs to become more consistent catching the ball in a crowd.
The Need
The need was dire. The Steelers had just struck gold by selecting Mike Wallace in the third round of the NFL Draft one year earlier (2009) but struck out entirely in 2008 when they used a second round selection on Limas Sweed.
Santonio Holmes was set to miss the first four games of the 2010 season via a suspension handed down by the league for violating the substance abuse policy. Thus, the organization sent Holmes to the New York Jets for a draft pick (the trade would eventually net the pick used to take Antonio Brown).
The circumstances left the Steelers with only Wallace and the aging Hines Ward as reliable receivers on the depth chart. To bolster their lineup, the Steelers signed two receivers in free agency: former San Francisco WR Arnaz Battle and bringing back former Pittsburgh star WR Antwaan Randle El.
The Outcome
The Steelers would go to camp with a few more receivers, but ultimately Battle would only play special teams, and Randle El would contribute, but eventually retire in 2012 after going the entire 2011 season without playing.
Brown would win the third receiver spot behind Ward and Wallace in his second season (2011) while also carrying kick and punt return duties. In his special teams’ role, AB would be named to the Pro Bowl as a kick returner.
Not much else needs said that isn’t already known: Brown was signed to a long-term contract over Mike Wallace, and would go on to become one of the game’s greatest receivers.
Sanders was initially ahead of Brown on the depth chart by virtue of his training camp effort and draft pedigree (he was taken in the fourth round, while Brown was taken in the sixth) but Sanders’ nagging injuries kept him inactive for spurts at a time. He would miss three games in his rookie year, and five in his sophomore season.
Upon returning to good health, Sanders would play every game for the next two seasons with the Steelers, before signing with the Denver Broncos as a free agent in 2014. In three years with his new team, Sanders would be selected to the Pro Bowl twice, as well as being an intergral part of the the Super Bowl 50 championship team.
