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 focused hard on the edge of their defense in the 2010 NFL Draft when they selected Jason Worilds and Thaddeus Gibson. With their defense always revolving around strong linebacker performance, Pittsburgh took advantage of a deep draft class and actually went for an even rarer triple dip by also picking Stevenson Sylvester.

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Worilds, a defensive end at Virginia Tech, was considered a ‘tweener’ – his size, build and athletic ability projected to be better suited at outside linebacker at the pro level – who gave scouts enough in pass-rushing, speed, awareness, and ability for them to see him as a true producer on the field. Tough and competitive, his ability to drop into coverage and a shoulder injury were the only true red flags on his NFL.com draft profile. The Steelers pulled the trigger and selected him in the second round.

Kevin Colbert said of Worilds in his post-draft press conference:

Worilds is a very athletic guy, who can get after the quarterback. Teams started paying more attention to him this year and his sack production went down. But he was just as effective and just as disruptive, and probably had his best game of the year in his last game against Tennessee.

Gibson, also a collegiate defensive end, was productive for Ohio State and was considered by pro scouts to be something of a project at the next level per his NFL.com draft profile. Regarded for his instincts and solid defense in confined space along the defensive line, Gibson had the fluid hips coordinators love to see but lacked lower body strength, making him capable of sticking with backs and tight ends in man coverage but not as versatile in the open field. Pittsburgh saw enough raw talent to select him in the fourth round.

Colbert said of Gibson in his post-draft presser:

(Gibson) is a big kid and he’s fast. Ohio State probably plays as close to our defense schematically as any college football team in the country. So Thaddeus is coming out of a system where he’s done a lot of the things we’re going to ask him to do here.

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The Steelers had a rare three-pick fifth round and used their final pick in it to further strengthen the defense by selecting Sylvester. Rated the best roving linebackers fielded by the University of Utah, Sylvester was highly accomplished, athletic and was considered highly coachable. Considered by pro scouts to be a pure “chase” linebacker in his draft profile, Sylvester was seen as a finesse tackler who read the eyes of opposing quarterbacks well but struggled dropping into zone coverage. Sylvester’s history of coming up big in important games led scouts to see him as an aggressive athlete with good speed who would need to improve his bull rush and coverage ability to make it on a pro squad. The mid rounds were the perfect spot for Pittsburgh to role the dice on their third linebacker selection.

Colbert said of Sylvester:

(He) has played inside he can play outside, I will let Coach address where he will play, he’ll probably be an inside linebacker for us, but he has the versatility to play both.

That led coach Mike Tomlin to add:

We’re looking for those guys to contribute in whatever ways that we ask them. Outside linebacker is their position or job description. But we have a vision of these guys being competitive and adding quality depth not only at that position, but also big-time competition in the special teams element of our game.

The Need

Pittsburgh had James Farrior and James Harrison – two of the top 10 linebackers to grace the Steelers roster – that they fully planned on utilizing. On the 2009 roster, the Steelers also had Patrick Bailey, Rocky Boiman, Keyaron Fox, Andre Frazier, Arnold Harrison, Lawrence Timmons and Donovan Woods. Bailey would get activated in time to play in the Super Bowl but get cut in the final 53-man trim before the 2010 season. Boiman, Frazier, (Arnold) Harrison and Woods were undrafted free agents who were utilized mainly on special teams. Fox and Timmons shared duties as interior linebackers.

Larry Foote had requested a release before the 2009 season, and received it on May 4, after seven years with the team that drafted him and saw him walk away with two Super Bowl rings, reportedly because his playing time diminished as Timmons (drafted in 2007) was moved up the depth chart. Foote would return to the team on March 15, 2010, after receiving a three-year, $9.3 million contract.

The Steelers were looking for Worilds, Gibson and Sylvester to bolster their special teams but also give them depth at the linebacker position. In 2010, the Steelers only carried six at both the interior and outside positions.

The Outcome

Worilds was listed on the 2010 roster as a defensive end but turned out to be a solid backup at the edge before dealing with injuries. When given the opportunity to start in 2013 at outside linebacker, Worilds logged 43 solo tackles and 8.0 sacks. In 2014, Worilds had 7.5 sacks and an interception – added to 39 solo tackles – after receiving a new multi-million dollar deal from the Steelers. In a surprise move, Worilds announced his retirement from the NFL at the age of 27, stunning many who expected to see him return to the field in 2015. He finished his career with 25.5 sacks. His time with Pittsburgh was too short to determine whether he truly lived up to his second-round status or not.

Gibson, for all the hype he received as a Buckeye, appeared in just two games with Pittsburgh before being waived by the Steelers on their bye week. He later spent time with the San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys as a defensive end before signing with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League in 2014 and being traded to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on September 2, 2014.

Sylvester may have surprised more Steelers fans due to being picked low and projected as a special teams player who likely would never make the starting lineup on defense. He played in all 16 games in 2010, recording 13 tackles and a forced fumble. Sylvester’s snap count would decrease over the next couple seasons and after being cut in August of 2013, the Steelers re-signed him on October 9 when the Steelers released Kion Wilson. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills for the 2014 NFL season before tearing the patellar tendon in his knee and being placed on injured reserved.

The Steelers got a decent return on 2-of-3 picks in 2010. Had Worilds and Sylvester not exited, the Steelers might never have sought out and drafted rising star Ryan Shazier. All three picks are no longer playing professional football.