Pittsburgh Steelers: 5 worst draft picks of all-time
By Dani Bostick
4. Running Back Walter Abercrombie, Round 1, 1982
The ’80s were a rough decade for the Steelers. Running back Walter Abercrombie was drafted in the first round of the 1982 draft, 12th overall. With the retirement of Franco Harris looming, the Steelers had their eye on the heir to the legendary running back and four-time Super Bowl champion.
Compared to Franco Harris, most running backs would seem inept and unproductive. Abercrombie, however, was legitimately average. The 6’0″, 201-pound athlete out of Baylor University struggled with injury. In 1983, he had 446 yards, 610 in 1984, 851 in 1985, and a career-high 877 in 1986 before finishing out his time with the Steelers with a disappointing 459 yards.
In 1982, Marcus Allen was drafted by the Oakland Raiders just two picks before the Pittsburgh Steelers chose Abercrombie. Other first-round running backs were also busts that year. Barry Redden, the Rams 14th overall pick, had a relatively unproductive season with just 1,735 rushing yards in nine season. Gerald Willhite, the 21st overall pick by the Denver Broncos also had a disappointing career; he tallied 1,688 yards in seven NFL seasons.
Bad draft picks happen, but on the cusp of losing Harris to retirement, the Steelers needed a true play-maker– someone more like Marcus Allen– to fill the void.
The 1980s were a bad decade for first-round Steelers running backs. The 1989 first-round pick Tim Worley was also a disappointment.
Next: 3. Defensive End Huey Richardson, Round 1, 1995