T.J. Watt’s stat comparison should embarrass everyone who drafted an edge rusher before him

The stats back up T.J. Watt being unequivocally the best pass-rusher of the 2017 draft class.

T.J. Watt has made a living making the teams who passed on him in the 2017 NFL Draft pay for it.

Despite having an older brother who will go down as the greatest player in Houston Texans franchise history, Watt was pass over 29 times before going to the Pittsburgh Steelers with the No. 30 overall pick in 2017. While the division rival Cleveland Browns taking Myles Garrett No. 1 overall in the same draft is totally justifiable, it is clear who the better player is through 3.5 years.

Tommy Jaggi of Still Curtain tweeted out a mind-blowing stat over how productive Watt has been over his contemporaries since the draft. Compared to Garrett, Derek Barnett, Charles Harris, Takkarist McKinley and Taco Charlton, who all went ahead of him in 2017, Watt blows them away tackles, sacks, tackles for a loss of yardage, forced fumbles, interceptions and other categories.

It is a testament of a great talent going to a great organization

While Garrett has been excellent for the Browns, Barnett has underwhelmed with the Eagles and Harris, McKinley and Charlton are no longer with the teams who drafted them. Pedigree may have a lot to with Watt’s instinctive nature, but so might be going to a team with a winning football culture so profound in Pittsburgh. Surely, teams like the Atlanta Falcons are kicking themselves.

Though taking Watt as high as No. 14 overall where the Philadelphia Eagles landed Barnett was not happening, why did the Falcons trade up from No. 31 to with the Seattle Seahawks to draft McKinley out of UCLA over the Wisconsin product? McKinley did not work out and neither did Harris out of Mizzou when he was with the Miami Dolphins. The password was not Taco in Dallas.

Watt and teammate Bud Dupree are why the Steelers are the last undefeated team in the league. They and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick are why Pittsburgh can get to the Super Bowl for the first time in a decade. Because Atlanta drafted Vic Beasley in 2015 over Dupree and McKinley over Watt, this is why owner Arthur Blank punted on Dan Quinn and Thomas Dimitroff after Week 5.

Ultimately, the Steelers have a great future ahead of them, even without Ben Roethlisberger long-term. They have a great defensive-minded team that will be competitive for years under head coach Mike Tomlin. Whether you are an Eagles, Dolphins, Falcons or Dallas Cowboys fan, you have to feel so beyond terrible that your team passed on the equally awesome Watt brother.

The NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidate is having his best year at other team’s expense.