The 2024 NFL Draft is less than two weeks away. The last few offseasons at our previous home, I dove into a Steelers NFL draft class starting with the longest-tenured draft pick and outlined each successive draft. In doing so, each player selected by the Steelers was highlighted as to how their NFL career, or lack thereof, took shape. Each year was outlined with the last three draft classes all combined into one since a large number of the players were still with the team.

Since it worked before, and since a lot of the research has already been done, let’s look back at the players from these drafts yet again each weekday leading up to the opening day of the 2024 draft. We’ll start with the 2011 draft since Cam Heyward is the oldest drafted player on the Steelers for 2024. For players no longer in the league, a lot of the information will be the same while others will be updated where needed.

Part 8 of 11 will highlight the Steelers 2018 NFL draft who just had their last players leave the team this offseason.

So let’s take a look at the seven players drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2018 NFL draft:

Terrell Edmunds

Safety, Virginia Tech
Round 1
Pick 28

Starting 60 games in his first four seasons, Terrell Edmunds did not get his fifth-year option picked up by the Steelers as they opted for free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was acquired via trade in 2019, instead. With 340 tackles, five interceptions, and 21 passes defensed on his rookie deal, Terrell Edmunds was a player who is constantly available as he has only missed one game, Week 17 in the 2020 season, in his first four seasons. After not having a market in 2022, Edmunds returned to the Steelers just ahead of the 2022 NFL draft on a Four-Year Player Qualifying contract which paid him $2,537,500 in 2022 but only countied $1,187,500 against the salary cap. He added 70 more tackles, 2.0 sacks, and 5 passes defensed. Instead of taking a similar deal with the Steelers for 2023, Edmunds opted to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles for a smaller deal, but was traded to the Tennessee Titans midway through the season. Between the two franchises, Edmunds appeared in 16 games with 4 starts where he had career lows in tackles (48) and passes defensed (2) mainly to playing about half the defensive snaps (476) he saw each season in Pittsburgh. At this time Edmunds is still unsigned for the 2024 NFL season.

James Washington

Wide receiver, Oklahoma St
Round 2
Pick 60

In four years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, James Washington never truly saw a breakout season in the Black and Gold. Although he was the team’s leading receiver in 2019 when Ben Roethlisberger missed the majority of the season, Washington only had 735 yards and three touchdowns to lead the way. Even with the injury to JuJu Smith-Schuster in 2021 possibly giving him a more opportunity for targets, Washington only saw 24 receptions for 285 yards and two touchdowns. Reportedly asking for a trade prior to 2021, Washington did not re-sign with the Steelers and instead took a one-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys for 2022. Washington landed on IR before the 2022 season began and returned in December. After two games with only one target and no catches on 15 offensive snaps, the Cowboys released Washington. Landing on the New York Giants practice squad at the end of the season, Washington’s contract expired and he signed with the New Orleans Saints following the 2023 draft. Released in mid August, Washington landed with the Indianapolis Colts for the rest of the 2-23 preseason but did not make the 53-man roster. Washington did not catch on with another team in 2023 and is still a free agent.

Mason Rudolph

Quarterback, Oklahoma St
Round 3
Pick 76

After not getting a helmet the entire 2018 season, Mason Rudolph was thrust in the action in Week 2 of 2019 in his first season as a backup. With Ben Roethlisberger going down with elbow surgery, Rudolph started eight games with a 5–3 record. After getting knocked out with a concussion in Week 5 against the Baltimore Ravens, Rudolph returned after the Steelers bye to start in Week 8. Benched in Week 12, Rudolph returned to action in an attempt to lead the Steelers from behind against the New York Jets in Week 16. Unfortunately, Rudolph was injured in the game and placed on IR. For 2020, Rudolph started a meaningless game in Week 17 at the Cleveland Browns and nearly led the Steelers to victory despite resting a number of starters. Getting a last-second start in 2021 against the Detroit Lions, the Steelers and it up finishing in a tie due to costly fumbles in overtime. Not given much of a chance in training camp after the free agent addition of Mitch Trubisky and drafting of Kenny Pickett int he first round of the 2022 NFL draft, Rudolph only dressed for one game all season and did not see the field. Hitting free agency for 2023, Rudolph signed back with the Steelers on a one-year deal in May. Buried as the third quarterback on the depth chart, but at least being in uniform due to the new “emergency quarterback” rule for 2023, Rudolph was called on to start the final three games of the season replacing an injured Kenny Pickett and an ineffective Mitch Trubisky. Rudolph re-energized the Steelers offense, leading the team to three-straight wins to finish the regular season and helping the Steelers squeeze into the postseason. After a “one and done” playoff run, Rudolph once again hit free agency and signed a one-year deal with the Tennessee Titans.

Chukwuma Okorafor

Tackle, Western Michigan
Round 3
Pick 92

The Steelers starting right tackle in 2020 and 2021, Chuks Okorafor earned himself a second contract with the Steelers during the 2022 offseason. Even though the full contract was for $29.25 million for three seasons, Okorafor did not break the bank for the Steelers when it came to the salary cap for 2022 while playing all but one offensive snap. Okorafor’s cap hit jumped significantly in 2023 up to $13,083,333, a season where he once again started the year as the Steelers right tackle. But comments made during the Steelers Week 8 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars saw Okorafor benched in favor of first-round rookie Broderick Jones. Seeing a significant boost in the Steelers run game, Jones kept the job for the remainder of the season with Okorafor only seeing 11 snaps as a jumbo tight end over the last 10 games. Before the start of the 2024 NFL league year, the Steelers released Okorafor with one season remaining on his contract. Okorafor signed a one-year with the New England Patriots for 2024 where he is expected to move to left tackle.

Marcus Allen

Safety, Penn St
Round 5
Pick 148

After holding a roster spot for all of 2018 but only appearing in two games, Marcus Allen did not make the roster in 2019 but was signed to the practice squad. Allen was promoted to the active roster by the end of the season and appeared in one game. Although drafted as a safety, Allen made a move to linebacker starting in 2020 and appeared in 45 games over the next three seasons for the Steelers. Playing on a Restricted Free Agent tender in 2022, Allen was a free agent for 2023 but did not land with any NFL team throughout the season.

Jaylen Samuels

Running back, North Carolina St
Round 5
Pick 165

Not seeing any offensive snaps his rookie season until Week 5, Samuels did not get an offensive touch for the Steelers until Week 8 of his rookie season. By Week 13, Samuels was called on as the starter due to Le’Veon Bell holding out the entire season and an injury to James Conner. In Week 15 against the New England Patriots, Samuels rushed for 142 yards or 19 carries as the Steelers defeated the Patriots 17–10. Unfortunately, it was Samuel‘s one shining moment with the Steelers as he finished with only 459 yards on 131 carries and one rushing touchdown in his three-year career with the Steelers along with 82 receptions for 550 yards and four receiving touchdowns. Failing to make the team in 2021, Samuels landed on the Steelers practice squad until he was released at the end of October. Getting picked up on the practice squad of the Houston Texans, Samuels appeared in three games where he had five rushes for 9 yards and three receptions for 14 yards. During the 2022 offseason, Samuel signed a Reserve/Future contract with the Arizona Cardinals but was released before training camp. Samuels did not catch on with another NFL for the 2022 season. In December of 2023, Samuels signed with the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL despite the reports of the XFL-USFL merger into the UFL. Samuels was drafted by the San Antonio Brahmas during the 2024 UFL dispersal draft but was released before the start of the season.

Joshua Frazier

Defensive tackle, Alabama
Round 7
Pick 246

Not only did Frazier not make the Steelers roster his rookie season, he did not even make the practice squad. Picked up briefly at the end of the season on the practice squad of the Detroit Lions, Frazier was released in January 2019. Fraser was a member of the Birmingham Iron of the AAF, but was placed on injured reserve after the team’s second game. In May of 2019, Frazier announced he was retiring from professional football. Frazier came out of retirement and was drafted by the Orlando Guardians of the XFL as an offensive lineman in the fall of 2022, but was released in January. Since his release, Frazier briefly signed with the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League before signing with the Rapid City Marshals of the Arena Football League for 2024.

What happened to the Steelers 2011 draft class?
What happened to the Steelers 2012 draft class?
What happened to the Steelers 2013 draft class?
What happened to the Steelers 2014 draft class?
What happened to the Steelers 2015 draft class?
What happened to the Steelers 2016 draft class?
What happened to the Steelers 2017 draft class?