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 10 of 11 will highlight the Steelers 2020 NFL which was the first since 1967 without a first-round pick.

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

Chase Claypool

Wide receiver, Notre Dame
Round 2
Pick 49

After scoring 11 total touchdowns his rookie season, Chase Claypool saw similar numbers in receptions and yards in his first two seasons but had a big drop off in finding the end zone. Going into his third year, his first without Ben Roethlisberger as the quarterback, Claypool only had 311 yards through eight games on 32 receptions with one touchdown in 2022. During the Steelers bye week, which coincided with the NFL trade deadline, Claypool was sent to the Chicago Bears for a 2023 second-round draft pick. Claypool struggled to get going with the Bears only having 140 yards in seven games with no touchdowns. More importantly, Chicago Bears did not win a single game once Claypool was acquired which brought their second-round draft pick to be the first selection in the round where the Steelers landed Joey Porter Jr. Claypool appeared in the Bears first three games of 2023 where he had four receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown but then was inactive for the next two weeks. Traded to the Miami Dolphins for a late-round pick swap in 2025, Claypool appeared in nine games for Miami where he had four receptions for 26 yards. A free agent in 2024, Claypool has not been signed this time.

Alex Highsmith

Linebacker, Charlotte
Round 3
Pick 102

After four NFL seasons, Alex Highsmith is the only member of the Steelers 2020 draft class still with the team. Additionally, Highsmith was given a lucrative contract following his third season which came as a $68 million, four year extension. As for on-field production, Highsmith has started 50 games the last three seasons with an additional five his rookie year. Highsmith has 29.5 career sacks with 14.5 coming in 2022 when T.J. Watt missed seven games. Highsmith also had a league-high five forced fumbles in 2022. In 2023, Highsmith pulled in two interceptions, one of which was his first career touchdown on the first defensive play of the Steelers Week 2 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Under contract through the 2027 season, Highsmith is currently part of one of the best edge rushing duos in the NFL.

Anthony McFarland Jr

Running back, Maryland
Round 4
Pick 124

In his four years in Pittsburgh, Anthony McFarland has been on and off the team’s 53-man roster. Appearing in 11 games his rookie season, McFarland had the largets output of his career with 33 rushing attempts for 113 yards along with six receptions on nine targets for 54 yards. The 2021 season saw McFarland begin the year on the Reserve/Injured List (IR) only to appear in two games. The 2022 was one with McFarland on the team’s practice squad where he was elevated for one game and had six carries for 30 yards. Back on the 53-man roster to start 2023, McFarland was the teams third running back only to be placed on IR following Week 1. After McFarland returned in November, he appeared in a few games as the Steelers kick returner before being inactive but was eventually released and signed to the practice squad in late December. It was the first season of McFarland’s career where he did not have a rushing attempt, although he did have two receptions for 11 yards. Not signing a Reserve/Future contract with the Steelers, McFarland is currently a running back for the San Antonio Brahmas of the UFL.

Kevin Dotson

Guard, Louisiana
Round 4
Pick 145

In a draft pick acquired from the Miami Dolphins as part of the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade, Kevin Dotson had a curious career in Pittsburgh. Showing lots of promise his rookie season, he appeared in 13 games with four starts, two of which were the final weeks of the season. Although Dotson played well, he was replaced when Matt Feiler returned from injury for the playoffs. Dotson began the 2021 season as the Steelers starting left guard where he played for nine games before injuring his ankle and being lost for the season. Playing every snap of the 2022 season once again at left guard, Dotson had inconsistent play. One thing that followed Dotson throughout his time in Pittsburgh was the constant rumors about the team being unhappy with his preparation during his first three seasons. After the Steelers signed an upgrade at the position of Isaac Seumalo during the 2023 offseason, Dotson became expendable as a reserve lineman and the Steelers traded him to the Los Angeles Rams along with a fifth round pick in 2024 and sixth-round pick in 2025 for a fourth round selection in 2024 and a fifth-round pick in 2025. After getting acclimated to the Rams, Dotson started 14 games for the Rams and finished the year as one of the better offensive guards in the NFL, this time on the right side. With this production, Dotson earned himself a three year, $48 million contract extension with the Rams.

Antoine Brooks Jr

Safety, Maryland
Round 6
Pick 198

Antoine Brooks landed on the Steelers practice squad to start his rookie season. After being elevated four times throughout the season, twice as a regular replacement and twice as a COVID-19 replacement, Books was signed to the 53-man roster prior to the Steelers Week 13 game. Getting the first crack at the nickel cornerback position for the Steelers in training camp in 2021, Brooks was injured and was waived/injured at the end of August. Ultimately released at the beginning of September, Brooks landed on the Los Angeles Rams practice squad. Promoted to the active roster ahead of Week 10, Brooks was waived at the end of January but re-signed to the practice squad for the Super Bowl. Brooks signed a Reserve/Future contract with the Rams for 2022 but was waived in May. Brooks was a member of the Seattle Sea Dragons of the XFL in 2023 and was drafted by the Memphis Showboats in the 2024 UFL dispersal draft when the USFL and XFL merged. Brooks was released by the Showboats in March and he signed earlier this month with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL for the 2024 season.

Carlos Davis

Defensive tackle, Nebraska
Round 7
Pick 232

Spending his first three seasons in Pittsburgh, Carlos Davis spent the 2022 season on the Steelers practice squad. Elevated for the Steelers Week 8 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, Davis played 12 defensive snaps and got his first career NFL sack. Following the season, Davis did not sign a reserve/future contract with the Steelers and instead signed with the Atlanta Falcons in June. Failing to make the 53-man roster, Davis signed on with the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL (now UFL) but was released in December in order to join the Falcon’s practice squad. Once again, Davis did not sign a reserve/future contract but instead chose to rejoin the Stallions in the newly formed UFL.

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?
What happened to the Steelers 2018 draft class?
What happened to the Steelers 2019 draft class?