Notre Dame football: Top-10 draft picks of the Brian Kelly era

Notre Dame football: Top-10 draft picks of the Brian Kelly era

8. Stephon Tuitt

• Pittsburgh Steelers, 2014: Round 2, Pick 46

Outside of Manti Te’o, Stephon Tuitt was likely the most important part of the 2012 defense. After being taken in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Tuitt has been an important mainstay on the Pittsburgh Steelers defense ever since, and they look at him as an incredibly important part of their defensive unit, evidenced by how long the Steelers have held onto him.

The average fan will usually look at Tuitt as the second man on the Steelers defensive line, but he has been a vital member of the line. TJ Watt, for instance, might be the headlining act, but Tuitt makes it so you can’t double him, or only chip Watt.

You need to be worried about both sides of the line, which takes up manpower. Throughout his career with the Steelers, Tuitt has 246 tackles and 34.5 sacks across seven seasons, tremendous statistics for the former Irish standout. As the Steelers look to try and get Big Ben one more ring before he retires, Tuitt is going to be relied on getting them there.