There will be some familiar faces announcing the Steelers draft picks tonight at the NFL Draft, as Franco Harris and Arthur Moats are both in Philadelphia to introduce the Steelers second and third round selections.
Harris and Jerome Bettis were both on hand the first night of the draft, taking part in a heartfelt tribute to Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney. Bettis also announced the selection of No. 1 pick T.J. Watt. Tonight, Harris and Moats take over that job.
"First off, I like that the NFL is going to different cities to get more people engaged," said Harris, the Steelers Hall of Fame running back who will announce the No. 2 pick. "The added touch of having former players from the teams make draft pick announcements is special. It was a good move by the NFL. It keeps things connected to the team. It makes for a good feeling all around."
All third round selections will be announced by their team's 2016 Walter Payton Man of the Year winner, which Moats was. He said he is excited to announce the pick, especially since he never had the opportunity to be at the draft when he was selected in 2010.
"It's exciting, especially for a guy like me who was a sixth-rounder and never had the chance to go to the draft," said Moats. "To be around the legends, Franco is one of the greats from Pittsburgh. And just to represent the organization is a great feeling. Any time you get a chance to represent the organization you never take it lightly.
"When they started inviting people to make picks it was a first step, now they are taking it to another step. There is a lot of excitement around it. I feel like the NFL has done a great job of making it that much bigger an event."
Moats, who said he hopes he gets to introduce both of the Steelers third round picks, one of them a compensatory selection, expects to have a special bond with whoever it is.
"I am looking forward to whoever this is we get to bring in," said Moats. "I am already throwing my two cents in that we have two third round picks and hopefully I will get to announce both and they will be my kids, my sons."
Harris also is looking forward to getting to know the team's second-round pick that he announces, and is amazed at how much things have changed since he was drafted in 1972.
"I didn't get a call ahead of time, I wasn't interviewed by the team," said Harris. "There wasn't an NFL Combine. It was a lot tougher for teams back then, but we had more hits than misses back then for sure even without all of that."
