Kordell Stewart
Quarterback
Second Round - 1995
Colorado
Being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers was the perfect scenario for Kordell Stewart. It was a team loaded with former Colorado Buffaloes, so he was going to a team where his friends were and he had heard nothing but good things about. Draft guru Mel Kiper predicted the Steelers would take him in the second round, but he thought he would go higher. Kiper was spot on.
"I was in between a rock and a hard place," said Stewart. "Jacksonville just came into the league. I took a visit there. I also got interest from Minnesota. When I went past the first round, I thought I have to wait and see if Mel Kiper is right and see if I go to Pittsburgh.
"Tom Donahoe was the general manager here. I got the phone call from him. When I was at the Combine, the one I saw the most was Tom Donahoe. I was talking to him and I remember thinking this is the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"When I got the phone call it wasn't one of those feelings of, 'Oh my God, I am going to Pittsburgh.' It was more of a feeling of this is the right place because of the teammates that I had here. This is natural. To have that chance to be with those guys, I was in heaven. We were back together again. I didn't have the true shock of everything, because it was a natural transition. It felt right.
"Once I retired, that is when I felt it. When you are in the moment, you are focused on trying to be great. When I got my name called for Pittsburgh, I felt good. Everyone at school was like you are going to be back with the boys. That made it a normal transition."
