Saying that it’s not easy to draft a franchise quarterback would be an understatement. Teams like the Cleveland Browns haven’t done it since before the Beatles existed. Other teams, like the Detroit Lions, found their franchise’s savior, but squandered his time with them by not building a good enough overall roster. The Pittsburgh Steelers avoided both of those issues during the 2004 NFL Draft, selecting Ben Roethlisberger just outside of the top 10 and then going on to win two Super Bowls with him under center.
The Steelers’ selection of Roethlisberger wasn’t as obvious to the public as it seems like it should have been though.