▁with ▁the ▁ele vent h ▁overall ▁pick , ▁their ▁highest ▁selection ▁since ▁selecting ▁Pla xico ▁B urr ess ▁e ighth ▁overall ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁Although ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁ready ▁to ▁select ▁Miami ▁University ▁quarter back ▁Ben ▁Ro eth lis berger ▁if ▁he ▁were ▁to ▁still ▁be ▁available , ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁ready ▁to ▁select ▁other ▁players ▁at ▁" need " ▁positions . ▁However , ▁with ▁Ro eth lis berger ▁still ▁available , ▁the ▁team ▁sn atch ed ▁him ▁up , ▁making ▁him ▁the ▁third ▁quarter back ▁selected . ▁Al ong side ▁Eli ▁Mann ing , ▁Philip ▁R ivers , ▁and ▁J . ▁P . ▁Los man , ▁Ro eth lis berger ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁" Class ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 4 " ▁quarter back s . ▁In ▁addition , ▁" Big ▁Ben " ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁quarter back ▁the ▁Ste el ers ▁selected ▁with ▁their ▁first - round ▁pick ▁since ▁they ▁selected ▁Mark ▁Mal one ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁ ▁Free ▁agent - wise , ▁the ▁Ste el ers ▁would ▁sign ▁former ▁Philadelphia ▁E ag les ▁running ▁back ▁Du ce ▁St ale y . ▁Many ▁thought ▁this ▁signing ▁was ▁the ▁team ▁prepar ing ▁for ▁a ▁future ▁without ▁Jer ome ▁B ett is . ▁However , ▁St ale y ' s ▁injury - pr one ▁history ▁from ▁Phil ly ▁would ▁continue ▁with ▁the ▁Ste el ers . ▁On ▁the ▁und raft ed ▁front , ▁the ▁team ▁signed ▁North ▁Carolina ▁running ▁back ▁Will ie ▁Parker .