Apr 30, 2015 4 min read

PITTSBURGH – Steelers fans, this Bud’s for you.

The Steelers made athletic outside linebacker prospect Alvin “Bud” Dupree of Kentucky their first pick in the NFL draft, and 22nd overall selection, on Thursday, adding a player who tested off the charts at the NFL Draft Combine in February.

“He’s done a lot for that defense over the course of the last four years,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “He’s been an edge rusher. He’s played in space. He’s played stack linebacker. This is a versatile and smart athlete.”

Dupree (6-4, 269) was one of the stars of the combine in February when he ran a 4.57 40-yard dash and displayed a 42-inch vertical jump.

“I didn’t think he was as big as he is until I saw him at the combine,” said Steelers outside linebackers coach Joey Porter. “He didn’t look like a 270-pound guy on tape.”

Dupree had 248 career tackles, 23.5 sacks and 38 tackles for a loss for the Wildcats, including 74 tackles, 7.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for a loss in 2014.

He’s also a fan of current Steelers’ linebacker James Harrison, whom he follows on Twitter.

“He had a lot of questions about James Harrison,” said Tomlin of a dinner he and general manager Kevin Colbert had with Dupree before Kentucky’s pro day. “He asked a lot about his workout regimen and things of that nature. He asked good questions for a young man.”

Dupree was expected by many to be a top-15 selection in this draft but as the draft wore on, it became apparent that he might fall to the Steelers, who were in need of a linebacker despite taking Jarvis Jones and Ryan Shazier at the position in the first round of each of the previous two drafts.

“It’s really exciting that he was able to be there for us at 22,” said Colbert. “Quite honestly, that was something we didn’t expect to happen.”

Outside linebacker Jason Worilds became an unrestricted free agent and then surprisingly retired and the team the team re-signed veterans Harrison and Arthur Moats as free agents. But Harrison is 36 years old and could be playing in his final season.

The Steelers will start training Dupree on the left side of their defense behind Moats and hope that he and Jones, who is on the right side, can form a dangerous tandem for years to come.

Pittsburgh has recorded just 33 sacks in 2014 after having 34 in 2013 and is looking to improve on those numbers. The Steelers feel Dupree can help that immediately.

“When you watch him work out on his pro day, you had to keep reminding yourself that this is a guy who is 6-4 and 269 pounds,” said Colbert. “He doesn’t look that big until you get up close to him.

“He can power rush. He can speed rush. He puts moves together. … And he can cover. So really, this is a gift for us to be able to get this guy at (pick) 22.”

The Steelers passed on talented-but-troubled pass rushers Shane Ray and Randy Gregory to make the pick of Dupree. Both had issues with marijuana in this offseason.

The team also passed on a cornerback, another big need. Trae Waynes of Michigan State, Kevin Johnson of Wake Forest and Marcus Peters of Washington had already been selected, but Connecticut’s Byron Jones, LSU’s Jalen Collins and Utah’s Eric Rowe were all still available when the Steelers made their pick.

Pittsburgh has one pick each in the second and third rounds, which will be held today, and seven picks remaining in the draft’s final rounds. The draft concludes Saturday.