Ben Roethlisberger – 2004 Draft Day Picks

Born March 2, 1982 in Findlay, Ohio, Ben Roethlisberger is one of the best young quarterbacks in the world. This says a lot about a guy who didn’t get as much attention as players of his caliber during high school and college. Despite being overlooked for much of his career, Roethlisberger has proven to be one of his best thanks to his love of the game, athletic body and strong arm.

After playing high school football in Ohio, Roethlisberger brought his game to Miami University located in Oxford, Ohio. During his time in Miami, he wowed the world of college football. Although he didn’t play in a top-level conference, Roethlisberger managed to attract the attention of NFL scouts. This was due in large part to the fact that he went for 84 touchdowns in college; a school record from the University of Miami.

Roethlisberger was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 11th overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. In August of the same year, he signed a six-year contract with the team worth just over $22 million.

During Roethlisberger’s first season, he was called into action due to an injury to starting quarterback Tommy Maddox. In what was one of the greatest rookie performances of all time, Roethlisberger won all 14 regular season games he started. This led to his selection as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

With everyone wondering how Roethlisberger would fare next season, he once again put up big numbers. While the team didn’t win as many regular season games, Roethlisberger led them to the Super Bowl, where they would eventually beat the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks.

Although Ben Roethlisberger had a rough year in 2006, he’s ready to come back better than ever.