As Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette points out, nineteen years have passed since the Pittsburgh Steelers used a pick in round one or two of the draft on a running back.

Nineteen.

The last guy who earned that distinction was Tim Worley, a bust of a first-rounder in the 1989 draft.

Prior to that, fellow bust Walter Abercrombie was a first-rounder in 1982, as was bust Greg Hawthorne in 1979.  Bust Sidney Thornton was a second-round pick in 1977.

The last high-profile pick at running back who performed well on a consistent basis for the Steelers?  Franco Harris, 1972.

In the post-Noll era, the Steelers have gotten by with guys like Barry Foster (fifth round, 1990), Bam Morris (third round, 1994), Amos Zereoue (third round, 1999), and Willie Parker (undrafted, 2004).

Oh, and then there was Jerome Bettis.  The Steelers traded for him in 1996.

This time around, the Steelers are taking a long look at Oregon running back Jonathan Stewart, a five-foot-ten, 235-pound bruiser who would conjure memories of the five-eleven, 255-pound Bus.

Even though Stewart is recovering from toe surgery, he could be the team’s first-round pick at the No. 23 overall selection.

But what about Parker?  Here’s the reality.  He’s a speed back who simply can’t carry the ball 25 times per game, 16 games per year over the next decade.  The Steelers need to spread out the touches, or Parker simply won’t last.

Besides, with the offensive line taking a couple of big hits via the retirement of Jeff Hartings and the departure of Alan Faneca, the Steelers might need someone a little heavier and/or stronger than Parker to locate and/or get through whatever holes there might and/or might not be.

Sure, the Steelers still have Najeh Davenport under contract.  But even though he recently was acquitted on charges of assaulting the mother of his child, our guess is that the Steelers would send him packing before the start of the regular season, if the other guys on the depth chart are otherwise healthy and ready to go after training camp and the preseason.