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After the 1996 NFL season, Dick LeBeau left the Pittsburgh Steelers for the Cincinnati Bengals, gaining the title of Assistant Head Coach. In the 1997 NFL Draft the Steelers would draft Chad Scott in the first round. In 1998 they drafted Deshea Townsend in the fourth round. In 2002 the Steelers selected safety Chris Hope in the third round and in 2003 they picked Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor in the first and fourth rounds respectively.
Dick LeBeau returned to the Steelers in 2004. With a string of good DB picks behind them the Steelers with LeBeau drafted Ricardo Colclough, Bryant McFadden and Anthony Smith in the next three drafts, each with their second pick. The Steelers from 1997-2003 drafted far more defensive back talent than they did from 2004-2020.