The Steelers, after trading down three spots, drafted Casey Hampton, a defensive tackle from the University of Texas in their opening NFL draft selection today.
Hampton, the Big 12's defensive player of the year, is 6 feet 1, 315. He's a pure nose tackle and likely will push starter Kimo von Oelhoffen to defensive end next season in the Steelers' line.
The Steelers passed up a chance to draft cornerback Nate Clements with their first-round pick at No. 16 and traded with the New York Jets instead.
They gave the Jets the 16th pick and took New York's 19th choice. For doing so, the Jets gave them picks in the fourth and sixth rounds, the numbers 111 and 181 choices in the draft.
It was a bonus for the Steelers because they still wound up with the player they would have drafted at No. 16 if they were unable to trade it.
The two extra picks in the second day of the draft left the Steelers with eight overall -- one in each round except the third and two each in the fourth and sixth.
The Steelers chose linebacker Kendrell Bell on the second round of the draft today, making a trade with the New England Patriots in order to take him.
They moved from the 50th pick in the second round to the 39th, giving the Patriots one of their two fourth-round choices (No. 112 overall) to make the deal.
Bell, 6-1, 235, played at Georgia. He will play inside linebacker in the Steelers defense, the same position as Mike Jones. They signed Jones, a 10-year veteran, yesterday as a free agent from the St. Louis Rams.
For analysis and complete reports on the draft, see tomorrow's editions of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Steelers select University of Texas' Hampton, Georgia's Bell in first draft choices 
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