Chad Scott popped the cork in his champagne bottle right around 11 p.m. ET Friday. His streak as the only cornerback the Steelers have taken in the first round reached 18 years.

Only 30 minutes or so before the Steelers pick, it seemed that streak was in jeopardy.

Roger Goodell announced a trade between the San Diego Chargers and San Francisco 49ers. It was clear the Chargers had running back Melvin Gordon in their crosshairs, and San Francisco was thought to be after Oregon defensive end Arik Armstead at 15 anyway.

With that, it was becoming clear the Steelers would have an opportunity to select one of the cornerbacks they had in their sights; Wake Forest’s Kevin Johnson, Washington’s Marcus Peters or UConn’s Byron Jones.

Johnson was taken at 16 by Houston, something of a surprise, and Kansas City grabbed Peters after San Francisco took Armstead at 17. Just like that, the option pool was diluted to just the hyper-athletic but limited polish Jones.

It never really seemed likely the Steelers would take Jones at 22 anyway, and they shouldn’t have. He’s no more closer to playing on Sunday than a player they could get in the second round.

Simply put, the Steelers didn’t have a cornerback available worth the 22nd pick. Much like when Chicago took Kyle Fuller last year one pick before them, we’ll never know if a cornerback was truly at the top of their board. But also like last year, what we do know is, based on the picks that followed, it’s unreasonable to suggest there was a cornerback available worth the 22nd pick.

Jones would go 27th to Dallas, and no other cornerback would be taken, including LSU’s Jalen Collins. Based on the picks, which is certainly a fair representation of the market, the Steelers were right in valuing the 22nd pick, with the players available to them, as one too rich for the cornerback position.

There was much gnashing of teeth and grumbling when the Steelers extended their embargo of first round cornerbacks to 18 seasons. The fact is there wasn’t one available worth that pick, and drafting a player higher than his talent suggests produces terrible results.

Ask Tom Donahoe what happens when you take a middling talent (Troy Edwards) with the 13th overall pick.

Collins wasn’t taken in the first round, and is expected to be selected before the Steelers go on the clock with the 56th pick. Perhaps he’s intriguing enough for the Steelers to move up and get. Perhaps his multiple failed drug tests while at LSU are enough for him to fall to 56, where the Steelers are willing to overlook it.

Or, maybe the Steelers can just take the hard-hitting and athletic Alex Carter at 56, and walk away from the first two rounds having addressed two major positions of need for their future.

Either option seems at least a little appealing as it sits now. Both options are far better than reaching for a cornerback just to fill the depth chart.