PITTSBURGH -- In the minutes after Notre Dame receiver Chase Claypool became the Pittsburgh Steelers' top pick in the 2020 NFL draft, his phone rang.

It was going off constantly that whirlwind night with texts of congratulations and calls from the Steelers' front office. This number was one of the many he hadn't seen before -- but it's one he likely saved right away.

When he answered, veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was on the other end of the line.

It was a quick conversation, a brief introduction and more congratulations, but it was an important one. It laid the groundwork for a relationship between the veteran quarterback and the Steelers' newest receiver, a relationship that could be one key to taking the Steelers to the franchise's seventh Super Bowl title.

Roethlisberger was a focal point of the Steelers' NFL draft, even if he wasn't in a video conference war room or furiously texting the front office his top picks. After more than a decade working together, coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert have a pretty good idea what Roethlisberger likes and what he needs. With the window for another Roethlisberger-led championship rapidly closing, the Steelers used the draft to add players they hope will complement their roster, especially as Roethlisberger returns from an elbow injury that cost him most of the 2019 season.

"In my heart, I know Ben is working hard to get back," offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said. "And when he has the ability to throw the ball down the yard and feel really good about the percentage of those completions and big plays, I know for a fact he's going to be excited about the opportunity to have one more weapon and be able to throw balls up."

That strategy was evident from the Steelers' first pick when the team went with Claypool, a big-bodied receiver, over quality quarterbacks Jalen Hurts, Jake Fromm and Jacob Eason. Claypool also got the nod over Ohio State's J.K. Dobbins and Florida State's Cam Akers, two of the top running backs in the class.

Claypool joins tight ends Vance McDonald and Eric Ebron, whom the Steelers signed in free agency, as playmakers who measure at least 6-foot-4 -- exactly the kind of receiver Roethlisberger wants in his offense.

"It's really exciting for a quarterback because you've got this catch radius and these ball placements that don't always have to be perfect," Fichtner said. "... They try and make plays on balls, and just that size alone and the competitiveness, I think it's going to be an advantage to [Claypool], as well as us."

Not only does Claypool have a big frame, but also above-average speed, running a 4.42 at the NFL combine.

"I was really excited when he ran a sub-[4.45] at the combine," Fichtner said. "I don't get excited because you assume you're not going to get to him at 49. ... That downhill speed and couple that with his size and ability to win one-on-one, that brings a lot to us."

Like Ebron, Claypool is a red zone threat and should immediately help the Steelers, who finished last in red zone scoring last season. Fichtner anticipates playing Claypool primarily as a wideout, but said he can also play in the slot.

Not only does that versatility help Roethlisberger, it should also help wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster by allowing the fourth-year receiver to see more usage in the slot, where he racked up 788 yards and four touchdowns in 2018. Without Antonio Brown last season, Smith-Schuster had to play more outside and didn't have as much success. The addition of Claypool allows him to spend more time in his more productive position. Claypool also complements the rest of a receiving room that also includes James Washington and Diontae Johnson.

Something of a late bloomer from British Columbia, Claypool had a breakout senior season at Notre Dame when his size and speed worked in harmony to help him put up a 1,000 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns.

"I never really had my time to shine until my junior and senior year," Claypool said. "I always thought I had the skill set. I just thought it improved year after year. I definitely broke out my senior year, but I thought I always possessed the skill set."

In Claypool, the Steelers have an updated version of Martavis Bryant, the Clemson product drafted by the Steelers six years ago who showed promise before his struggle with substance abuse and his disruptive nature in the locker room derailed his NFL career. Claypool is about 20 pounds heavier than Bryant, and he possesses the kind of toughness Roethlisberger looks for in his receivers.

Claypool is the obvious gift to Roethlisberger of the draft, but the Steelers also added running back Anthony McFarland Jr. and offensive guard Kevin Dotson. At 5-8, 208 pounds with previous injury concerns, McFarland doesn't have the trappings of a featured back, but he does add an infusion of speed to a running back room mostly made up of bruisers. Even if he's not another target for Roethlisberger, the balance will help the offense become more multidimensional than it was a season ago.

In an evaluation period curbed by the coronavirus pandemic, the Steelers used scouting gathered at Senior Bowl practices in making their pick of Claypool. They liked what they saw from someone who would soon join their team.

"Of course we knew about his receiving abilities, but when you saw him up close working the way that he did in the special teams parts of practice, it really showed the competitiveness that this young man has to go along with his size, his speed and his receiving abilities," Colbert said.