The Pittsburgh Steelers stay one of the crucial predictable groups within the draft in recent times, regardless of claims of gamesmanship. Maybe they wish to throw a curve or two, however their pre-draft habits foretell their pursuits repeatedly. This has been very true in recent times, and the 2025 NFL Draft is not any totally different.
The Pittsburgh Steelers introduced in eight defensive linemen and 9 operating backs for pre-draft visits. These are the 2 positions they addressed with their prime two picks, together with two who truly visited. Within the first spherical, they chose DL Derrick Harmon out of Oregon, who visited April 9. Within the third spherical, they drafted RB Kaleb Johnson out of Iowa, who visited April 3.
Over the previous three drafts since Omar Khan took over at normal supervisor, the Steelers have overwhelmingly chosen from the gamers they introduced in for pre-draft visits. Now, that is possible not less than partially as a consequence of coincidence, the pattern dimension nonetheless being small. However except or till the sample modifications, mock drafts should closely characteristic these names.
And the factor is, the Steelers merely did what most agree they should have carried out. Minus an apparent potential franchise quarterback, they homed in on their two largest wants. In addition they focused two of the deepest positions within the draft, counting on high-end skills to fall far sufficient.
That may not sound appropriate on condition that they used their prime two picks at these positions, however think about that in a “regular” 12 months for operating backs, Kaleb Johnson goes not less than within the second spherical. And Derrick Harmon is a top-15 decide. The Steelers took the identical method in 2011 once they drafted Cameron Heyward thirty first general in a deep DL class. In a standard 12 months, Heyward would have gone within the prime 20, quite than close to the top of the primary spherical.
After all, the Steelers nonetheless want a quarterback, however the actuality is most of their believable targets stay out there. They might have by no means had a shot at Cam Ward, however solely 5 quarterbacks in complete are gone. They introduced in Tyler Shough and Jaxson Dart, and met with Jalen Milroe. However on the market nonetheless are Shedeur Sanders, Will Howard, Kyle McCord, Quinn Ewers, and Riley Leonard. And these quarterbacks sound much more interesting within the fourth and fifth rounds than within the third.
Of the Steelers’ Prime-30 pre-draft guests, the next non-running backs stay undrafted: QBs Shedeur Sanders and Kyle McCord; DL JJ Pegues, Yahya Black, Jared Harrison-Hunte, Joshua Farmer, Eliijah Roberts, and—that’s it. Excluding operating backs, there are solely seven gamers remaining, principally defensive linemen. Maybe that means {that a} double-dip is probably going.
In spite of everything, the Steelers nonetheless have 4 extra picks to go, and so they’re most likely not taking one other operating again. All the large receivers and defensive backs they introduced in are already off the board. Clearly, they’ll simply draft a number of gamers they didn’t herald for pre-draft visits. However their street map has been very clear in recent times, with 2025 simply as predictable as any.
