In a bold and controversial move suggested in the latest mock draft by Bleacher Report’s Gridiron Gang, the Pittsburgh Steelers are projected to pull off a stunning trade with the Carolina Panthers that has fans and analysts alike scratching their heads.
According to the mock, the Steelers would send their 2025 first, third, and seventh-round picks — plus a potential first-rounder in 2026 — to the Panthers in exchange for a first-round pick swap in the 2025 NFL Draft. The idea behind the trade? To leapfrog the New Orleans Saints and secure a quarterback of the future.
That quarterback is expected to be Shedeur Sanders, the electric and high-upside signal-caller from Colorado. With University of Miami star Cam Ward projected to be selected by the Tennessee Titans, Sanders could be the last top-tier quarterback left on the board, and he's now the odds-on favorite to land with the Steelers in the NFL Draft.
And with recent news surrounding Derek Carr’s shoulder injury, the Saints are now a real threat to target a QB in the first round. The Steelers, in this mock scenario, are trying to get ahead of that.
But at what cost?
The Pittsburgh Steelers must avoiding losing additional NFL Draft capital
Four draft picks — including two valuable first-rounders — is a massive haul. That kind of compensation is typically exchanged for can’t-miss generational talents who will elevate a franchise for the next decade. And while Sanders is a promising prospect, he is still unproven at the NFL level. The risk cannot be understated.
Pittsburgh is in desperate need of a long-term answer at quarterback. The carousel of inconsistent play since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement has only widened the void under center. But mortgaging the future for one player feels like a gamble that leans more toward desperation than strategy.
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General Manager Omar Khan and the Steelers front office have built a reputation on smart, calculated moves, not reckless sacrifices of draft capital. To give up multiple high-round picks for the chance to land Sanders would mean placing an extraordinary amount of faith in one young man to carry the franchise forward.
If the Steelers truly believe Shedeur Sanders is their guy, perhaps they should consider it. But until that conviction is confirmed with action, this mock draft trade feels more like fantasy than reality — and a potential misstep that could haunt the franchise.