We've made it to the 2025 NFL Draft. In a matter of hours, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be on the clock with their first-round pick, and fans are itching to see which direction this team goes.
After missing out on the free-agent quarterbacks, landing a signal-caller in Round 1 is certainly on the table, and the Steelers are now the odds-on favorites to land Colorado's Shedeur Sanders. Aaron Rodgers offered Pittsburgh's decision-makers no security that he would play football in 2025, and finding a competent quarterback is a must.
In my final predictive Steelers seven-round mock draft, I used my Steelers 2025 Pre-Draft Interest Tracker to connect the dots to where Pittsburgh could go in each round of the 2025 NFL Draft. This isn't a mock draft of what I would do; rather, a prediction of the direction I believe the Steelers will take in the draft.
Final 7-round mock draft has the Pittsburgh Steelers going Derrick Harmon over QB
Steelers Mock Draft Round 1: Derrick Harmon, DL, Oregon Ducks
With the 21st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, I have the Pittsburgh Steelers turning their card in for defensive lineman Derrick Harmon. The Oregon standout fits the bill for everything this team looks for in a first-round pick—he's big, long, athletic, and young.
I know the Steelers are contemplating a quarterback here, but I don't want to overthink it. In the 2023 draft, I didn't think Broderick Jones would be available to Pittsburgh at pick 17, but I mocked him there anyway, and Omar Khan found a way to make it happen. This year, the Steelers have had their eyes on Harmon since the NFL Combine.
After surrendering 299 rushing yards to the Ravens in the Wild Card loss, the interior defensive line has been high on Pittsburgh's priority list. I believe that they view Harmon as the prize. There have been reports that a shoulder injury could cause him to slip a bit in the NFL Draft, but if this is what gets him past DL-needy teams (like the Cincinnati Bengals at pick 17), the Steelers are all for it.
Steelers Mock Draft Round 2: Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee Volunteers
The Steelers don't have a second-round pick following the trade for DK Metcalf, but I wouldn't be surprised if they moved back at some point in the draft to pick up an additional draft choice. For the sake of avoiding wildly unpredictable in-draft trades, I have Pittsburgh standing pat with the 83rd overall pick in Round 3 and selecting Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson.
There are a handful of options that would fill a need at the running back position and offer good value here. I like DJ Giddens and Bhayshul Tuten a bit more, but Giddens might not be what this team is looking for, and Tuten had fumble issues at Virginia Tech. RJ Harvey could also be in play, but he already fits a remarkably similar profile to Jaylen Warren, so the Steelers could opt for a better complement.
Sampson has a quality blend of traits with great speed in the open field and good contact balance. The Steelers will love the fact that he's just 20 years old and only scratching the surface. Sampson had a pre-draft visit with Pittsburgh, and this pairing makes too much sense if he's still on the board at this point in the draft.
Steelers Mock Draft Round 4: Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse Orange
I'd be surprised if the Pittsburgh Steelers waited any longer than this to address the quarterback position. Omar Khan made it clear that this team will enter the summer with four quarterbacks on their roster, and one of those four is guaranteed to come via the 2025 NFL Draft.
Because I have Pittsburgh waiting until the 123rd pick in the fourth round to grab a signal-caller, they miss out on some of their top prospects. However, the Steelers will gladly pick up the pieces with Kyle McCord. The Syracuse quarterback is coming off a good senior season and offers a quality blend of traits that could make him a long-term QB2 in the NFL.
Eventually, the Steelers will need to swing bigger on a franchise-altering quarterback, but McCord at least gives them a rookie and a player under contract for four years who offers much-needed depth and youth at the QB position. Pittsburgh had a pre-draft visit with McCord, so there's interest here.
Steelers Mock Draft Round 5: Zah Frazier, CB, UTSA Roadrunners
The Steelers need depth in the secondary, particularly at the cornerback position. I nearly kept it chalk and went with a player like Minnesota's Justin Walley (who was brought in for a pre-draft visit), but I have Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan throwing Andy Weidl a bone and letting him swing for the fences with a high-upside, small-school cornerback like Zah Frazier.
At nearly 6'3'' and 186 pounds with an 80 1/8'' wingspan, Frazier has a frame that compares favorably to Joey Porter Jr., but Frazier's 4.36 speed makes him particularly intriguing. Because of his rare profile for a boundary cornerback, there's a good chance Fraizer is off the board at this point.
But much like the Mason McCormick pick in Round 4 last year — a small-school player with a terrific size and athletic profile at guard — the Steelers could reach for the stars on Day 3 of the NFL Draft with this pick.
Steelers Mock Draft Round 6: Ricky White, WR, UNLV Rebels
While wide receiver isn't a pressing need for the Pittsburgh Steelers, George Pickens and Calvin Austin III are both entering contract years. By next offseason, this roster could be down to just DK Metcalf and Roman Wilson at the position.
It certainly feels like Pittsburgh will add receiver depth through the NFL Draft. Unfortunately, most of the wideouts they've had their sights set on are already off the board at this point. Because of this, I have them going with UNLV standout Ricky White.
White doesn't have the elite physical traits Khan and Weidl have looked for in their first two NFL Drafts running the Steelers' front office, but he was uber-productive, combining for 167 receptions, 2,524 receiving yards, and 19 touchdowns over the past two years alone. White fits a role this team is currently lacking, but he will have to prove himself on special teams if he wants to stick around on the final roster.
Steelers Mock Draft Round 7: Branson Taylor, OL, Pittsburgh Panthers
If we're going to throw a local prospect in here, why not in Round 7? Branson Taylor played offensive tackle at Pitt, but has a bit of a tweener profile and may wind up at guard in the NFL. This is okay for a team that needs depth at both positions.
While I believe it's possible the Steelers could hunt for a swing tackle earlier in the draft, I have them waiting to address the offensive line until their final selection in the seventh round. Taylor would be far from a lock to make the team, but he could help round out the offensive line depth this summer and compete for one of the final spots on the O-line during training camp and the preseason.