As the 2025 NFL Draft winds into Day 3, I tip my hat to the Pittsburgh Steelers. There’s been no panic, no reaching, and no desperation. In a draft full of smokescreens and surprises—especially at the quarterback position—Pittsburgh displayed remarkable restraint. And according to The NFL Draft Network, they’re right on schedule.
Let’s rewind. The Steelers entered the draft with a clear need at quarterback. They also understood the draft board at a deeper level. I believed a move into the second round was needed to secure Jalen Milroe.
That didn’t happen.
The Seattle Seahawks grabbed him late in the third round at pick No. 92, just a handful of spots after Pittsburgh took running back Kaleb Johnson at No. 83.
That pick alone sparked debate. Did Pittsburgh miss out? Were they content with Mason Rudolph? But then something unexpected happened—Shedeur Sanders, once projected as a fringe first-rounder, slipped through the entire second day of the draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers can't let Shedeur Sanders slip past their fourth-round pick
That fall turned into an opportunity, and The NFL Draft Network now projects that the Steelers will select Sanders with the No. 123 pick in the fourth round.
I couldn’t agree more.
What Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin have done is show discipline. They read the market better than most. While the Saints, Giants, and Browns all wrestled with their quarterback decisions, Pittsburgh held steady. They avoided overpaying for a signal caller and let the draft come to them.
Khan previously stated he wanted four quarterbacks on the roster by training camp. With Mason Rudolph under contract and the possibility of Aaron Rodgers still in the air, the Steelers aren’t panicking.
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Adding Shedeur Sanders at pick No. 123 would be a smart, measured move. It would bring in a talented player without placing the weight of the franchise on his shoulders.
If Sanders has what it takes, he’ll rise. And if he doesn’t? It won’t be because the Steelers reached. It’ll be because Rodgers’ wisdom and Rudolph’s experience outpaced him in camp. But for now, this feels like a win. The Steelers stayed patient, and it might just pay off big.