The most intriguing team in this year’s draft class is, without a doubt, the Steelers. What in the world are they going to do in the first round of this year’s draft? Will it be a QB, a DL, a WR, or a safety? It’s been all over the place lately, especially with this not being the strongest draft overall.
Pittsburgh scoured the earth across every position group during their top-30 visits, and the most logical move might be not to overthink it and take the best player available.
This class has plenty of strong position groups, but one in particular is likely to line up with a position of need for the Steelers at pick 21.
Pittsburgh Steelers should just take the best defensive lineman with their first-round pick
All the intrigue around the Steelers' draft plans centers on one question: Will Pittsburgh take a quarterback in the first round, and if so, will it be Shedeur Sanders or Jaxson Dart? The Steelers definitely need help at QB, but once again, this franchise cannot afford to reach out of desperation. They do not have a second-round pick, so this first-rounder needs to hit and produce right away.
Taking a quarterback is like playing the lottery anyway, and this draft class will most likely land you a dud at the position. The best player on the board when the Steelers pick at number 21 will probably be a defensive lineman, and that is exactly what they need. They did not address it in free agency, and finding a true impact starter on the defensive line in the third round is a long shot.
All the talk about trading up for a quarterback this year is ridiculous and premature. Players like Kenneth Grant or Derrick Harmon might be available, and it would be foolish to pass on talent like that just to draft a wild-card quarterback. The Steelers have been playing musical chairs at the position for a couple of years now, so what is one more year if it means a better shot at a real prospect in the stronger 2026 quarterback class?
Sign me up. They are not as close to competing as they think, and building up the defensive line for both immediate impact and long-term success is a much better use of that first-round pick next week.