As the Pittsburgh Steelers were getting ready to finalize their top-30 pre-draft visits, there was just one spot remaining. Many fans hoped this visit would go to Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant. Instead, the front office elected to bring in Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson.
Henderson has been a terrific running back for the Buckeyes over the past four seasons. The dynamic back exploded onto the scene with a 1,200-yard season as a freshman in 2021. Though injuries prevented Henderson from playing full seasons in 2022 and 2023, the speedster rebounded with an impressive 1,000-yard campaign in 2024, marked by a Big Ten-high 7.1 yards per carry.
But the more we think about Pittsburgh's visit with Henderson, the more cause for concern we should have for what could follow in the 2025 NFL Draft.
We all can agree that there's at least one running back deserving of being selected in the first round this year: Boise State prospect Ashton Jeanty. However, when Jeanty is off the board—and he will be by Pittsburgh's selection at pick 21—there isn't another running back worth taking this early in the NFL Draft.
That's where the Steelers could screw up big time.
The Pittsburgh Steelers must not take a running back at pick 21 in the NFL Draft
There are plenty of fans and draft analysts who would argue that TreVeyon Henderson and North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton are worth being selected in the first round. But the only teams who should take a replaceable position with a short shelf life this early in the draft are those who can compete for a Super Bowl right away.
Sadly, this doesn't fit the description of the Pittsburgh Steelers. We know that this team is more than a running back (and a potential Aaron Rodgers signing) away from competing for a championship, and for this reason, the Steelers should continue to build the foundation of the roster.
Pittsburgh didn't bring in Henderson with the hopes that they could take him at pick 83 in the third round. The Steelers sent their second-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks in the DK Metcalf trade, and Henderson may not even make it out of the first round.
This suggests that the Steelers are strongly considering the Ohio State prospect with the 21st overall pick in the draft. The Steelers also used top-30 pre-draft visits on Omarion Hampton and Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson—two running backs expected to go early this year.
While there's no question a workhorse running back would help improve a stagnant offense, the draft philosophy of taking a running back with the 21st overall pick couldn't be more incorrect for a team with gaping roster gaps that doesn't even possess a mid-level starting quarterback on its roster.
Pittsburgh's pre-draft visits usher in a terrifying reality that the Steelers are on board with taking a running back in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Let's hope this team has a change of heart and attempts to build their roster for lasting success rather than simply a short-term fix to their rushing attack.