ESPN’s Peter Schrager has released his first mock draft of the year, and it’s one that could keep the Pittsburgh Steelers up at night.
In this first-round simulation, things quickly go from bad to worse for Pittsburgh. All of the top wide receivers come off the board early, while several other prime targets are snatched up as well. The result leaves the Steelers with limited options, ultimately pushing Schrager to project them in a surprising and questionable direction.
Schrager explored several different directions before ultimately projecting the Steelers to make an off-the-wall pick on the defensive side of the ball by taking Clemson edge rusher T.J Parker. With all of the top wide receivers already off the board, he also briefly considered whether Pittsburgh might invest in a quarterback early in the draft.
"Alabama's Ty Simpson is still available, but I'm expecting Aaron Rodgers to return to Pittsburgh for another season," Schrager wrote.
By the time Pittsburgh is on the clock at No. 21 overall, Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, and Jordyn Tyson are all off the board. Another potential target, Olaivavega Ione, is also gone before the Steelers make their selection.
Pittsburgh would likely be thrilled to land any one of those four prospects, but as this mock draft illustrates, there are no guarantees that any will still be available when their pick arrives.
Pittsburgh Steelers draft plans completely go off the rails in ESPN's latest mock draft
Selecting Parker at No. 21 would make little sense for the Steelers. The team has shown minimal interest in edge rushers throughout the pre-draft process, and they already boast strong depth at the position. Using a first-round pick on Parker would likely create a logjam on the edge and could jeopardize the future roles of Nick Herbig or even Alex Highsmith in Pittsburgh.
Schrager tried to defend the pick, "On defense, the Steelers started getting younger along the line with the Derrick Harmon pick a year ago, and I wouldn't think they're done there."
If anything, the Steelers would be better served targeting a defensive tackle in this mock draft. Schrager’s defense of the pick does not fully hold up. While adding youth to the defensive front is a legitimate need, outside linebacker is not where that investment should be made. Instead, Pittsburgh could use young, impactful players in the middle of the trenches.
Selecting Parker at this stage of the draft would represent a questionable decision for the Steelers.
For those curious, Schrager has Pittsburgh bypassing other potential first‑round targets, including Denzel Boston, KC Concepcion, and Dillon Thieneman. Any of those options would likely be far more palatable to Steelers Nation, as they would at least address clear, pressing needs. Even the possibility of selecting Ty Simpson would arguably make more sense.
Selecting the Clemson product at No. 21 also represents poor value for the Steelers. ESPN ranks him as the 53rd‑best prospect on its big board, placing him well outside first‑round territory. Pro Football Focus is slightly higher on Parker, slotting him at No. 29 overall, but even that evaluation would still make the pick a reach for Pittsburgh.
Taken as a whole, Schrager’s mock draft is troubling. Let's hope this doesn't come to fruition.