The 2025 NFL draft was a pivotal moment for the Pittsburgh Steelers. With major questions at key spots on the roster, where they chose to use their draft assets would tell fans what kind of team Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin want them to be.
Right from their first pick, it was evident that they wanted to build the most physical team possible. Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon kicked things off, who should make an immediate impact while also being a long-term replacement for Cam Heyward.
Iowa's Kaleb Johnson came next. He will add physicality to the run game, with the bruising Najee Harris no longer on the team. Ohio State's Jack Sawyer was added as well, and he will help bring more of an edge-setting presence to the Steelers' edge group.
All of those players should contribute early for the Steelers, but fifth-round pick Yahya Black out of Iowa may be the most important of them all in 2025.
Yahya Black could unlock the best version of the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line
The Steelers' interior defensive line has been anchored by Cam Heyward for over a decade now, and he has been consistently one of the best all-around players at his position. As great as it is to have a player like Heyward, however, they have failed to pair him with the right types of players in recent years.
I am a huge fan of Keeanu Benton, but he has been miscast as the Steelers' primary nose tackle so far in his career. He has lined up in the A or B gap on the vast majority of his snaps in his two seasons as a pro, even though he profiles much more as a pass rusher than a run defender.
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What Pittsburgh has needed is a true rock in the middle of their defense, and that is why they drafted Yahya Black. He is a massive man at 6-6 and 336 pounds, and he has excellent arm length at over 35 inches.
The Iowa product should allow Teryl Austin to use both Benton and Heyward more effectively, eating up blocks in the middle and allowing them to be playmakers.
It may take some time for Black to earn snaps as a fifth-round pick, but nobody else on the roster offers what he does in run defense. I think this pick was made for a reason beyond just adding depth. Omar Khan knows that he can't expect Heyward to keep propping up the run defense, and Black may be the answer for finally giving him a break.