The Pittsburgh Steelers wasted no time turning their card in for a player they had circled on the draft board since early in the process. With the 21st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Steelers selected Derrick Harmon, a talented defensive lineman out of Oregon.
Harmon fills a massive void along Pittsburgh's interior defensive line left by Larry Ogunjobi in free agency (who signed a contract with the Buffalo Bills). Even with Ogunjobi on the team last year, Pittsburgh's defensive line was bullied, particularly down the stretch and into the playoffs, when they surrendered 299 rushing yards to the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card loss.
With Harmon offering an excellent upgrade to the defensive trenches, the Pittsburgh Steelers can turn their sights to the next biggest item on their to-do list... and their next draft decision couldn't be more obvious.
The Pittsburgh Steelers must target one of the top two remaining quarterbacks on Day 2 of the NFL Draft
The Pittsburgh Steelers already had the most expensive defense in the league, and it just got a bit pricier with the Derrick Harmon selection. Now, general manager Omar Khan must shift his focus to the offensive side of the football.
Following the DK Metcalf trade, Pittsburgh doesn't have a second-round pick. Entering Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Steelers hold the 83rd overall selection in Round 3.
While many (including myself) predicted the Steelers would target a running back with their lone pick today, the top remaining quarterback options should have Khan changing his draft plans. After Pittsburgh passed on Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the surefire first-round pick somehow fell out of Round 1 entirely. Now Khan should be exploring avenues to see how they can move back up and take him in the second round.
But Sanders isn't the only Day 2 quarterback worth a swing. Alabama's Jalen Milroe also remains undrafted. Milroe has remarkable rushing ability from the QB position with a live arm to rip the ball down the field.
After the New York Giants traded back up into the first round for Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, one formerly QB-needy team is no longer a threat to poach Sanders or Milroe. Still, teams like the Browns, Raiders, and Saints could be in contention to gamble on a potential franchise quarterback in Round 2, where the reward could greatly outweigh the risk.
The Steelers need to beat them to the punch. It's possible that both quarterbacks go early in the second round. If this is the case, there isn't much they can do. But if at least one of Sanders or Milroe happens to slip even further, Omar Khan should be on the phone about a potential trade-up (and they shouldn't let the lack of total draft picks get in their way.
The Pittsburgh Steelers made it obvious that they will select a quarterback at some point in the 2025 NFL Draft, so it might as well be one that at least has the potential to be a long-term starter. With unexpected quarterbacks falling to Day 2, Pittsburgh's next move after selecting Derrick Harmon is obvious.