With only six selections in the 2025 NFL Draft, fans have to wonder what the Pittsburgh Steelers could look to do when they are on the clock. Under the direction of general manager Omar Khan, this team hasn't been afraid to make aggressive moves to land the players this team has its heart set on.
This year, doing something completely out of the norm is on the table.
Recently, Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated proposed mock trades for all 32 teams in his all-trades mock draft. Verderame had the Pittsburgh Steelers trading with the Kansas City Chiefs.
In the mock trade, the Steelers receive picks No. 31 and No. 66 in the 2025 NFL Draft, while Pittsburgh surrenders picks No. 21 and No. 185 to Kansas City.
Following the DK Metcalf trade, the Steelers could look to recoup draft capital lost, as Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin no longer have a second-round pick to work with. But there's a strategy behind their madness in moving back from pick 21.
Though the Steelers could have stood pat and selected a player like Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon or Michigan's Kenneth Grant, Verderame has them jumping back to pick 31 and throwing a 'dart' on a quarterback.
Pittsburgh Steelers select Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart after gutsy mock trade
With the 31st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Verderame has the Pittsburgh Steelers selecting Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart. Draft analysts are all over the map when it comes to Dart. The polarizing prospect checks nearly every box most teams look for at the position, but there are concerns about Dart's ability to read a defense coming from a Lane Kiffin offense.
At just over 6'2'' and 221 pounds, Dart possesses good size for the position with a solid collection of traits, including an arm to push the ball down the field and rushing ability with sneaky power as a runner. These traits caused NFL Network's draft expert Daniel Jeremiah to compare Dart to Super Bowl-winning quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers broke his silence, and the 41-year-old doesn't appear to be anywhere close to signing a contract (and he's not ruling out retirement). The Steelers need to cover their bases at the quarterback position, and swinging on a QB with the 31st overall pick seems like the perfect gamble.
The Steelers get a chance to land a franchise signal-caller in a trade back, and being at the tail end of the first round, Pittsburgh would still get the valuable fifth-year option if Dart proves to be a worthy signal-caller.
All the while, Pittsburgh's front office picks up the 66th overall pick in the process, one of the top picks of the third round. This could allow them to address a pressing roster need, such as defensive tackle or running back.
Taking Jaxson Dart with the 21st overall selection might feel like drafting Kenny Pickett all over again to many Pittsburgh Steelers fans, but if this team is able to execute this mock trade with the Kansas City Chiefs and move back to pick 31, taking a shot on a quarterback feels worth the selection. A similarly shocking draft-day trade could be on the table this week.