The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback situation is one of the biggest unanswered questions of the NFL offseason. The only movement so far has been the return of former Steelers' third-round pick Mason Rudolph, which certainly hasn't quelled any rumors of who the team may target to be the starter in 2025.
With Justin Fields now a New York Jet, Russell Wilson taking visits elsewhere, and Aaron Rodgers taking his sweet time deciding his future, there is no clear answer for 2025 or beyond at this point.
No matter who ultimately begins the season under center for the Steelers, the NFL draft seems to be the only avenue to finding a long-term solution at QB. The 2025 class is far from loaded at the position, but there are a few prospects with the tools required to become starters.
The trade for DK Metcalf has left the Steelers without a second-round pick, but a trade-down could allow them to recoup a similar pick while giving them the chance to gamble on a future franchise QB.
Pittsburgh Steelers trade back to select impact players of need in 3-round mock draft
The Steelers' biggest remaining needs after the first wave of free agency has ended line up well with the strength of this draft, so a trade down here with the Kansas City Chiefs (who may want to come up for an offensive tackle) makes a ton of sense. Now to attack one of the bigger weaknesses left on the roster.
Steelers mock draft Round 1: Tyleik Williams, DT, Texas
Despite having one of the best (and most expensive) defenses in the NFL over the last five years, the Steelers have lacked a true run-stuffing interior defender to pair with Cam Heyward.
Heyward is a great run defender in his own right, but he is not a true nose tackle. Neither is Keeanu Benton, who has been placed in that spot far too often to start his career. That's where Ohio State's Tyleik Williams comes into play.
Williams is a wall in run defense, routinely anchoring in place and taking up multiple blockers. He may never offer much as a pass rusher, but that's what Benton and Heyward are there for. They would be a ferocious trio until Heyward hangs up his cleats. When that time does come, the duo of Benton and Williams would still be formidable for years to come.
Steelers mock draft Round 2: Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
The Steelers will eventually have to start taking swings at finding a quarterback of the future. Alabama's Jalen Milroe checks a lot of the boxes that coach Mike Tomlin has laid out for what he wants that player to look like, and Pittsburgh showed interest—as evidenced by the Pro Day dinner meeting with Milroe.
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He has top-tier athleticism with plenty of arm talent and has had a lot of success in a tough SEC conference. He is far from a perfect player, but he at least has the requisite talent to become a starter at the NFL level.
I would feel better about this pick if the Steelers were able to retain Justin Fields, not just because of the similarities between the two but to give Milroe time to learn for a year or two. Still, Milroe is the QB I would take a chance on on day two of the draft.
Steelers mock draft Round 3: DJ Giddens, RB, Kansas State
With Najee Harris now a Los Angeles Charger and Jaylen Warren on just a one-year deal as a restricted free agent, the Steelers badly need reinforcements at the running back position.
Luckily, this draft features no shortage of great options even in later rounds. Kansas State's DJ Giddens isn't a name you will likely see on many top-five lists, but he is a quality player with a good blend of skills.
He isn't a burner despite his 4.43 40-yard dash at the combine, but he is a smooth runner with good size and ability to force missed tackles once he gets in the open field. He had issues with drops in 2024 but has been a plus as a receiver overall over the last two seasons, racking up almost 600 yards and four touchdowns through the air.