We are less than a month away from the 2025 NFL Draft, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have work to do. After losing so many starters in free agency, fans were expecting more movement from the front office. Now it seems like the only thing on the front office's mind before the draft is persuading Aaron Rodgers to sign with Pittsburgh.
Retirement remains an option for Rodgers, and it's possible the 41-year-old quarterback holds off on a commitment until the summer. You can bet the Steelers' draft plans will be heavily influenced by whichever decision Rodgers makes before April 24 (and Omar Khan will need an answer by then).
For this Steelers mock draft, I took the liberty of assuming Rodgers will be sporting the black and gold threads in 2025. Because of this, I have Pittsburgh appeasing their quarterback with a pair of weapons with their first three draft choices in this seven-round mock.
Pittsburgh Steelers 7-round mock draft includes safe swings for Aaron Rodgers-appeasing weapons
Steelers Mock Draft Round 1: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
We hate to think the Pittsburgh Steelers' draft plans will be so heavily influenced by whether Rodgers comes to town, but this could all be part of sweetening the deal for a quarterback on the fence. The Steelers don't have a massive wide receiver need after trading for DK Metcalf, and even if Pickens plays out his rookie contract in 2025, Pittsburgh could still land a quality weapon for Rodgers while setting up the next QB for success.
Emeka Egbuka is a well-rounded wideout who doesn't have one particular standout trait. Though he projects as a WR2 in the NFL, Egbuka's skill set would complement Metcalf's perfectly. Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan met with Egbuka at Ohio State's Pro Day and observed him carefully during his workout. There's clearly interest here.
Steelers Mock Draft Round 3: CJ West, DT, Indiana
The worst part about going with a wide receiver in Round 1 is that Pittsburgh could miss out on the early crop of interior defensive line talent. Without a second-round pick due to the Metcalf trade, I think Pittsburgh will look to recoup a draft pick with a trade at some point in the draft, but I chose not to go that route for this mock draft.
Instead, I have the Steelers standing pat with the 83rd overall pick in the third round to take Indiana defensive tackle CJ West. With a run on defensive tackles early, the Steelers find value in West, who excels as a run defender in the middle of the defense. The Indiana product could step in as Pittsburgh's starting nose tackle in 2025, allowing Keeanu Benton to kick out to his more natural position.
Steelers Mock Draft Round 4: Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee
With a crop of outstanding talent at the running back position, the Steelers don't need to take one early in the draft to get a potential impact player. It's hard to determine which running backs will slip past the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but Dylan Sampson could be one of them.
Sampson doesn't have elite top-end speed, but he's elusive and can make defenders miss in space. The 20-year-old Tennessee product would create a strong one-two punch with veteran Jaylen Warren now that Najee Harris is gone.
Steelers Mock Draft Round 5: Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse
I would be surprised if the Pittsburgh Steelers don't take a quarterback by the fifth round of the draft, but the way this board fell, it made more sense to wait. Aaron Rodgers can hold down the fort this season if he signs with the team, but Omar Khan will still want a young QB on a rookie deal.
Kyle McCord is one of the final quarterbacks I would spend a draft pick on this year, and I have the Steelers taking him in Round 5. McCord is a high-variance quarterback, which isn't what Mike Tomlin normally likes, but he's the best remaining QB at this stage of the draft.
Steelers Mock Draft Round 6: Justin Walley, CB, Minnesota
The Steelers signed Darius Slay to a one-year contract, but they still need cornerback depth. Though Justin Walley played primarily on the boundary at Minnesota, he has the skill set and size profile to kick inside and compete for slot CB duties at the next level. Walley could be added competition for Beanie Bishop Jr.
Steelers Mock Draft Round 7: Jalen Travis, OT, Iowa State
Pittsburgh needs to find a swing tackle at some point in the draft, with Dan Moore Jr. departing in free agency. Taking one in the seventh round is simply a dart through, and there's no guarantee this player makes the roster. Jalen Travis is a raw player with an impressive size and athletic profile. Travis lacks game experience, but the Steelers could groom him as a reserve tackle who could eventually compete for swing tackle duties.