The Steelers have a lot of work to do this offseason if they want to break free of the 9-8/10-7 ceiling they have had for several years now, and it starts with adding talent to a struggling offense. Things got better on that side of the ball in 2024, finishing 16th in scoring after failing to crack the top 20 the previous three seasons.
Despite the jump in scoring, the offense limped to the finish line during their five-game losing streak to end the season.
They averaged just 14.2 points per game in those five losses compared to nearly 25 per game prior to the skid. That end to the season highlighted how much talent they still need to add to the offense. Luckily, the 2025 NFL Draft has plenty of talent at the Steelers positions of need.
Free agency could ultimately be where they look to make a splash on offense, but this 7-round mock draft would help get the offense on the right track.
Steelers mock draft round 1: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
The Steelers could go in multiple directions with their first-round pick, but Matthew Golden would be a hard player to pass up. The former Houston and Texas receiver was excellent in 2024, leading the Longhorns in yards (987) and touchdowns (9) in his lone season with the team. He is a smooth route runner with impressive quickness and long speed which makes him a deadly downfield target.
He was a big-play machine with a healthy 17 yards per reception as well. Whether the Steelers look to move on from George Pickens or extend him, Golden would be exactly what the offense is missing from the current players on the depth chart. Despite the reported issues he had in Pittsburgh, Diontae Johnson's ability to create separation was sorely missed in 2024. Golden would provide a similar skill set but with a much higher upside.
Steelers mock draft round 2: Derrick Harmon, IDL, Oregon
With a shiny new toy for the offense in tow, the Steelers look to future-proof their defensive line by adding the big and powerful Derrick Harmon. The former Michigan State Spartan and Oregon Duck had a sensational end to his college career in 2024, finishing with five sacks and 55 pressures (according to Pro Football Focus). His 55 pressures led all FBS interior defensive linemen.
He was also a great run defender, showing the ability to take up multiple blockers and hold his ground. The Steelers may have the ageless Cam Heyward and a potential star in Keeanu Benton as starters in their interior, but the depth behind them offered almost nothing in 2024. Heyward will eventually hang up his cleats and Benton is more of a pure pass rusher, so adding Harmon would give them a potential heir apparent to what Heyward offers them.
Steelers mock draft round 3: Devin Neal, RB, Kansas
With Najee Harris unlikely to return and Jaylen Warren a restricted free agent, the Steelers need to find at least one if not two potential additions to the running back room for 2025. Third-string running back Cordarelle Patterson is a potential cap-casualty as well, so the room could look almost completely different next season. Enter Kansas running back Devin Neal.
Neal has been one of the most consistent and dominant runners in all of college football over the past three seasons. He has 4,343 career rushing yards on 5.7 yards per attempt to go along with 49 career rushing touchdowns. While he does have a little more wear and tear than you would like after over 800 career touches, he has the size (220lbs) and durability to be a workhorse back for multiple seasons. Paired with Warren, he could be a more dynamic runner than Harris ever was.
Steelers mock draft round 4: Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse
I am generally not a big fan of drafting quarterbacks beyond the first two rounds unless they are true developmental players or are high-floor backup types. Former Ohio State and Syracuse QB Kyle McCord doesn't quite fit either mold, but he is my favorite mid-round passer in this class because of the aggressiveness he played with in 2024.
After failing to pilot Ohio State to the playoffs in 2023, McCord had to find a new starting opportunity to show what he is capable of. Syracuse welcomed him with open arms, and he rewarded them with their most successful season since 2018 with a 10-3 record. He led all of college football with 4,779 passing yards and was fifth in passing touchdowns with 34. He was a true gunslinger, something the Steelers should be looking for after failing to succeed with more conservative passers.
Steelers mock draft round 5: Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech
The 2025 class of running backs is one of the deepest in recent memory, so why wouldn't you double-dip? Bhayshul Tuten had a very successful college career, dominating at the FCS level in 2022 before making the jump to the FBS with Virginia Tech over the last two seasons. He racked up 2,022 yards and 25 touchdowns in his two seasons in Blacksburg, averaging 5.7 yards per attempt.
He is a small but explosive runner with legit breakaway speed, something the Steelers have been missing from their backfield for a long time. He is especially effective as a zone runner, making him a perfect fit for Arthur Smith's offense. He also has kick return experience including two touchdowns in 2023. Whether Warren returns or not, Tuten would be a valuable addition to both the offense and special teams.
Steelers mock draft round 7: Tommi Hill, CB, Nebraska
The Steelers could very well address corner much earlier in the draft, but I think free agency has several good starters they could look to add instead. With that in mind, they take a flyer on a big, physical corner in Nebraska's Tommi Hill. Hill has the size and length that the Steelers have shown to be looking for at the corner position, standing at just over 6-feet tall with over 33-inch arms.
He missed time in 2024 due to a foot injury, but he was excellent in 2023 as a playmaking coverage player. He intercepted four passes and had nine pass breakups thanks to great instincts while in zone coverage. He isn't a great athlete which limits his upside, but he could be a potential impact special teamer and occasional contributor on defense.
Steelers mock draft round 7: Isaac TeSlaa, WR, Arkansas
The Steelers should be looking to add depth at receiver with some of their late-round picks, and they do just that with this pick. Isaac TeSlaa's numbers while at Arkansas don't jump off the page, but he did a great job of showing what he is capable of at the Senior Bowl. He is a big, physically gifted receiver who may have untapped potential given his small sample size at the FBS level.
He played primarily in the slot at Arkansas but has the size and speed to play outside. He had nearly 200 special teams snaps in his two years at Arkansas as well, so he should have no trouble contributing in that way if he never develops as a receiver. Overall, he is worth a flyer despite just 883 yards and five touchdowns over the last two seasons.
Steelers mock draft round 7: Nazir Stackhouse, NT, Georgia
As great as the Steelers defensive front has been for the last decade, they have lacked a true space-eater to free up their linebackers to defend the run for quite some time. They don't have to go find a modern Casey Hampton or anything like that, but a true nose tackle could do wonders for their run defense. Georgia's Nazir Stackhouse fits that mold.
Stackhouse is a complete non-factor as a pass rusher, with just three career sacks and 28 pressures in over 1,500 collegiate snaps. Even so, his ability to take up blockers and hold his ground is hard to ignore. He may only be a situational player at the next level, but in the seventh round, you can't really expect much more than that anyway. Even if he only plays a few snaps a game, it would give Cam Heyward and others some much-needed rest.