It's early in the NFL offseason, but we've already reached the point where fans are looking ahead to the 2025 NFL Draft. While the Pittsburgh Steelers have enough funds to make a splash in free agency this year, building through the draft has always been their M.O. for assembling the roster.
Early in the pre-draft process, many NFL Draft analysts have been quick to mock a wide receiver to Pittsburgh in Round 1... and for good reason. But another need may be equally as pressing—especially when we consider the manner in which they exited the playoffs.
It will be up to front office heads Omar Khan and Andy Weidl to determine the best order to land talented players who fill major positional needs. Here's my first seven-round Steelers mock of 2025.
Steelers mock draft Round 1: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
It's not hard to imagine the Steelers going with a player like Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka with the 21st overall pick in the first round, but wide receivers are always in high demand and four wideouts could likely be off the board at this point. Instead of taking the best of the rest, the Steelers could attempt to fix one of their biggest issues late in the season: run defense.
Pittsburgh was gashed for 299 rushing yards against the Ravens in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, as Derrick Henry tore the interior defensive line to shreds. Cam Heyward was gassed late in the season, and Keeanu Benton has been playing out of position as a nose tackle in his first two NFL seasons.
In steps Kenneth Grant—a 6'3'', 339-pound nose tackle who can swallow up ball carriers on the ground and has enough athleticism to move laterally and make plays in the hole. Grant won't be an every-down player for Pittsburgh, as he doesn't offer enough as a pass rusher to stay on the field in third-and-long situations, but good run defenders are hard to come by these days, and he's exactly what they need.
Grant would immediately plug into Pittsburgh's defense as the starting nose tackle—allowing Benton to play the base 3-4 end position opposite of Heyward. The Steelers still need more defensive line depth, but this is a great start.
Steelers mock draft Round 2: Jack Bech, WR, TCU
If the Steelers don't take a wide receiver in the first round, you can bet that it will be one of the top positions on their radar entering Daty 2 of the NFL Draft. Van Jefferson and Mike Williams have expiring contracts, and both players were miserable in 2024. Even George Pickens' job in Pittsburgh isn't secure as the team could trade him due to his antics.
Pittsburgh doesn't necessarily need to swing for the fences with this pick; they just a stable, consistent wide receiver who they can trust in their offense. That's where Jack Bech comes in.
The TCU product is a one-year wonder, but he's coming off a season with the Horned Frogs that included 62 receptions, 1,034 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns. Bech has an excellent blend of size and traits with physicality before and after the catch. He projects as a WR2 for the Steelers as early as his rookie season.
Steelers mock draft Round 3: Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
With Najee Harris expected to sign with a new team in free agency and Cordarrelle Patterson as a possible cap casualty, the Steelers need to add running back help. They would be wise to do so on Day 2 of a loaded running back class in the 2025 NFL Draft. Jaylen Warren, who is a restricted free agent, is likely to return, but this team needs more help at the position.
Quinshon Judkins was part of a two-headed monster for the Buckeyes that included speed back TreVeyon Henderson. Judkins has the frame and well-rounded skill set to be a workhorse running back in the NFL, and landing a player with his traits in the third round feels like a steal.
The combination of Judkins and Warren would be enough for the Steelers to execute their rushing plans on offense. While neither is a consistent threat to take it the distance, both backs have enough juice to help Pittsburgh improve their pitiful explosive play rate.
Steelers mock draft Round 4: Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
Donte Jackson is a free agent, but even if he returns, the veteran isn't guaranteed to hold down his starting cornerback job all season. When he wasn't injured late in the season, Jackson was a disaster. Meanwhile, Cory Trice Jr. flashed when healthy, but he hasn't been able to stay on the field for more than a few games at a time in his first two NFL seasons and can't be counted on to fill a full-time role.
After a sound 2023 campaign, many draft experts believed that Denzel Burke could be a high draft pick. However, the Ohio State cornerback took a step back during his senior season in 2024 (despite being part of a National Championship team).
Burke allowed a high completion percentage of 72.3 percent in 2024 while struggling at times in man coverage. Still, the four-star recruit has the frame and traits worth betting on for a boundary cornerback. This is good value at this point in the draft, and the Steelers must add cornerback depth.
Steelers mock draft Round 5 (via LAR): Kurtis Rourke, QB, Indiana
The Pittsburgh Steelers don't have a single viable quarterback under contract entering the 2025 offseason as all three of Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Kyle Allen are unrestricted free agents. While the front office may go with a whole new group of signal callers in free agency, it's most like that at least one from this group returns to the team.
It also feels likely that Pittsburgh will spend a draft pick on a quarterback this April. This may not come early in the draft, but the Steelers would like to have a quarterback on a rookie contract who could learn and develop under Arthur Smith's offense.
In the fifth round, I have them going with Kurtis Rourke. The Indiana product is a tall quarterback who lacks high-end traits but is capable of running an offense and standing tough in the pocket. Rourke should make the roster by default due to the lack of depth at the position and could begin his career as the QB3 for Pittsburgh.
Steelers mock draft Round 7 (via NO): Shilo Sanders, S, Colorado
We know the Steelers are no strangers to targeting players with impressive family lineages, and as long as Mike Tomlin is in the building, I don't see that changing. In recent drafts, Pittsburgh selected players with strong family bloodlines like Connor Heyward and Joey Porter Jr. Now I have them going with Shilo Sanders late in the draft.
Shilo, the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders and brother of first-round quarterback prospect Shedeur Sanders, could add depth to the safety position for Pittsburgh. Sanders is on the older side and has been in college since 2019. With only one interception to show for it, he's expected to go late in the draft. He could compete for one of the final safety spots on the team.
Steelers mock draft Round 7 (via ATL): Konata Mumpfield, WR, Pitt
We all know the Pittsburgh Steelers could stand to double up at wide receiver in the draft. Unfortunately, the 2025 class lacks great depth at the position, but that won't stop the front office from doing something like this.
After taking a big, physical receiver in Jack Bech early in the draft, I have the Steelers going with a home-grown product, Konata Mumpfield. The front office got a good look at Mumpfield over his last three seasons at Pitt, and he's coming off an 800-yard, five-touchdown season. As a rookie, he could compete for one of the final wide receiver spots on the team.
Steelers mock draft Round 7 (via WSH): Jalen Rivers, OT, Miami
With Dan Moore Jr. expected to sign with a new team in free agency, the Steelers desperately need offensive tackle depth. Troy Fautanu missed almost his entire rookie season with a knee injury and Broderick Jones still has a long way to go.
The Steelers could look to select an offensive tackle much earlier, but with other pressing needs, I have them waiting until their final pick to take Jalen Rivers. The big Miami product has five years of game experience for the Hurricanes and could compete for the swing tackle role early in his career.