When the going got tough, the Pittsburgh Steelers fell apart. More than halfway through the season, some regarded Mike Tomlin's team as a top-five squad in football. But that was before they faced the toughest competition on the 2024 schedule.
Eventually, the Steelers would lose five straight games to close out the year (including the playoff loss to the Ravens). Both sides of the football were to blame, but an inexcusably poor offense didn't come close to getting the job done.
In addition to getting pulverized in time of possession down the stretch, the Steelers managed to put up just 14 points per game over their final five contest. Pittsburgh's last six games to close out the year were accompanied by just 164 passing yards per game.
We knew wide receiver was going to be the Achilles heel of this team in 2024, and that proved to be the case. It's not hard to see which positions the Pittsburgh Steelers could target early in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Steelers mock draft Round 1: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
In his latest two-round mock draft, Dane Brugler of The Athletic—one of the most respected draft analysts in the business—had the Steelers selecting Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka with the 21st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Egbuka doesn't have the high-end upside to be an electrifying wide receiver in the NFL, but he's just what the doctor ordered.
Egbuka is cut from the same cloth as Jaxon Smith-Njigba—a fellow Ohio State product. He has a high floor, good hands, and the route-running ability to run an offense through. In the right situation, Egbuka could show shades of Amon Ra St. Brown.
For Pittsburgh, Egbuka would start from Day 1, and he may even be the team's top option as a rookie if the Steelers decide to send George Pickens packing this offseason. The well-rounded wideout wouldn't solve all their problems in the passing game, but it would be a start.
Steelers mock draft Round 2: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
With their second-round pick (52 overall), Brugler has the Steelers selecting Kentucky cornerback, Maxwell Hairston. The Steelers value size and physicality at cornerback, and Hairston offers both. It helps that he's coming from SEC competition.
Hairston had a phenomenal sophomore season in 2023 when he recorded five interceptions, 131 defensive return yards, and a pair of defensive touchdowns. Last year, Hairston played in just seven games for the Wildcats before declaring for the NFL Draft.
The Steelers have a few cornerbacks who have shown flashes and signs of promise, like Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr. However, this team needs to improve the secondary, and Pittsburgh just witnessed a season in which Porter, Trice, and Donte Jackson each dealt with injuries.
Jackson, meanwhile, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, and Trice's injury history is too scary to trust him to stay on the field for 17 games. This selection would add much-needed depth and security to a secondary that struggled in 2024.