Post-Gazette sports columnist Paul Zeise reacts to the day in Pittsburgh sports news live around 5 p.m. Eastern. With the NFL draft looming, will Steelers GM Omar Khan and coach Mike Tomlin commit to George Pickens and T.J. Watt in the end? Or could one or both players still move on draft day if the team doesn't believe it will re-sign them for 2026 and beyond? What are Paul's final thoughts who the first-round pick will ultimately be? A defensive lineman like Kenneth Grant, Walter Nolen or Derrick Harmon? A QB like Shedeur Sanders of Jaxson Dart? Or someone from another position group like Omarion Hampton at RB or Jahdae Barron? And on the baseball front, what should we make of Andrew McCutchen's big night for the Pirates in a much-needed victory against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night in Anaheim, Calif.?
Post-Gazette Pitt insiders Stephen Thompson and Abby Schnable preview the NFL draft, taking place Thursday through Saturday in Green Bay, Wis. Which Panthers are most likely to be selected this weekend? Is Konata Mumpfield a potential mid-round sleeper pick at wide receiver like Bub Means was a season ago? Will the 6-foot-6 Pitt captain Branson Taylor find a place on an NFL offensive line? Will Ben Sauls get the chance to prove himself as a kicker at the game's highest level? Will local product Donovan McMillon fulfill his NFL dreams? And what does this year's draft so about the overall state of Pat Narduzzi's program? Our duo answers those questions and more.
On his weekly Chipped Ham & Football podcast, Post-Gazette Steelers insider Brian Batko welcomes Wes Uhler of the Steelers Nation Radio for a seven-round NFL mock draft of possible picks for GM Omar Khan and coach Mike Tomlin. What's the best path for the first-round pick if defensive linemen like Derrick Harmon, Walter Nolen, Kenneth Grant, plus quarterbacks like Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart are all available at pick No. 21 overall? Is CJ West a defensive line name worth knowing in the later rounds if the Steelers pass on DL in the first round? Is Trevor Eitenne the right guy to add to the RB room next to Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren? And why are Pat Bryant, Malachi Moore and Jalin Conyers among the names to watch in the later rounds? Our duo tackles those questions and more.
Post-Gazette columnist Paul Zeise reacts to the day in Pittsburgh sports news live around 5 p.m. Eastern.
What are the Steelers' biggest NFL draft needs beyond quarterback and defensive line? Assuming they take names like Derrick Harmon, Kenneth Grant, Walter Nolen, Shedeur Sanders or Jaxson Dart early, where should they look next? Is it cornerback and options including Shavon Revel Jr., Azareye'h Thomas or Trey Amos? What about running backs like TreVeyon Henderson, Dylan Sampson or Bhayshul Tuten? Or even receiver and players including Jayden Higgins, Jack Bech or Tre Harris?
Paul tackles those questions, then previews an important series for the Pirates against the Los Angeles Angels, in which Oneil Cruz, Andrew McCutchen and the offense hope to get on track.
Post-Gazette Pirates insider Noah Hiles previews the team's three-game series on the road against the Los Angeles Angels this week. With the team in a slide, will Derek Shelton seek to find more consistency with the lineups he puts out, eschewing the strategy of off days we've seen for players like Oneil Cruz and Andrew McCutchen already this season? What can we expect from the Pirates' probable starters in this series — Bailey Falter, Andrew Heaney and Carmen Mlodzinski? Is this Mlodzinski's last chance to prove he can be a viable option as a starting pitcher?
With the Angels likely to start former Pirate Tyler Anderson and former Pirates farmhand Jose Soriano this series, what does it say about the current state of the organization in Pittsburgh? Noah gives his scouting report of the Angels, who so far this season have showed power at the plate thanks to names like Mike Trout, Logan O'Hoppe, Kyren Paris and Taylor Ward but have struggled out of the bullpen. Noah answers those questions and more.
Post-Gazette Steelers insiders Gerry Dulac & Ray Fittipaldo react to the news conference held by GM Omar Khan and coach Mike Tomlin on Tuesday ahead of the NFL draft. What did the two have to say about the pursuit of Aaron Rodgers? And when might be the deadline for the star QB to sign? Was the praise Tomlin had for Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders a legit expression of interest? Or a smokescreen to throw other teams off the scent of what the Steelers may do? And which defensive linemen might they prefer between top options including Kenneth Grant, Derrick Harmon and Walter Nolen? Our duo tackles those questions and more.
Host Adam Bittner welcomes Post-Gazette/Daily Collegian insider Joel Haas to preview the NFL draft from a Penn State perspective.
Is Abdul Carter the best player available in this draft class? Or do names like Cam Ward and Travis Hunter deserve the title? Is Carter's best fit alongside Myles Garrett with the Cleveland Browns? Or as a face-of-the-franchise type for the New York Giants or Jacksonville Jaguars? How much should teams value TE Tyler Warren's diverse skill set? And how far could he slide down the order on Day 1 of the draft?
Later, the guys offer thoughts on names expected to go in later rounds. Can Kevin Winston Jr. slide into the late Day 2 range? How much has Kobe King helped his draft stock since a rough performance against Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff? And will Jaylen Reed's playmaking ability help him get selected?
Our duo tackles those topics, then pivots to spring football and NCAA transfer portal news for the Nittany Lions. Have Devonte Ross and Kyron Hudson proven they can help the receivers room in 2025? Will coach James Franklin add Syracuse WR Trebor Pena before the end of the spring transfer window? And are internal options like Tyseer Denmark, Kaden Saunders and Liam Clifford capable of stepping up to give QB Drew Allar more options in 2025?
Post-Gazette sports columnist Paul Zeise reacts to the day in Pittsburgh sports news live around 5 p.m. Eastern.
What should we make of reports from ESPN's Adam Schefter that the Steelers are looking to trade back in the first round of the NFL draft? Would that be the right move for GM Omar Khan and coach Mike Tomlin to try to recoup some draft capital? And could they still land speculated targets including Derrick Harmon, Kenneth Grant, Walter Nolen, Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart of Omarion Hampton in the latter portions of the first round?
Later, Paul gives his thoughts on the latest in the wait for Aaron Rodgers to sign with the team. Will he be under contract by the draft? And if not, how long after it should the Steelers wait before moving on with Mason Rduolph?
Paul tackles those football topics, then weighs in on the Pirates' rough weekend, during which they were swept by the Cleveland Guardians. How much heat does manager Derek Shelton deserve for questionable lineup choices with Oneil Cruz, Andrew McCutchen and others? And can they turn their struggles around on the West Coast this week?
Post-Gazette Pirates insider Noah Hiles reacts live to the club's weekend sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Guardians and looks ahead to a West Coast swing against the Los Angeles Angels and Dodgers.
Can the club survive a schedule that gets tougher in the coming weeks? Does manager Derek Shelton deserve the scrutiny he's getting for lineup decisions related to Oneil Cruz, Andrew McCutchen, Jack Suwinski, Tommy Pham, Alexander Canario and others? How much hope should fans have in underlying statistic that suggest an offensive turnaround should be coming at some point? And when will this team begin to take advantage of strong starts from names including Mitch Keller and Paul Skenes? Noah tackles those topics and more.
On the Monday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by Edgar Snyder & Associates, Post-Gazette Steelers insiders Christopher Carter and Ray Fittipaldo ponder the importance of the 2025 NFL draft to the franchise's long-term future.
Why is it essential for GM Omar Khan, assistant GM Andy Weidl and coach Mike Tomlin to properly balance short-term needs with the potential to add long-term staples? How does that balance fit into the conversations around names including DLs Derrick Harmon, Kenneth Grant and Walter Nolen; QBs Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart; RBs Omarion Hampton and Dylan Sampson; and defensive backs like Jahdae Barron?
Our duo tackles those questions, then talks QBs. How did the franchise get here? With only Mason Rudolph as their only viable option under contract? Should they have taken more NFL draft chances on QBs following Ben Roethlisberger's retirement? Or even before it? Or were they correct to take the chances they did with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson last season. Or potentially Aaron Rodgers in 2025?
Then in the third segment, the guys ponder lessons from former GM Kevin Colbert's early successes and his late failures that contributed to the current state of today's roster.