The Steelers have several needs to address if they want to get back to being a Super Bowl contending franchise. While quarterback is one of those needs, the 2025 NFL draft’s class project to be a group that provides more future backup options than future franchise signal-callers.
But in other key positions, the draft offers strong classes full of options with a wide variety of foundational starters and role players. The Steelers’ top needs going into the draft include defensive tackle, running back, cornerback, wide receiver and depth on the offensive line.
The Steelers’ current draft picks provide the opportunity to address several of those positions but run the risk of leaving out a key need that turns into a hole in the roster for the rest of the season.
That’s where the possibility for a trade back in the first round of the draft could aid the Steelers with additional picks in the middle rounds while still taking a shot at a star player with their first pick.
Throughout these picks, one statistic consistently used is known as the Relative Athletic Score (RAS), which is an athletic rating of draft prospects compiled at ras.football. Prospects’ sizes and testing numbers are compiled to stack them against each other to provide a score ranging from zero to 10. The higher the score, the better that player rates as one of the best athletes of the class.
This mock draft explores that possibility in a scenario where Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, our second-highest-ranked defensive tackle in this draft class and a quicker solution to solving the Steelers’ run defense issues, is gone by No. 21, along with the top three cornerbacks in Colorado’s Travis Hunter, Texas’ Jahdae Barron and Michigan’s Will Johnson. In this scenario, also gone are the top two receivers in Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan and Texas’ Matthew Golden.
With both of the top quarterbacks in Miami’s Cam Ward and Sanders off the board, Omar Khan could gamble to trade back and still get one of the top-tier defensive tackles of this class.
The trade back
Finding the right partner to trade back with is always tricky, as that organization would have to possess a need to jump over teams that pick after the Steelers and be desperate enough to make such a move. In this situation, the Chiefs are that team after their Super Bowl loss.
If the Steelers want to trade back in the first round and acquire a pick on the second day of the draft, they’ll need to find a team that fits both those parameters and has a pick or two to burn. The Chiefs are a fit, as their current core of stars around Patrick Mahomes probably doesn’t have much longer before it ages out of some key stars, and they have an additional third-round pick from a prior trade with the Titans at 66th overall.
That leads to the Chiefs trading up with the Steelers for the 21st overall pick to get Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons, giving up their 31st overall pick and their 66th overall pick in the early portion of the third round to the Steelers.
With that, the board fell in a way that allowed the Steelers to still get their stud defensive tackle, and address other areas of need in this mock:
Round 1 (No. 31): Derrick Harmon, Oregon DL
Harmon measures very similarly to Cam Heyward in that they are both 6-foot-4, while the Oregon prospect weighed in at 313 pounds to Heyward’s 294 pounds in the 2011 draft. But Harmon also brings experience as a pass-rushing defensive tackle whose 55 pressures led all interior defensive linemen in college football last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Throw in three sacks, a good demeanor and solid effort against double teams in the run game, and you have a solid candidate to be the future Heyward of the Steelers’ defensive line.
The Steelers would have a new big body to throw in the middle of the defense who could turn into an elite interior pass rusher and use his tools to be an elite run stuffer with time. That could open up a lot for the Steelers in the short term and in the future.
When asked at the combine, Harmon noted how he models his game after Heyward and Chiefs All-Pro Chris Jones, which further supports why he’d be a great option in the first round. Harmon became one of the Steelers’ top-30 draft visits last week. He did not compete in enough tests to register an RAS.
Round 3 (No. 66): Dylan Sampson, Tennessee RB
As noted in our top 100 big board, the sweet spot for running back in this draft class could very well be just outside of the top 50 picks. Sampson is an explosive option out of the backfield with dangerous speed. He made good reads consistently behind the Volunteers’ offensive line, and his 40-yard dash at Tennessee’s pro day showed how fast he can play, as he registered a 4.42-time — with some scouts who timed him with a 4.35.
Sampson also doesn’t have a ton of tread on his tires at 21 years old and only one year as a full-time starter. His speed and ability to make defenders miss in space and finish runs with strength all add up to him being a great fit in Arthur Smith’s offense.
The 5-foot-8, 200-pound running back was also a top-30 visit for the Steelers. Sampson registered a middling 6.59 RAS — but largely because of his size, as his 40-yard dash 20-yard split and broad jump all registered among the best in his class.
Round 3 (No. 83): Tate Ratledge, Georgia OL
Ratledge represents a unique opportunity for the Steelers if he were to fall to the third round. While the Steelers have invested heavily into the offensive line the last two drafts, don’t overlook a willingness by Omar Khan and Andy Weidl to further fortify this group.
Veteran Isaac Seumalo might work for now alongside second-year guard Mason McCormick, but the Steelers will most likely need another guard in their unit soon because of Seumalo’s age.
Ratledge is a guard prospect who doesn’t rank as high because of his tape that lacks a consistent display of fundamentals and dominance. But his athletic scores were excellent with a 9.96 RAS — the highest among offensive linemen in this year’s class — and at 6-6 and 308 pounds, that’s worth a shot in the middle rounds to develop into a dominant run-blocking guard.
Round 4 (No. 123): Will Howard, Ohio State QB
This is where the sweet spot exists for the Steelers to take their shot at a quarterback, and Howard would be a good fit. He has ideal size at 6-4, 236 pounds, with NFL arm strength and the toughness and awareness to make strong throws from the pocket even while under pressure.
His ability to process the field needs work, and he can often become somewhat predictable, but he projects to be a solid option as a backup quarterback who could turn into the Steelers’ next version of a Mason Rudolph.
Round 5 (No. 156): Logan Brown, Kansas OT
If the Steelers want to find a solid backup offensive tackle for Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu in this draft class, Brown would offer a unique opportunity in the later rounds.
After only being a starter for a single season, the 6-6, 311-pound Jayhawk showed good — if raw — instincts in pass protection with his hand usage. Brown stacked that with a good combine performance and registered an RAS of 9.50 — third-best among offensive tackles.
He’d be a project with plenty of fundamentals to develop, but one with plenty of athleticism and upside to be a solid option off the bench and maybe give the Steelers a future option at tackle if Jones or Fautanu don’t work out long-term.
Round 6 (No. 185): Konata Mumpfield, Pitt WR
The Steelers’ need for a top receiver in this draft lessened with the trade for DK Metcalf. But that won’t preclude them from taking any receiver in this draft class. Instead, it might focus them in on a specific type of receiver, and that’s one who’s proficient in getting separation with their routes against cornerbacks.
That could provide a unique fit for the Mumpfield with the Steelers, whose RAS of 6.35 won’t jump off the page. But what stands out about Mumpfield is his sharp route-running and highly developed technique to create separation against defenders.
Mumpfield told the Post-Gazette as part of the multi-part series in his draft process that Steelers receiver coach Zach Azzanni “liked him a lot,” and he worked exclusively with Azzanni during Pitt’s March 26th pro day at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. He would provide a non-expensive option as a separator receiver who can compete with Roman Wilson for reps as the team’s fourth or fifth receiving option.
Round 7 (No. 229): Ty Robinson, Nebraska DL
The possibility for the Steelers to double-dip at defensive tackle is wide open with the depth at the position this year. But one of the factors that must be considered for players taken late at this position is whether they specialize in one factor that could make them a unique depth option.
Well-rounded stars at the top of the draft are one thing, but later-picked defensive tackles often lack in a certain area. If you take a prospect late, you’d like to see them specialize in one aspect of their game that could translate well to the NFL while they refine their game. That’s where Robinson comes in, as his 42 pressures registered as the third-most in college football last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Robinson could compete in camp as a rotational pass rusher in nickel and dime packages and could develop into getting occasional snaps there.
First Published: April 15, 2025, 8:00 a.m.
Updated: April 16, 2025, 2:02 a.m.
