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Taking a look at the Steelers’ next batch of rivals.
The 2025 NFL Draft has concluded, and while we at BTSC have spent the last several months preparing for and analyzing the Steelers’ haul, 31 other teams and their fan bases across the league were doing the exact same thing.
With all 257 of the weekend’s picks in the rearview mirror, let’s take a look at the drafts of every team in the AFC North. These are athletes who will be playing each other a lot over the next several years, so get familiar with the names below.
We’ll start off with a refresher on Pittsburgh’s class:
Pittsburgh Steelers
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- Round 1: DL Derrick Harmon, Oregon
- Round 3: RB Kaleb Johnson, Iowa
- Round 4: EDGE Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
- Round 5: DL Yahya Black, Iowa
- Round 6: QB Will Howard, Ohio State
- Round 7: LB Carson Bruener, Washington
- Round 7: CB/PR Donte Kent, Central Michigan
Initial thoughts: The Steelers wanted to bolster their defensive trenches here, with a clear emphasis on stopping the run. Kaleb Johnson fills a need at running back while Will Howard projects as an NFL backup, but he could get a chance to compete for the starting job if Aaron Rodgers doesn’t sign. It’s not a flashy class, but it addresses the team’s biggest weaknesses as Pittsburgh searches for a franchise quarterback.
Baltimore Ravens
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- Round 1: S Malaki Starks, Georgia
- Round 2: EDGE Mike Green, Marshall
- Round 3: OT Emery Jones Jr., LSU
- Round 4: LB Teddye Buchanan, California
- Round 5: OT Carson Vinson, Alabama A&M
- Round 6: CB Bilhal Kone, Western Michigan
- Round 6: K Tyler Loop, Arizona
- Round 6: WR LaJohntay Wester, Colorado
- Round 6: DT Aeneas Peebles, Virginia Tech
- Round 6: CB Robert Longerbeam, Rutgers
- Round 7: OG Garrett Dellinger, LSU
Initial thoughts: The Ravens got excellent value with their first two picks, grabbing arguably the top safety in the draft in the first round in Malaki Starks, and getting a first-round talent at edge rusher in Mike Green in the second round (two sexual assault allegations against him explain the fall). Emory Jones Jr. is an underrated talent on the offensive line while names like Aeneas Peebles are solid late-round additions. Tyler Loop is an interesting selection given Ravens’ kicker Justin Tucker’s current allegations.
Cincinnati Bengals
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- Round 1: EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
- Round 2: LB Demetrius Knight Jr., South Carolina
- Round 3: OG Dylan Fairchild, Georgia
- Round 4: LB Barrett Carter, Clemson
- Round 5: OT Jalen Rivers, Miami
- Round 6: RB Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech
Initial thoughts: Stewart’s trajectory in the NFL will determine a lot about this class. Stewart tested like Myles Garrett at the 2025 NFL Combine, and although he has the build and athleticism of a top-five pick, the on-field results don’t match it at all. Stewart has just 4.5 career college sacks over three seasons, but he has incredible potential if he can unlock it in the pros.
Beyond that, Knight was seen as a bit of reach but is a reasonable addition to a struggling Bengals defense. After him, Cincinnati made a slew of good-value picks at different positions; waiting until the sixth round for a running back (Tahj Brooks is still pretty good!) means they likely have a lot of confidence in Chase Brown entering the 2025 season.
Cleveland Browns
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- Round 1: DT Mason Graham, Michigan
- Round 2: LB Carson Schwesinger, UCLA
- Round 2: Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State
- Round 2: TE Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green
- Round 3: QB Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
- Round 4: RB Dylan Sampson, Tennessee
- Round 5: QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Initial thoughts: We’ll save the most entertaining draft class for last. But first, let’s acknowledge some undeniably solid picks: Graham might not be the blue-chippiest of top-five picks, but he was the consensus DT1 and the Browns got valuable future draft capital trading back with the Jaguars (and Steelers fans can sleep well knowing neither Travis Hunter nor Ashton Jeanty are in the AFC North).
Carson Schwesinger is the prototypical modern linebacker, and Judkins/Sampson have the look of a very fun thunder and lightning duo. Harold Fannin Jr. is a polarizing name in the draft community as his impressive college production isn’t expected to hold up due to his lack of an NFL-style physical profile.
But the quarterbacks are the headliners. Cleveland passed on the falling Shedeur Sanders in the third round, instead selecting quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who was largely viewed as a Day 3 talent. Then, Cleveland traded back up in the fifth round to finally nab Sanders. Now, the Browns have a quarterback room of Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders. That’s a lot of storylines to deal with, only a few roster spots to go around, and no clear starter.
For yet another season, the AFC North looks like it’ll be one of football’s most entertaining divisions. What are your thoughts on the final results of all four teams’ draft classes?