Miles Killebrew makes his second straight Pro Bowl Games.
Another Steeler will be joining T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Chris Boswell at the 2025 Pro Bowl.
Per a team announcement, Steelers safety and special teams ace Miles Killebrew has been officially named to this year’s Pro Bowl Games as an alternate in the special-teamer category. Killebrew will be replacing the Patriots’ Brenden Schooler, who will not be attending due to an injury.
This marks Killebrew’s second straight Pro Bowl.
Killebrew didn’t record any blocked punts in the 2024-25 season, but he still recorded 13 total special teams tackles and was the Steelers’ special teams captain.
The 2025 Pro Bowl Games, held in Orlando, Fla., will take place on the weekend between the AFC and NFC Championships and the Super Bowl, starting on Thursday, Jan. 30 with the “Skills Showdown,” and ending on Sunday, Feb. 2 with a flag football that starts at 3 p.m. ET.
Both events will be televised on ESPN, with the flag football game also being available on ABC.
The veteran quarterback wants to stay in Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Steelers seemed poised to make a deep playoff run this season. They started 10-3 and Russell Wilson had a massive game against the Bengals, throwing for over 400 yards and helping the Steelers put up 44 points. However, the Steelers lost their last five games and failed to score more than 17 points in each contest. Wilson is no longer under contract with the Steelers, but he made it clear he wants to remain in Pittsburgh in an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
“I’ve got so much more in me, man,” Wilson said. “My goal is to be with the Pittsburgh Steelers a long time and hopefully finish my career there.”
Russell Wilson: “I’ve got so much more in me, man. My goal is to be with the Pittsburgh Steelers a long time and hopefully finish my career there.” https://t.co/23d0ei6rLa
The Steelers running it back with Wilson would signal all the wrong things. It would scream that they are complacent with being above average and don’t have any real standards or goals, and the fanbase deserves better than that.
The Pittsburgh Steelers currently have one quarterback on their roster – Skylar Thompson (sad trombone noise).
2025 needs to be the year the Steelers get truly serious about finding a long-term answer at quarterback. In terms of who those options will be, these are my personal rankings for what Pittsburgh can do at the quarterback position.
1. Justin Fields
He makes the most sense. He was in the system last year, he played well in the six games he started, and can be brought back for cheaper than just about every other option possible. Sign him to a two-year deal, load up the offense around him, and give him the opportunity to prove he is their franchise quarterback. If he is, great – you did it. If he isn’t, then at least you’ll know ahead of a quarterback-heavy 2026 draft class.
2. Matthew Stafford
This one feels like somewhat of a long shot so I didn’t put it at No. 1, but if the Steelers can get Stafford, they should make it their top priority. The Rams could be looking to move on from Stafford ahead of March before he is due a $4 million roster bonus and look toward the future. Should Stafford become available, he would skyrocket to the top of the list. Even at age 37, he is still playing high-level football. Pittsburgh could also bring over Cooper Kupp to compliment their receiving corps.
3. Sam Darnold
Darnold had a career-renaissance in Minnesota this past season, throwing for over 4,300 yards and 35 touchdowns with a passer rating north of 102. I like Darnold, but I fear a few things when it comes to the potential of him being the quarterback. For starters, was 2024 just a one-year wonder type of situation? And two, he won’t have a great play designer and play-caller like Kevin O’Connell in Pittsburgh, not does have have Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. If Pittsburgh loads up on receivers, then this could make sense. But even so, the worries would remain.
4. Kirk Cousins
Cousins didn’t have the season he was hoping for in Atlanta, but he will likely be available for cheap money once the Falcons release him. He certainly wouldn’t be my first choice, but he’s not quite the worst one, either.
5. Aaron Rodgers
If Rodgers was three years younger, then he would be higher on the list. Even after a season where he threw 28 touchdowns, he’s 41 and would likely just be another one-year rental.
6. Russell Wilson
No. Just no. If they bring Wilson back, they are just admitting they are completely happy with what happened this past season and no one would have nay reason to be excited for 2025. No disrespect to Wilson, but he would be the worst veteran option.
Kiper, like many others in the mock-draft-sphere, projects Pittsburgh to opt for a wide receiver in Round 1, projecting the Steelers to draft Ohio State wideout Emeka Egbuka with the 21st overall pick.
Egbuka was the fourth wide receiver selected in Kiper’s debut mock — or, perhaps technically third? — behind Colorado WR/CB hybrid Travis Hunter (to the Browns at No. 2), Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan (to the Raiders at No. 6) and Missouri’s Luther Burden III (to the Cowboys at No. 12).
On Egbuka’s fit with the Steelers, Kiper shares:
The last time the Steelers took a receiver in Round 1 was 2006, when they drafted Santonio Holmes at No. 25. But unless things drastically change in free agency, Pittsburgh has to break that streak. There aren’t enough reliable pass catchers in this offense. The Steelers don’t have a surefire WR2 behind George Pickens, and the offense isn’t going to improve until they do something there, no matter the QB.
Egbuka caught six passes for 64 yards in Monday’s national championship win, putting him over 1,000 yards on the season (1,011). It was also the second time in the past three years that Egbuka caught double-digit touchdowns (10). He’s a great route runner with speed and would eat up targets in the Steelers’ offense.
Per NFL Mock Draft Database, a website that analyzes NFL mock drafts from around the sports media landscape, Egbuka has emerged as the consensus pick for the Steelers at No. 21 among the 594 mock drafts analyzed at the time of this writing.
Egbuka, a former five-star recruit (and top WR recruit in the 2021 class per 247Sports) played all four seasons at Ohio State, including two seasons of 1,000+ receiving yards and 10+ scrimmage touchdowns. He’s the Buckeyes’ all-time reception leader (205) and second all-time receiving-yard leader (2,868), just behind Michael Jenkins. Meanwhile, his 24 receiving touchdowns rank seventh all-time for the historic university — just one shy short of Santonio Holmes, the last Ohio State wideout the Steelers drafted, who also happened to be selected in the first round.
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, the 22-year-old wideout offers plenty of fluidity as a route runner and offers something the Steelers’ offense could sorely use in the passing game — reliability. His skill set over the middle of the field, having played primarily out of the slot at Ohio State (73.2% of snaps per PFF), would be a huge asset for the Steelers and a great complement to the splash plays George Pickens offers along the perimeter.
Interestingly, Egbuka’s NFL comp coming out of high school was listed as former Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Needless to say, the Steelers’ history of first-round picks out of Ohio State in the 2000s has been stellar, including the selections of Holmes (2006), DT Cam Heyward (2011) and LB Ryan Shazier (2014). Could Egbuka be the next home run?
The former Steelers’ quarterback gives everyone a look behind the curtain
The conversation that immediately followed the Pittsburgh Steelers’ loss to the Baltimore Ravens was whether or not Mike Tomlin is still the right person for the job of leading the Steelers. Many made the same of tired claims and arguments, blaming the roster or the quarterback for the Steelers’ shortcomings. However, as Ben Roethlisberger points out, it is Tomlin who makes these decisions.
“I know Omar Khan is the general manager,” Roethlisberger said on Footbahlin. “Mike Tomlin makes decisions… Mike Tomlin has decisions and makes most of the decisions in Pittsburgh. He can say he doesn’t and this, that, and the other – we all know that he’s got a lot of pull. He’s been here for 18 years. You wouldn’t be here that long if you didn’t have pull and say.”
So for everyone pointing fingers and saying the roster isn’t good enough or the quarterbacks aren’t good enough, all of those things have been Mike Tomlin’s doing. They aren’t going to move on from him this offseason, and probably never will if we’re being perfectly honest. But maybe now (probably not) those who constantly race to defend Tomlin and make the claims of “Well the grass may not be greener on the other side without Tomlin,” the current grass isn’t green at all. And that comes back to the man under the headset.
A look at the latest first-round projections for Pittsburgh around the NFL media landscape…
The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t play in the Divisional Round, nor will the storied franchise make an appearance in the AFC Championship.
Where they have made frequent appearances, however, is in recent NFL mock drafts. With the conclusion of the Wild Card Round, the Steelers secured the 21st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. So, here’s a look at the latest Steelers first-round picks from NFL mock drafts around the media landscape with the college football season officially a wrap.
The Steelers can’t try to piecemeal quarterback again after getting familiar limited results from Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. They need someone with a strong arm who plays well off the run and also can supplement that run with his own athleticism at times. Ewers checks the boxes with his experience and upside, and he should pan out much better than 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett.
Pittsburgh needs to find a long-term starter to play across from Joey Porter. Revel would give Pittsburgh another long press-corner on the boundary.
Revel tore his ACL in practice in September. His draft evaluation will obviously hinge on his medicals. If he’s fully cleared, he has a real shot at the top 20. The former track star is a 6-foot-3, long-levered boundary corner with speed to burn.
The Steelers are searching for defensive line help in the offseason and this is the perfect draft to find that. There’s plenty of talent here the Steelers can target.
Kenneth Grant is a plug-and-play one technique at the next level. He’s an elite run defender but also offers some surprising splashes as a pass rusher.
Mike Tomlin made no promises about his team’s quarterback plans moving forward, other than declaring that the team had to take stock of all its options. For a franchise hardly prone to taking drastic action, the simplest solution to enacting change behind center might be simply re-signing Justin Fields to take over as the starter while saying goodbye to Russell Wilson. If the Steelers choose to go that route rather than looking to the draft for a passer, Egbuka would be a natural fit next to George Pickens as the smooth, polished No. 2 receiver this attack lacks.
S.M. Woolcock, FantasyPros (Steelers trade back with Packers, draft at pick No. 23)
It’s another masterclass by Steelers general manager Omar Khan, AKA “The Khan Artist,” who adds a valuable day-two pick and gets the receiver he wanted all along, Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka. Named the 2018 Gatorade Player of the Year for being the best high school player in the state of Washington, Ekbuka lived up to the billing at Ohio State and could have been a borderline first-round pick before returning to Columbus for his senior year.
With C.J. Stroud at quarterback in 2022, Egbuka flourished, finishing third in the Big Ten in receiving yards (1,151) and touchdowns (10). While some will knock the 22-year-old for never leading the Buckeyes in receiving, playing alongside two generational players, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jeremiah Smith, makes that a non-concern for me.
Egbuka is a true technician with a fluid change of direction and can do more than just play the slot like he was asked to do during much of his time at Ohio State. His after-the-catch ability makes him a threat to take it to the house on both screen passes and over-the-middle crossers. However, he is also a gifted down-field ball-tracker and special teams returner.
With the Steelers’ only legitimate pass-catchers being George Pickens on the perimeter and TE Pat Freiermuth, he’ll be a welcomed addition to a middling offense.
The Steelers’ lone quarterback under contract for the 2025 season right now is Skylar Thompson. One has to imagine Pittsburgh will need to get creative again to try to solve the riddle of who is behind center after the wheels fell off the Russell Wilson experience. Whoever is at quarterback will need a continuously improving supporting cast if the Steelers are going to have a postseason breakthrough. And no one finds wide receivers quite like the Steelers. Luther Burden is an explosive run-after-catch weapon that would pair very well with the Steelers’ tight end room and big-play threat George Pickens.
Matt Rooney, Bleacher Nation
This would be a little out-of-character pick for Pittsburgh, which usually likes to build from the inside out. However, Luther Burden III has had an outstanding career at Missouri and is a big play waiting to happen. He can come in on day one, significantly impact the Steelers’ offense, and be a weapon for whoever is playing QB in the Steel City next season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers land a physical mismatch in Tre Harris, a 6’3”, 225-pound wideout with elite separation and explosive athleticism. Harris is a true YAC (yards-after-catch) machine who thrives in one-on-one situations. While consistency, route-running polish, and durability are concerns, his upside as a potential star at the position is undeniable. With rumors swirling about the team’s plans to move on from George Pickens, Harris could step in as an immediate contributor, offering a dynamic target for whoever is at QB next year in Pittsburgh’s offense.
Which of these first-round projections would you be happiest for Pittsburgh to walk away with in the 2025 NFL Draft?
The Pittsburgh Steelers have several questions to answer this offseason, but one position they have zero worries about is center. Zach Frazier was selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and he has been terrific since Day One. So much so that the former West Virginia Mountaineer was named to the PFWA All-Rookie team.
Frazier allowed just one sack all season and had just five penalties assessed to him on 975 plays. His 12 pressures and two hits on the quarterback allowed ranked 37th and 34thm respectively in the NFL. He was also graded as PFF’s sixth best center in the NFL, and his run block grade was also sixth in the league. Playing alongside fellow rookie Mason McCormick and not having any sort of fall off is also a testament to Frazier’s talent, and it’s clear the Steelers have found their long-term center and anchor of the offensive line.
Pittsburgh signs a rangy corner for the offseason.
The Steelers added another player to the team’s offseason roster on Tuesday. Per a team announcement, Pittsburgh has signed defensive back Cameron McCutcheon to a reserve/future contract.
McCutcheon went undrafted in 2023 out of Western Carolina, signing with the Los Angeles Rams. In his final college season, he logged 32 total tackles and four passes defensed. The 6’3, 200-pound defender fits the Steelers’ size preferences for outside cornerback.
Predicting how the 2025 Steelers draft class may shake out
With the 2024-25 season concluded, the Pittsburgh Steelers look ahead to the 2025 NFL Draft, set for Thursday, April 24 through Saturday, April 26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. After a disappointing end to the season, the Steelers will look to fill some key holes with this year’s draft.
Without further adieu, here is an early 2025 Steelers mock draft with Pittsburgh’s current projected draft positions.
Round 1, Pick 21: WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
Photo by Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images
With Pittsburgh’s lack of receiver depth in 2024, many believe they will go that route in the early rounds of the 2025 draft. This also comes with the uncertainty of star receiver George Pickens’ status with the team entering the new season. Pickens was the clear leader for this receiver room last year but after their early exit from the playoffs, speculations have begun regarding where he will be in 2025.
At the No. 21 pick, someone like Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka looks to be a promising selection for the Steelers. Across Egbuka’s four years with the Buckeyes, he has brought in 199 receptions for 2,804 yards and 24 touchdowns. This season, he has 10 touchdowns to go with his 947 receiving yards. Egbuka and Ohio State being in the National Championship this year further increases the promising receivers’ draft stock, posting a 6-64-0 line in their win over Notre Dame.
Round 2, Pick No. 52: DT Shemar Turner, Texas A&M
Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Veteran sensation Cameron Heyward will look to build off his outstanding 2024 campaign as he and the Steelers move into 2025. Despite Heyward’s dominant play, his fellow defensive tackles could have done more. Keeanu Benton, Larry Ogunjobi and Montravius Adams all had strong moments throughout the season but seemed to lack sustainability. With that being said, adding a highly touted defensive tackle could be of high priority for Pittsburgh.
Texas A&M’s Shemar Turner is currently evaluated as a second-round pick that may fall to the Steelers in their draft range. Turner has a fast-twitch off the line that he carries into his strong rushes at the quarterback. Over his four years with the Aggies Turner went for 115 total tackles, 10 sacks, and three forced fumbles. Turner could be a strong piece if the Steelers look to add depth behind Heyward.
Round 3, Pick No. 83: QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images
The Steelers signed quarterbacks Justin Fields and Russell Wilson each to one-year deals knowing this dilemma would eventually come. With Fields having a strong opening to 2024 due to Wilson being sidelined by injury, fans were optimistic he could be the one. Then, Wilson returned from injury and took over as QB1 where he had his ups and downs. This now leaves GM Omar Khan with a decision to make regarding the most important position on the field. With it being doubtful the Steelers keep both Fields and Wilson, Jaxson Dart looks to be a valuable find in this draft.
Dart led Ole Miss to a strong 2024 campaign, where he and the Rebels started the season at 8-2. The opening ten games featured impressive wins over Georgia and Oklahoma. However, Ole Miss was unable to put it all together down the stretch as they found themselves in the Gator Bowl against the Duke Blue Devils. Here, Ole Miss trumped Duke by way of a 52-20 score. In the Gator Bowl, Dart shined, throwing four touchdowns along with 404 yards and no picks. His 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns, and six interceptions put him amongst College Football’s elite this season. Whatever the Steelers decide to do at quarterback, Dart could be a piece to build around for the future.
Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Steeler’s secondary performed better this year with the addition of Donte Jackson at cornerback. However, Jackson is now a free agent, and with his status being undetermined, snagging someone at this position in the draft could be key.
Quincy Riley, out of Louisville, is on the heels of a six-year collegiate career as he plans to enter the 2025 draft. His 2024 campaign features 33 total tackles, nine passes defended, two interceptions, and a forced fumble. If the Steelers can add a stable young talent to play alongside Joey Porter Jr. they may be set at cornerback for years to come.
Round 5, No. 161 IOL Caleb Rogers, Texas Tech
Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images
A much improved offensive line in 2024 for Pittsburgh still features its holes. With Troy Fautanu and James Daniels sidelined nearly the entire season with injuries, the state of a fully healthy line is uncertain. Regardless, having depth at the position will be key as seen this season. For that reason, drafting someone in this position may pay off in the long run.
Texas Tech’s Caleb Rogers is listed at 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, and could provide more size on the interior of the line. If it is the end of the road for Daniels in the black and gold, the versatile Rogers could serve as a strong replacement for the future.
As stated previously, the Steelers are in dire need of building receiver depth. Whether they go all in during the draft or free agency, it is a position of optimal need. With that being said, grabbing someone late in the draft like LaJohntay Wester could be big for Pittsburgh.
Wester played alongside star Travis Hunter at Colorado, potentially stunting his true capabilities at the position. Wester spent 2020-2023 with Florida Atlantic University before coming to Colorado for his final season. In his final year with the Buffaloes, Wester nabbed 74 receptions for 931 yards and 10 touchdowns. Despite having such a talented WR room at Colorado, Wester still showed out and shows strong promise for an NFL squad.
Round 7, Pick No. 229: DL Yahya Black, Iowa
Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images
Bolstering the defensive line could add to an already talented Steelers front. Giving Benton and Ogunjobi some competition at the position may help the Steelers succeed not only in the current time but also in the future.
Iowa’s Yahya Black spent all five years of his collegiate career with the Hawkeyes and is now prepared for the draft. Black’s final season features 34 total tackles including one sack, two passes defended, and a forced fumble. The 6-foot-5, 317-pound machine may be a late-round snag for one NFL squad.
The Steelers running back room is as unpredictable a spot on the roster as they come. With both Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren being free agents, there are a plethora of options for Pittsburgh. Assuming they keep both, adding someone late in the draft to play behind the two could provide strong depth when necessary.
Donovan Edwards’s final year at Michigan did not go as expected for many people; his 589 yards and four touchdowns underwhelmed expectations, with him being the presumed No. 1 back. While he may not have shined this season, the potential looks to be there for the 6-foot-1 back. Taking Edwards late in the draft could shake out to be a steal if teams are willing to take the chance.
How would you feel if the Steelers ended up with this as their 2025 NFL Draft class? What would you prioritize differently? Let us know in the comments!
With the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2024 NFL season officially having come to a close, their spot in the 2025 NFL Draft is officially locked in. The Steelers will be picking 21st in the draft order after their 10-7 finish and first-round exit in the playoffs.
Though compensatory picks have yet to be awarded, here’s a look at the Steelers’ projected picks by round as it stands to close out the Divisional Round, per Tankathon. Keep in mind that the position of these picks may shift given that some of the teams whose picks the Steelers hold are still in playoff contention.
Steelers 2025 draft picks
Round 1, Pick No. 21
Round 2, Pick No. 52
Round 3, Pick No. 83
Round 4, Pick No. 121
Round 5, Pick No. 161
Round 6 — None
Round 7, Picks No. 223, 229, 245
Steelers draft pick notes
Thanks to plenty of wizardry from Steelers GM Omar Khan, there are a few trades to be aware of when assessing Pittsburgh’s collection of draft picks in 2025. Here are a few considerations worth noting:
The Steelers owned both their own 2025 fifth-round pick, as well as a fifth-round pick acquired from the Los Angeles Rams acquired in the Kevin Dotson trade. The Steelers traded one of these picks to acquire WR Mike Williams from the New York Jets, but it’s unclear which of the two draft picks were involved in the trade.
The Steelers sent a conditional sixth-round pick to acquire QB Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears that would escalate to a fourth-round pick if he played more than 51% of offensive snaps in 2024. Fields played 36.14% of offensive snaps, so the pick will be a sixth-rounder.
The Steelers acquired a sixth-rounder from the Houston Texans in the trade of Kendrick Green.
It’s unclear which of the sixth-round picks (Steelers, Texans) that the Rams and Bears received in their respective trades.
In 2022, the Steelers traded a 2025 conditional sixth-round pick for William Jackson III and a 2025 seventh-round pick. Though it hasn’t explicitly been acknowledged that the conditions of the pick were not met, it would appear that is the case, as the Steelers traded away two sixth-round picks since, including one to the LA Rams and the aforementioned sixth-rounder sent for QB Justin Fields.
The Steelers acquired two seventh-round picks from the Philadelphia Eagles in the Kenny Pickett trade — the two most favorable of the Broncos, Eagles, Falcons and Saints picks.
The Steelers sent a conditional seventh-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings in 2022 for OL Jesse Davis. It’s unclear if the conditions of the trade were met, so the team may or may not own its draft pick.
The Steelers sent a seventh-round pick to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for LB Preston Smith. It’s unclear what draft pick was sent for Smith.
