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Draft Night is finally here. Tune in and react with us as the names are announced.
The 2025 NFL Draft is finally here. The Steelers hold the 21st overall pick in the NFL Draft.
While you’re following along, a reminder that our 2025 NFL Draft Hub is full of information on prospects and is an excellent resource as the action plays out tonight.
There are plenty of questions that will be answered tonight.
Will the Steelers stay at their original pick, or will they trade back? Will any teams want to move up to 21?
Will PIT shore up the defensive line, add some new life to their rushing attack, or maybe even take a new signal caller? Those seem like the most likely options.
If the Steelers DO go quarterback, which do they prefer?
If the Steelers go DL, is it Harmon or bust? Would they pivot to another position if he’s gone?
What will our AFC North rivals do?
When will star running back Ashton Jeanty be selected?
Ryan and Ryland will be hanging out in the comment section all night. Say hello, and feel free to ask any questions you might have. Let’s have a fun draft night, everyone!
Photo by John Smolek/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Steelers and Bills may make a deal.
The 2025 NFL Draft is less than two hours from kicking off, and the Pittsburgh Steelers may already be in the process of putting together a draft-day trade.
According to Nick Farabugh of PennLive, the Steelers are “incredibly open” to trading back, and the Buffalo Bills are a team to watch in terms of a deal coming together.
I’d keep an eye potentially on the Bills at 30 if this scenario becomes a real one for Pittsburgh https://t.co/T1dhFsCbZk
In a loaded class of cornerbacks, the Bills could move up to get Will Johnson from Michigan or Jahdae Barron from Texas to be their second outside cornerback opposite Christian Benford. In this case, the Steelers could get a second-round pick in return, as the Bills have two second-rounders in this year’s draft.
In my final mock draft for USA Today’s Touchdown Wire, I predicted the Bills would be the team the Steelers trade with to get that second-round pick back, trading picks 21 and 83 to Buffalo in exchange for picks 30, 62, and 132.
Dart, though, was among the QBs to gain momentum as the pre-draft process wore on. The chance he becomes this draft’s second QB chosen, over Sanders, is squarely on the radar, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Howe. While Ely Allen’s PFR mock placed Dart ahead of Sanders, the latter falling to the QB3 slot in this draft — after being viewed as close toCam Wardlate last year — would be a blow for the second-generation NFL prospect. Daniel Jeremiah’s final NFL.com big board places Sanders 20th and Dart 36th.
A Malik Willis-like fall seems unlikely for Sanders, given the number of teams looking for quarterbacks, but his stock has undeniably taken a hit during the pre-draft process. Dart would stand to benefit, with Howe adding the Saints, Steelers and Rams are showing interest in the Ole Miss product. All three hosted Dart on “30” visits.
A Rams-Tyler Shoughconnection also emerged this week, and while it seemed then like the team would not use its first-round pick (No. 26) on a Matthew Stafford successor (as opposed to arming the roster to help the aging QB), this Dart rumor gives such a decision some legs. Stafford is under contract for two more seasons, but his contract adjustment still has not been revealed.
The Saints were tied to Dart a few weeks ago, and they have certainly done plenty of work on the QB. PFR’s mock sent Dart to New Orleans, but the team is not expected to want to use its No. 9 overall pick for a passer. Of course, if the Saints balk, they run the risk of missing out on their preferred second-tier QB option in this draft. And they still do not haveDerek Carr clarity.
If the Saints do delay their QB need at 9, the Steelers will become the team to watch. Clubs already look to be closely monitoring Pittsburgh for a QB pick, as Denver’s No. 20 selection has come up in trade rumors. The Steelers (No. 21) appear to be sending signals in all directions, as Mike Tomlin is believed to back Sanders. Dart has come up on multiple occasions here as well, and a trade-down rumor — as the Steelers initially did not expect Sanders to fall out of the top 10 — also emerged.
As Aaron Rodgers has continued to leave the Steelers hanging, they have a decision to make soon. If Carr is able to play in 2025, the Saints and Rams have starter-caliber options to deploy. The Steelers would have a basement-level option in Mason Rudolph, highlighting their high-stakes draft.
The NFL Draft is finally here. And with that comes the hope of fans everywhere for their respective teams to add stars to their roster. It is also where several trades could be taking place – one of which involves Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens.
Fox NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports that the Steelers have “taken and made calls” regarding Pickens, and Pickens has since unfollowed the team on Instagram. It appears the likelihood of Pickens being traded is greater than the odds of him staying with Pittsburgh. If that’s the case, there will be no shortage of suitors.
A bit of admin here, though – the Steelers shouldn’t trade Pickens for anything less than a third-round pick. Should they be able to get a second-round pick, that would be a big feather in Omar Khan’s cap. A third, though, feels more likely. With that said, here are a handful of teams to keep an eye out for.
Houston Texans
Houston will be without Tank Dell for an unknown amount of time after his gruesome knee injury he sustained this past December against the Kansas City Chiefs, and Stefon Diggs signed with the New England Patriots. Outside of Nico Collins, they don’t have any viable starting options on their roster, and it’s surprising they weren’t the team to make the DK Metcalf trade. Call Pittsburgh and make the trade for Pickens.
Houston Texans receive: WR George Pickens, sixth-round pick (No. 185)
Green Bay Packers
The Packers were name-dropped by Schultz in his report as a team with serious interest in making the trade for Pickens. They have several quality receivers of their own, but none that are legitimate No. 1 guys. Should they include one of those receivers in a deal for Pickens, that may be enough to get the job done.
Green Bay Packers receive: WR George Pickens, 2026 fifth-round pick
Dallas Cowboys
If there is a team you may be able to squeeze a second-round pick out of, it’s the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas needs a vertical threat opposite CeeDee Lamb, and Jerry Jones is known to get trigger happy for receivers (he traded a fourth-round pick for Jonathan Mingo). If Dallas is interested ask for the second-round pick up front and see if Jerry says yes.
Think you can figure out which Steelers player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!
Hey Steelers fans! We’re back for another day of the Behind the Steel Curtain in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.
The goal of the game is to guess the correct Steelers player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.
After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.
The definitive boom or bust prospect in this year’s draft.
Approaching the 2025 NFL Draft, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on anywhere from Rounds 1 through 7. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital and their fit with the Steelers.
Could Jalen Milroe be the best realistic option at quarterback for the Steelers in this year’s draft?
Milroe’s draft stock is defined by his wild ups and downs as a starter at Alabama, but neither of those extremes paint an accurate picture.
We’ll start with Milroe as a runner, where there seems to be the most consensus. Spoiler alert: he’s the best rushing quarterback in this draft class, to the point where there’s a legitimate chance he develops into some sort of ball-carrying weapon in the NFL even if the quarterback gig doesn’t work out.
His first-step quickness is incredible for a quarterback. Watching him run the read option was always a treat because of how quickly he could get downfield.
Jalen Milroe is so much fun running the read option. Insane acceleration for a 220-pound quarterback. pic.twitter.com/uPuENvKdp6
Milroe was electric on designed quarterback runs and constantly turned scrambles into big gains. His running highlights show off his impressive speed and some ability to make defenders miss in the open field.
Before the comparisons get too out of hand, Milroe is a strong, tough player — but in the games I watched he wasn’t a true, Cam Newton-esque battering ram with the football. And the Lamar Jackson comparisons are a bit rich even if I’ll concede that they have similar open-field speed. But Jackson is in a league of his own when it comes to elusiveness and the uncanny vision to dart through gaps in the defense.
Still, Milroe is very, very good with the ball in his hands. He has 33 career rushing touchdowns, with 20 coming last season.
As a passer, his evaluation gets far more complicated. But we can start with the good once again.
Milroe’s arm strength is not even a question. He can push the ball downfield and I’d say his deep ball might be the strongest aspect of his passing abilities. It’s not always perfect, but there are moments of incredible accuracy.
His arm strength is great, though. Some deep balls dropped in the bucket on his tape. First throw in this clip is my favorite I saw of his all year. pic.twitter.com/7stQ51bhd8
Milroe has a fast release and can generate power without fully stepping into his throws. While his out-of-structure playmaking is wildly inconsistent (more on that later), there are some elite throws scattered across his tape: cross-body passes that laser into tight windows downfield.
Some “wow” throws on the run and into tight windows. Can get the ball out quickly. pic.twitter.com/fKIDF0uA2I
While I’m hardly the first person to point it out, a lot of these issues seem to be mechanical. Milroe whips his upper body forward to generate power, but his lower body is significantly less active. He doesn’t step into throws consistently. Fix that, and I think we’ll see some improvements.
Every now and then, he’ll perfectly rip a ball to a seam route or crosser that shows off his upside.
Plenty of instances where he drove the ball on time and generated great velocity pic.twitter.com/HbKWRy90P2
Paired with his tendency to miss high, Milroe just isn’t a very wide receiver-friendly quarterback at this stage in his career. His touch is spotty, and he was consistently bailed out by his pass-catchers with acrobatic grabs instead of hitting them in stride.
I didn’t see many instances of him throwing a receiver open; he was often late to throw the ball on curls, and he’d toss the odd hospital ball from time to time as well.
Milroe isn’t a rhythm passer, generally a little late to get through his reads. His inconsistencies in the short game mean he’s a boom-or-bust playmaker rather than someone who wins by dissecting defenses.
The good news is he shows the toughness to hang in the pocket and deliver throws, and generally isn’t too quick to scramble.
The downside of that is his pocket awareness could still use some work; Milroe is routinely slow to sense pressure, resulting in last-second panic plays.
Milroe has all the physical tools to succeed, but has a significant amount of work to do before he’s an NFL-caliber passer. The good news is he was playing against SEC competition in college rather than being an FCS project, but the flip side is that he was surrounded by excellent talent and coaching at Alabama and it still never “clicked” in his four years with the Crimson Tide.
But Milroe seems coachable. Just about everyone who’s interacted with him this draft cycle has raved about his character, work ethic, and leadership. If Milroe aced his interviews as much as the consensus seems to think, that could be enough to convince a team to take a gamble on the talented quarterback.
Milroe is a massive project, but I’ll admit the good/bad ratio was a bit better than I expected when I finally dove into his 2024. In a weak quarterback class, his upside stands out in a big way. Is Milroe first-round good? I’d say that’s a bit rich given his five touchdowns to 10 interceptions in SEC play last season. But it’s certainly reasonable to take a risk on him Day 2.
Strengths
Elite runner at the quarterback position; high-end speed, burst, and production; some power
Great arm strength
Quick throwing motion
Flashes of high-end NFL throws: downfield accuracy and difficult completions on the move
Tough in the pocket and ability to drive throws on a line when needed
Reports of high character
Weaknesses
Consistently missed ugly in 2024
Questionable decision-making and processing
Propensity to miss throws high; issues with throwing mechanics
Milroe is an explosive athlete who is very capable outside the pocket, but he lacks accuracy, touch and decision-making when he’s inside the pocket. A lack of anticipation and timing leads to interceptions and contested throws to intermediate areas of the field. He has an NFL arm, but he might need to fine-tune his footwork and delivery to improve accuracy on all three levels. He can get through his reads when he’s confident and feels protected but becomes predictable and easier for defenses to manipulate when he’s rattled. He’s built like a Will linebacker, runs like a receiver and is a threat to hit the home run on called runs and scrambles. Milroe was a much better deep-ball passer in 2023, but his 2024 regression makes it harder to project success from the pocket at a high enough rate to become a capable NFL starter. A strong arm and elite speed will have teams intrigued, but if he doesn’t make it as a starter, it’s incumbent upon his team to find a way to get the ball in his hands with packaged plays.
Milroe in his current form is a typical high-ceiling prospect who has the athleticism to be a dynamic quarterback at the next level. To reach that ceiling, he’ll need a lot of development. His arm talent and running ability will elevate his floor, but that won’t be enough if he can’t improve how fast he processes information and his accuracy on routine throws. He’ll need to be in a quarterback-friendly system that won’t require him to play right away, with a coach who has a track record of developing quarterbacks. Malik Willis‘ situation in Green Bay is the path for Milroe to be successful at the next level.
Milroe is not a one-size-fits-all quarterback. He is not likely to be a great fit for traditional West Coast offense schemes due to his ball placement inconsistencies and his lack of presence layering middle-of-the-field throws. Teams with a power-oriented run scheme and an appetite to assimilate quarterback run scheme into their offense make the most sense, particularly if they have vertical passing threats on the perimeter to counterpunch off of. Milroe should be considered a developmental starter, but his running ability could justify a package of plays early in his playing career, not dissimilar to how Baltimore rotated in Lamar Jackson during his rookie season.
To go off of Kyle Crabbs’ scouting report cited above, Milroe isn’t a great fit for every offense. But the Steelers’ offense? If he develops, he’s the type of passer Arthur Smith is looking for. Big arm that can stretch the field. Ability to dominate in the quarterback run game. Milroe’s character and AFC North-caliber toughness are a good look as well.
But can Milroe develop? More importantly, can the Steelers develop Milroe? He’s almost certainly not close to being starting-caliber as a rookie, but there are extremely high-end traits there if it all works out. The best bet is using him as an occasional change of pace runner his rookie year and hoping he makes strides by the 2026 offseason. I still don’t have a first-round grade on Milroe, but the Steelers could do worse at No. 21, and I’m on board if he lasts to No. 83.
TL;DR: Milroe possesses elite athletic traits and lived up to the hype as a dangerous runner at the quarterback position during his time at Alabama. As a passer, he has a lot more work to do, with major inconsistencies in nearly every aspect of his game. The arm strength is there, but he throws far too many air balls and makes dangerous decisions. He’ll need to learn under a veteran for a year at minimum to develop into an NFL starter down the road.
What are your thoughts on Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!
Tune in to watch the black and gold make their first-round selection…
Alas, the 2025 NFL Draft is here, and the top-selecting teams are officially on the clock. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, a decision at the 21st overall pick looms. With needs at QB, DT, WR, CB, RB, and more, making a strong decision in round one may be paramount.
Via a handful of mock drafts and rumors, it appears Pittsburgh is interested in a group of players. This includes quarterbacks Jaxson Dart and Shedeur Sanders, who are both coming off elite seasons.
If the Steelers opt to go elsewhere than QB, a few players linked to the club include DT Derrick Harmon, DT Walter Nolen, WR Matthew Golden, WR Emeka Egbuka, RB Omarion Hampton, CB Jahdae Barron, and CB Will Johnson.
Here’s all you need to know about how to watch the Steelers (and the rest of the teams around the league!) on Day 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The 2025 NFL Draft will air on several networks, including NFL Network, ESPN and ABC, which means fans will have options depending on their preferred broadcast setup or broadcast team.
On NFL Network, Rich Eisen will lead draft coverage, with appearances from Daniel Jeremiah, Charles Davis, Kurt Warner, Joel Klatt and insider Ian Rapoport. ESPN’s coverage will be led by NFL draft expert Mel Kiper with analysis from Booger McFarland, Louis Riddick and Mike Greenberg, with news updates from insider Adam Schefter and prospect interviews from Molly McGrath.
If you don’t have any access to watch one of the available channels to broadcast the draft, you can watch using NFL+. An NFL+ subscription, which allows users to watch live local and primetime games in the regular and postseasons, gives users additional access to watch NFL Network — and therefore, the draft — available for $6.99 per month or $49.99 annually.
What picks do the Steelers have on Day 1?
The Pittsburgh Steelers own one pick on Day 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting 21st overall after a 10-7 finish in the 2024 season under Head Coach Mike Tomlin.
How long do teams get to make their picks on Day 1 of the NFL draft?
On the first day of action, teams will have ten minutes following the previous pick to make their decision. With the Steelers eyeing several players that may go ahead of their pick, utilizing the full 10 minutes could make all the difference for the black and gold.
Photo by Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
A pre-draft projection of the black and gold’s 2025 53-man roster…
The Pittsburgh Steelers head into the 2025 NFL Draft with several glaring needs, including quarterback, running back and defensive line — far more glaring needs than it felt like Pittsburgh had last year approaching the draft. But alas, under GM Omar Khan, there have been some solid values identified in the later rounds of the draft that have paid off as immediate contributors.
Can Khan continue the course with this 2025 draft class? If they can’t, this is what it might look like with a look at the projected Steelers depth chart for the coming season.
Editor’s note: These are my projections for the Pittsburgh Steelers depth chart in the 2025 season and mine alone. They do not reflect the opinions of the rest of Behind The Steel Curtain’s writing staff, nor am I claiming any “insider” information regarding the team’s current depth chart projection.
Steelers offense takeaways (23)
Quarterback is bleak. Duh. I mean, we all knew this. The Steelers have done plenty of work in terms of evaluating quarterbacks in this class, but there’s a lack of top-tier talent that feels especially glaring just a year out from a stunning 2024 draft class. The Steelers could truly be looking at Mason Rudolph as their top available option to start this upcoming season. The good news is that, at least for now, he’d be working with two high-end boundary receivers should Rudolph actually wind up behind center.
If the Steelers do, in fact, trade WR George Pickens, it feels like the team has made up very little ground at the position since the 2024 season. Fox insider Jordan Schultz reported ahead of the draft that the Steelers were fielding calls for WR George Pickens currently heading into the final year of his rookie contract after some ups and downs through his first two seasons. There’s no doubt that Pickens and Metcalf have similar ball skills along the perimeter (though, as HC Mike Tomlin points out, their difference in frame is significant), but if the Steelers elected to move on, the room would look… pretty much just as it did last season. If the intent is to trade Pickens for a mid-round pick, it seems like there’s a low likelihood the team can recoup the loss — at least, in this 2025 NFL Draft class, where there’s some depth but a lack of wealth in terms of top-tier talent at wideout.
The offensive line looks as good as it has in years. The Steelers should consider investing in depth along the offensive line in this draft, but as far as the starting unit goes, this group looks like a top-12 unit in the league. Rookies Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick played as well as anyone could have hoped as rookies, allowing a combined three sacks (33 total pressures) in a combined 1,047 pass protection opportunities, per PFF. For reference, Dan Moore Jr. allowed 12 sacks and 41 pressures on his own in 588 pass blocking opportunities. Pair that with Broderick Jones sliding back to left tackle — his native position — as well as a healthy Troy Fautanu at right tackle and the veteran presence of Isaac Seumalo at left guard, and suddenly, things are looking up in the offensive trenches.
Running back will obviously be prioritized. In case the Steelers allocating nine of their 30 official pre-draft visits on running backs didn’t indicate intent to draft one fairly early, one look at the depth chart certainly should. Tomlin stated he feels “comfortable” with Jaylen Warren’s ability to handle an RB1 workload, but even if that’s the case for 2025, he’s on a one-year deal, will turn 27 in November and has never handled more than 15 carries in a game.
Second-year WR Roman Wilson again projects outside the starting lineup. It’s difficult to say how Wilson’s rookie campaign would have played out if he hadn’t suffered an ankle injury during training camp. However, there’s no doubt that his absence during a crucial part of the offseason program likely set him back a bit in terms of his grip on the offense. As Tomlin says, it’s difficult to jump on a moving train. Coming out of Michigan, Wilson offered a lot as a route runner, and though a bit undersized, he’s an explosive, tough athlete who shouldn’t be written off as a contributor despite his disappointing rookie campaign.
Steelers defense takeaways (26)
Defensive line depth is just as concerning as you’d guess. There’s a good reason the Steelers have been favored on FanDuel Sportsbook to select a defensive lineman with the team’s first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft (currently +155). That reason is the lack of depth on the interior defensive line behind an aging Cameron Heyward (turning 36 in May), while also considering the offseason release of veteran Larry Ogunjobi (now with the Buffalo Bills). 2023 second-round pick Keeanu Benton has shown plenty of flashes, exhibiting his high ceiling, but one injury could send this interior defensive line into a tailspin for 2025.
It’s not too early to start looking toward the future at cornerback. The Steelers signed 34-year-old veteran cornerback Darius Slay to a one-year contract this offseason, but it still feels crucial to get ahead of that need with some depth at outside corner. Cory Trice Jr. averaged 8.1 snaps per reception allowed in his first full season (a team low) with the third-lowest passer rating in coverage (90.3), but a lengthy injury history should have Pittsburgh preparing an insurance policy along the boundary to secure the future.
Linebacker continues to feel like a sweet spot. Whether you’re evaluating depth at outside or inside linebacker, it feels like a luxury at this point. The depth that Nick Herbig adds behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith offers a ton of upside, as does Payton Wilson and a presumably healthy Cole Holcomb working behind Patrick Queen. Losing Elandon Roberts in free agency doesn’t feel great, but if Holcomb can return to form, getting him back in 2025 on a restructured deal will likely ease that blow.
Steelers special teams takeaways (3)
New Steelers RB Kenneth Gainwell projects to step into the role of kick returner in 2025. The black and gold signed Gainwell for some depth at running back this offseason, coming off a successful 2024 campaign as the primary kick returner for the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Gainwell ranked sixth in the league with 18 returns last season, averaging 25.3 yards per return to RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson’s 21.8.
Cameron Johnston re-gains his role as the starting punter once healthy. The Steelers signed Johnston to a three-year, $9 million contract ahead of the 2024 season, but unfortunately, a gnarly knee injury in Week 1 ended his debut season with the black and gold prematurely. Veteran Corliss Waitman performed admirably in his absence, but this is Johnston’s job to resume once cleared from injury, with a yards per punt average of 47.3 which ranks sixth among active punters in the league.
What do you think about this iteration of the Steelers’ depth chart? Is there anything you’d change?
Photo by John Smolek/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Let us know what you are hearing concerning the Black and Gold
Let’s shake it up a bit. I’m riding with Mason Rudolph as my starter in 2025. Not fielding calls from Rodgers or his agent any longer, and while I may draft a QB later, I won’t be drafting Sanders again at 21. The Eagles, as always, are making moves and make a trade with Pittsburgh and select Walter Nolen. Steelers get 32, 64, and swap third-rounders in 2025
Round 1 Pick 32 – Shavon Revel Jr. CB East Carolina
Set aside the ACL injury he suffered early in the 2024 college and I’ll throw in the level of competition as red flags for this talented prospect I ask you to look past those two topics and just look at the overall picture of what he could bring to the future of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I mention the future here for two reasons, one is obvious, his health, will he be ready to play in 2025 at the onset of the season? The other reason is the Steelers have their starters in place with Joey Porter Jr. and veteran free agent Darius Slay. Some felt that Slay could be a solid in-house mentor for Porter Jr., and I agree they are similar players, and the same could be said for bringing in Revel Jr. Do the Steelers need a corner in 2025? Probably not, barring injury,y but at some point drafting a guy a year early, to get him in house and learn and acclimate, makes sense if you can afford it. Well, the Steelers are a long way away, so the cost is minimal. You may argue the position, but it’s hard denying the talent. Has the length, size, and physicality that Pittsburgh seems to be going with at the position. He is not shy in his run fits and had 54 tackles his last full year of playing. Solid overall hip change and plenty of makeup speed. Good overall route recognition and has some zone awareness. Special teams value as a solid gunner with some splash play attached. He would be a top 15 prospect if he weren’t injured in 2024.
Round 2 Pick 64 – Quinshon Judkins RB Ohio State
The accolades collected over his college career would be enough to fill up the rest of this article. The transfer of Judkins from Ole Miss was a head scratcher for me because he was having a helluva college career as a Rebel. Throw in the fact that the Buckeyes already had a talented running back in TreVeyon Henderson, and that meant a more than likely split in carries. I did some research and first thought it was an NIL money grab, and honestly, I don’t blame any running back for that, but I digress. Instead, it was reported he wanted to win a National Championship. Okay, I like the sound of that! It was mentioned he felt the culture and coaching could help him develop as a player and as a person. Maybe the splitting of the reps with Henderson proved to be a smart move in terms of wear and tear on his body. No matter what anyone believes, he did achieve his goal of winning a National Championship and was instrumental in that game with 101 yards on 11 carries with 2 TDs and had a receiving score as well. Throughout that outstanding run in the revamped playoff system, Judkins had a total of 7 TDs in a split role. I will say that in the shared backfield, his production did not drop. Patient with good vision and solid contact balance. Good blitz pick up and decent pass catching ability. Would make a solid one-two with Jaylen Warren.
Round 3 Pick 96 – Charles Grant OL William and Mary
As much as I would like to take an IDL here, I want to go with a guy I drafted, albeit much later, and it can be argued that he may not fall to Pick 96. This pick was a swap from the trade back with Philly to balance the trade. The offensive line is still a work in progress, and that is a sad statement to type. Not sure how they would have played out if Troy Fautanu had remained healthy. The Steelers started two rookies on the interior, and both played well considering the transition to life at the next level. With this pick, I see a strong competition at the undecided tackle spot,s and Grant could also push Mason McCormick for a starting spot at right guard in 202,5 and looking at left guard in 2026 with a possible departure of Isaac Seumalo. Grant brings a blend of size, athletic ability, and exceptional length. Considering he started playing football in his junior year of high school, he has shown some terrific understanding of concepts, aided by those athletic traits. He would be an excellent scheme fit.
Round 4 Pick 123 – Vernon Broughton IDL Texas
Finally, an interior defensive lineman, and while it may not be the upper echelon of this year’s crop of prospects, don’t sell this Longhorn short. The interior defensive line has been a hot topic for discussion during the offseason among the Black and Gold faithful. The Steelers had an opportunity and cap space to add some top-level talent in free agency along the defensive front, but chose to go with the discount variety. As is anything in Steeler land, this is a debatable topic. So why didn’t you go interior defensive line in rounds 1 or 2? The simple answer is I have gotten tired of talking about the same prospects, and Broughton was on the Steelers’ radar, so here we are. Blessed with god given physical traits including height, weight, and length. Reported to have 34 34-inch arm length. I see some versatility in his game, and while neither his pass rush or run fits are strengths, he has traits that suggest he could be solid at both aspects with coaching at the pro level. His pass rush moves are workable, and he has a strong punch. As with any college prospect, NFL strength is always needed, and his lower half will need that work to help his anchor. It’s a deep class, and to get a prospect of this level in the late 4th is beneficial.
Round 5 Pick 156 – RJ Mickens SAF Clemson
Another draft pick without a true need, as the safety room has its starters and a solid veteran backup. This allows the Steelers to bring along a guy a little slower and with 3 solid teammates, the former Tiger can gain that valuable knowledge that sometimes coaching doesn’t always reach. I look at his production, and there was a noticeable uptick in his college career. He is lauded for his leadership qualities and has those NFL bloodlines, his father played 8 years in the league. Has some versatility in his game, lining up deep, around the line of scrimmage, and in the slot. Solid tackler and will be a solid contributor on special teams. Smart, instinctual football player
Round 6 Pick 185 – JJ Pegues IDL Mississippi
In a deep class, the Steelers take a fullback…I mean a running back…I mean, another interior defensive lineman. Truthfully, this big man can actually move, and I won’t say for his size, because that’s unfair. Former TE turned interior defensive lineman. Has a great first step and some lateral agility. Plays all up and down the line of scrimmage, probably best suited early on as a nose tackle. Now let’s talk about his stint as running back, who needs the tush push? Just give the big guy the ball. Pegues had 7 rushing TDs on the year. This isn’t a gimmicky pick for me, this guy can play. He is much better at this point in stopping the run, but considering all things, he has upside as a prospect.
Round 7 Pick 229 – Ricky White lll WR UNLV
I don’t know what it is about this guy, but I just love his game. He isn’t the biggest guy, and he isn’t the fastest guy. He just makes plays in all facets of the gam,e including special teams. Has a full route tree and has that savvy about him to set defenders up. I think he plays much bigger than his size and will provide some solid RAC/YAC. In time and with work could be a solid option from the slot.
There you have it, my final mock, and I think my only mock of the season, except the live event where I took Sanders. Tell me what you like and dislike. As always, stay safe and go Steelers.
Although Shedeur Sandersprobably enters the draft with the most compelling storyline, a player who came off the board on Day 3 13 years ago is pushing for a front-row spot. The Kirk Cousins situation remains foggy, even after the demoted Falcons quarterback reported on time for his team’s offseason program.
Cousins is still eyeing a way out of Atlanta, and teams continue to come up as interested parties. Even after their Joe Flacco addition — one that came after Cousins consideration — the Browns are being mentioned as a candidate to add Cousins. So are the Steelers and Vikings, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. How teams proceed in the draft will obviously play a central role in Cousins’ willingness to sign off on a trade, as he is not planning to waive his no-trade clause before the draft — in an effort to avoid a redux of his 2024 storyline.
Of the above-referenced trio, Russini points to the Vikings being the least likely to add Cousins — in what would be a quick reunion — due to J.J. McCarthy‘s presence. With McCarthy’s path to the Minnesota starting job clear enough the team has brushed off Aaron Rodgers, it would be understandable if Cousins — his production under Kevin O’Connell notwithstanding — would be leery of landing there again. Cousins would be against a trade that sends him to a team with a starter-level young passer, Russini adds. Considering the teams in this mix, that might be a difficult play.
Employing ex-Cousins Vikings OC Kevin Stefanski, the Browns are candidates to circle back to address their QB situation after making their first-round pick (likelyTravis Hunter). The Giants, Saints, Rams and Dolphins join the Steelers in being linked to early-round QB investments. Cleveland already signing Flacco and adding Kenny Pickett via trade would stand to block a Cousins path — if a rookie is tabbed, at least. If the Browns somehow leave this draft without a QB, they could be in play to reunite Cousins and Stefanski, where a Flacco competition would stand to be on tap.
As odd as it would be to see the Falcons send their high-priced backup to their top rival, the Saints should also be considered on the Cousins radar, Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline writes. Falcons GM Terry Fontenot came from the Saints, and Pauline adds the Falcons would consider dealing Cousins to any team willing to pay a sizable chunk of the QB’s 2025 money. Cousins’ 2025 base salary ($27.5MM) is guaranteed, giving the Falcons no incentive to move on without someone taking on part of the salary. We heard earlier this offseason that Atlanta wanted an acquiring team to pay at least $20MM of Cousins’ tab. That has seemed highly unlikely to occur.
Donovan McNabb and Drew Bledsoe were traded within their divisions this century, creating a precedent for Fontenot and Co. The Saints, however, want to leave this draft with a quarterback. Mickey Loomis evaded Derek Carr questions at his pre-draft presser today, further muddying this situation, one that has the veteran starter in danger of missing some (or all) of the 2025 season due to a shoulder injury. New Orleans has done extensive work on prospects but is viewed as less likely to spend its No. 9 overall pick on the position. This would send them into a battle royal of sorts with the lot of teams eyeing this draft’s second wave of passers.
The Steelers could be the spot teams eyeing a trade-up maneuver to target, though they are not certain to use their first-rounder (No. 21) on a QB, either. Mike Tomlin has said Mason Rudolphwould be an acceptable starter, but Pittsburgh — recent doubts aside — is still pursuing Rodgers. It had been expected around the league, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, the Steelers would have an answer from the future Hall of Famer by the draft. With that not happening, the Steelers need to cover their bases. On that note, they have also done work on potential Day 3 options in Syracuse’sKyle McCordand his Ohio State successor (Will Howard), per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler.
More notably, Fowler adds the Steelers want to take a QB swing in one of the next two drafts. That could create the illusion of flexibility, though if Rodgers does not show in Pittsburgh, Rudolph would move to the front of the line if the Steelers do not make a first- or second-day addition. Cousins, then, would become insurance against Rodgers balking at a longstanding Pittsburgh offer. Would the Steelers make a preemptive play for the Falcons backup if they lose patience with Rodgers?
Offering a final wrinkle here, Schultz adds Arthur Blank could also opt to keep Cousins (after presumably not seeing other teams agree to take on much salary). Several sources inform Schultz that Cousins could be effectively held hostage (a well-paid hostage, but still) as Michael Penix Jr.‘s backup. Considering Penix’s injury past, the Falcons considering Fontenot’s previous decree to retain Cousins as QB2 has some merit.
This would drain a year from Cousins’ career, his age-37 season, while giving the Falcons insurance ahead of a smoother 2026 release. It would stand to reason we still have plenty of Cousins updates to come between now and this potential reality.
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