The TCU wide receiver is the definition of a high ceiling, low floor prospect.

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.

The Steelers are doing their homework on middle-round wide receivers — could TCU’s Savion Williams help fill out the Pittsburgh receiver room?

The basics on Savion Williams

• Position: Wide receiver
• Class: Fifth-year senior
• Size: 6’4, 222 pounds
• Age: Not listed
• Projected draft round: 3

Stats via Sports Reference

Savion Williams scouting report

After watching a lot of Savion Williams, his draft hype is clearly built around the upside more than polished on-field results.

But the upside is very hard to ignore.

Williams weighed in at the NFL Combine at 6’4, 222 pounds. He also ran a 4.48-second 40-yard dash. In short, that’s George Pickens speed at one inch taller and 27 pounds heavier. Williams might not be the fastest or quickest player in this class, but at his size, he’s an undeniable freak athlete.

Understandably, TCU tried their best to get the ball into Williams’ hands, with the fifth-year senior logging over 100 touches in 2024. Williams lined up at boundary receiver, but he also recorded 51 carries, most of which coming out of the wildcat (he was also 3/3 for 22 yards and a touchdown as a passer — good gadget player).

As a receiver, Williams’ route-running can be hit and miss. He has the speed to make plays downfield but isn’t much of a natural separator. He plays a little upright, often rounds off his routes, and had a limited college route tree comprised heavily of go balls, slants, and screens. However, there are moments where he shows off bursts of suddenness to manipulate defensive backs (No. 3 in all clips).

Williams is similarly inconsistent as a pass-catcher. He’s just not a smooth, natural catcher, with a lot of body catches on tape and a good number of drops. He’s not going to consistently make acrobatic catches or grabs away from his frame, and his ball tracking could use some work.

However, Williams’ size and athleticism drew a lot of pass interference flags, and he still had a couple of highlight reel grabs in 2024 where he simply overpowered defensive backs. Again: upside, upside, upside.

He brings some RAC ability with his speed and physicality, even having some success as a short-yardage ball-carrier:

Williams’ athletic traits shined a bit more consistently as a runner. Wildcat gadgetry doesn’t always translate to NFL stardom, and Williams’ height doesn’t give him an ideal low center of gravity, but he could see some success as a running back/receiver hybrid at the next level.

Here, you can see his speed and quickness really shine:

He brings a lot of physicality to the table, as well:

Overall, Williams has a legitimate WR1 ceiling even if he more realistically projects as a WR3/4 at the next level. He’s either going to be one of those players who never really finds a role in the NFL, or leaves fans wondering why he wasn’t drafted a round or two earlier.

The good news is that Williams has solid volume stats for such a project of a player, and at minimum he should be able to find some success in a gadget/special teams role, where his dynamic ability as a ball-carrier should earn him touches. If he can improve his route-running and become a more consistent catcher, the sky is the limit — but that’s a big ask. A permanent switch to running back could be in the cards, too.

Strengths

• Exciting size/athleticism combination
• Draws lots of pass interference flags
• Contested catch flashes
• Plus blocker thanks to his size
• Success as a runner

Weaknesses

• Lots of body catches, drops; ball skills are not NFL-caliber
• Still raw as a route-runner; upright; often rounds off routes
• Limited college route tree
• Older prospect

What others are saying about Savion Williams

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com

Developmental wideout who offers an alluring blend of physical gifts and untapped potential. Williams is big, strong and fast but very raw as a route-runner and is unreliable with his hands. His production is uneven as a traditional wideout, but he adds a dynamic kick to the offense as a gadget runner and as a catch-and-run option underneath. He excels on power sweeps and is willful enough for consideration on short-yardage and goal-line carries on direct snaps. The ball skills can be hit-or-miss. but there are flashes to work with on tape. The difference between “siren song” or “pot of gold” could rest in Williams’ technical development and the creativity of his play-caller.

Dame Parson of Bleacher Report

Overall, Savion Williams projects as WR3/4 with developmental tools and positional versatility. The combination of strength, speed, and agility with the ball in his hands can be dangerous. There’s plenty of upside at the wide receiver position, but the landing spot will be paramount for him to reach his ceiling. … GRADE: 7.3 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter — Third Round) … PRO COMPARISON: Chase Claypool

Chris Pflum of Big Blue View

This biggest hurdle to getting consistent snaps will be improving his consistency when catching the ball. Teams will have limited patience for a receiver who repeatedly makes concentration drops, and his athletic traits will only earn him so many chances. That said, if he’s able to find consistency at the catch point, Williams has a high ceiling. He has a rare blend of size and athleticism for the position and he could be a starter with some development and in the right situation. At the very least, Williams’ ability as a blocker as well as the threat he poses with the ball in his hands should earn him a roster spot. He might have to make his living as a special teams player and gadget receiver while his hands develop, but the potential reward is there if a team can unlock it.

Savion Williams’ fit with the Steelers

The Steelers have shown interest in Williams, with a reported top-30 visit as well as wide receiver coach Zach Azzanni visiting his pro day. I’ll admit, before D.K. Metcalf was on the roster I would’ve been completely against drafting a project like Williams, but now I can see the vision a bit more: Williams wouldn’t be forced into a starting role behind Metcalf and Pickens, being able to play to his strengths and develop behind two other physical freaks who have found NFL success.

However, if Pittsburgh does end up landing Aaron Rodgers, an unreliable receiver like Williams who is still a raw route-runner is probably not going to be the ideal target for the veteran quarterback. I think there are much more polished receivers the Steelers could be targeting in the middle rounds.

But there is a chance that Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith sees Williams as a younger, more athletic version of what Cordarrelle Patterson was last year for the team. That could be an intriguing fit, even if Williams’ current draft projection would make him a high pick for a developmental depth running back.

TL;DR: Williams is a developmental receiver who largely operated in a gadget role in college. His size and athleticism give him elite upside, but wildly inconsistent ball skills and route-running make him a risky selection.

What are your thoughts on TCU wide receiver Savion Williams? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!

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.

Today’s Behind the Steel Curtain in-5 game

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games

Monday, March 24, 2025
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Behind the Steel Curtain in-5 instructions

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.

Enjoy!

After a failed attempt to be released ahead of free agency, Kirk Cousins is now in no rush to force a move out of Atlanta. He is planning to wait until after the draft before waiving his no-trade clause to facilitate a deal, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

The Falcons held onto Cousins long enough for $10MM of his 2025 salary to vest into a full guarantee and have signaled their willingness to keep him as an expensive backup this season. He would prefer to find a starting job elsewhere, though he’s wary of a repeat of last year’s situation in Atlanta. The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $160MM deal in March and drafted Michael Penix with the eighth overall pick six weeks later. That put pressure on the 13-year veteran to live up to his contract while making it clear that he was not the team’s long-term quarterback.

When Cousins hit a patch of rough play in December, the Falcons benched him for Penix, effectively ending the 36-year-old’s tenure in Atlanta after 14 games. In 2025, he doesn’t want a highly-drafted rookie breathing down his neck. That would be a risk with his two most-likely suitors, the Browns and the Giants, who hold the second and third overall picks in April’s draft. After years of instability under center, both teams have been repeatedly linked with the draft’s top two quarterbacks, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.

Cousins’ willingness to wait on a trade should work for his potential suitors. The Browns and the Giants can do their due diligence on Ward, Sanders, and even Jaxson Dart and let the draft play out. The Steelers are considered a “safe bet” to land Aaron Rodgers, but if that doesn’t work out, they could inquire about Cousins, according to Breer. However, Pittsburgh may want to see if a top quarterback falls within range of a trade up from the 21st overall pick.

Cousins would only waive his no-trade clause prior to the draft if his new team commits to not using a first-round pick on quarterback, according to Breer. That condition may not be amenable to front offices in Cleveland and New York that are looking for a long-term franchise quarterback.

It’s possible that the Browns look at a talented roster besieged by injuries last year and decide that trading for Cousins and using the No. 3 pick on an impact receiver or edge rusher is enough to compete in the AFC North. That doesn’t seem likely for the Giants, who have more holes to fill on their roster. They have also signaled a desire to add another veteran and draft a quarterback in the first round, even after signing Jameis Winston.

Cousins’ approach does involve some risk. If the Browns, Giants, and Steelers all solidify their quarterback situations by the end of the draft, he may be left without any suitors headed into the summer. That would leave him stuck in Atlanta as Penix’s backup with a $27.5MM salary that could be a barrier to a trade.

The Falcons would already be absorbing $37.5MM in dead cap space ($12.5MM in 2025 and $25MM in 2026) if they moved Cousins. Eating some or all of his 2025 salary would push their costs to $90MM for just one year and 14 starts from Cousins, a position Falcons owner Arthur Blank would prefer to avoid, according to Breer.

That will, of course, impact how much draft compensation teams will give up to acquire Cousins. A trade out of Atlanta to a team with a starting job available remains his desired outcome, but it seems other dominoes will have to fall first.

The Steelers add some offensive line depth.

The Steelers’ 2025 offseason has been remarkably quiet when it comes to moves addressing the offensive line. However, Pittsburgh has finally added a depth piece, with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reporting that the team has claimed offensive guard Lecitus Smith off of waivers from the New England Patriots.

Smith was drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, selected by the Arizona Cardinals. Since then, he’s bounced around the league, logging stints with the Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, and most recently, the Patriots.

The 6’3, 314-pound lineman has appeared in 18 career NFL games (214 offensive snaps), starting three. He’s 26 years old.

In college, Smith largely played at left guard but did start one game at left tackle. In the NFL, he’s been listed at both center and guard. He now joins his former Patriots teammate, Daniel Ekuale, as part of the Steelers’ 2025 free agent class.

Keep up with the latest pre-draft visits for the Steelers

With the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine officially in the books, attention now turns to prospect pro days and pre-draft visits.

At the conclusion of the combine, each NFL team is able to bring in 30 prospects for a private visit at the facility between March 4 and April 6. These are commonly referred to as “top-30 visits,” though that phrasing can be somewhat confusing, as a scheduled “top-30 visit” doesn’t necessarily mean a player is ranked in the top 30 on a team’s draft board. No on-field workouts are permitted at these visits, but players can undergo physical exams and conduct interviews.

NFL teams are also allowed to conduct video or telephone with draft-eligible players. Per Giants.com, NFL rules restrict clubs to a maximum of “three video or telephone interviews per player, no longer than one hour in length.”

In addition to the 30 official visits, NFL teams are able to hold visits with local players, as long as they do not provide transportation. A “local” player is determined to be a player who is from or attends college in the “local metropolitan area as defined by a current Rand McNally map.”

Pre-draft visits can be huge indicators of a team’s potential interest in a player, and the Steelers, in particular, have used these visits to their advantage. In 2024, the team had top-30 visits with first-round OT Troy Fautanu, ILB Payton Wilson, OL Mason McCormick and DL Logan Lee and had local visits with C Zach Frazier and CB Beanie Bishop (signed as an UDFA). DB Ryan Watts and WR Roman Wilson were the only two draft selections in 2024 that Pittsburgh did not bring in for a top-30 visit.

Here’s a look at the reported top 30 visits for the Steelers heading into 2025, as well as reported local visits. We’ll be keeping this updated leading up through the NFL Draft.

Pittsburgh Steelers reported top-30 visits 2025

Total reported: 12/30

Wide receiver

• Jaylin Noel, Iowa State (via _MLFootball)
• Savion Williams, TCU (via Brooke Pryor)
• Jayden Higgins, Iowa State (via Dale Lolley)

Defensive line

• J.J. Pegues, Ole Miss (via Mike DeFabo)
• Yahya Black, Iowa (via Brooke Pryor)
• Joshua Farmer, Florida State (via Alex Kozora)
• Elijah Roberts, SMU (via Joseph Hoyt)

Quarterback

• Tyler Shough, Louisville (via Mike DeFabo)

Running back

• D.J. Giddens, Kansas State (via Justin Melo)
• Dylan Sampson, Tennessee (via Tony Pauline)
• Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech (via Justin Melo)
• Ollie Gordon, Oklahoma State (via Ryan Fowler)

Pittsburgh Steelers local visits 2025

Offensive line

• Wyatt Milum, West Virginia (via Mike DeFabo)

Kicker

• Ben Sauls, Pitt (via Nick Farabaugh)

Scouting one of the Steelers’ top-30 visits at running back.

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.

One of the Steelers’ top-30 visits, K-State’s D.J. Giddens is a candidate to watch if Pittsburgh drafts a running back in the middle rounds.

The basics on D.J. Giddens

• Position: Running back
• Class: Redshirt junior
• Size: 6’0, 212 pounds
• Age: 21
• Projected draft round: 3

Stats via Sports Reference

D.J. Giddens scouting report

In an insanely deep running back class, D.J. Giddens might be a name who’s a little bit underrated. He’s entering the NFL Draft coming off two straight 1,200-plus-yard seasons, with a career average of six yards per rush.

I’ll start off this scouting report with the caveat that some of Giddens’ highlights say more about his offensive line and/or bad Big 12 defenses than his actual ability, but I still believe that he has a skill set that will transfer to the NFL level.

Giddens has solid size at 6’0, 212 pounds, but he’s a deceptively smooth, agile runner. He doesn’t have consistent, home run speed, but he can make defenders miss in the open field and effortlessly cut behind the line of scrimmage. His games are full of chunk gains (No. 31 in all clips).

Giddens’ tape doesn’t scream speed, but his 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the Combine was the same as popular speedster TreVeyon Henderson. He’s certainly not slow.

Giddens wins with his patience behind the line of scrimmage, quick cuts, and the ability to get skinny and dart through holes in the defense. His vision is one of the top assets in his game, and it makes him a scheme-versatile runner at the next level.

The biggest hole in Giddens’ game is the lack of any true elite traits. As you can gather from the clips above, his lateral quickness is really impressive but he’s not an elite straight-line accelerator. Giddens also doesn’t run with a whole lot of power. He has good effort and falls forward, but he isn’t going to be moving scrums and can get stopped in his tracks by defenders with his high center of gravity.

Giddens does have excellent contact balance, though. He won’t be trucking many defenders, but he can take hits.

As a pass-catcher, Giddens struggles to make grabs outside of his frame, and he was often late to turn his head around when leaking out of the backfield. However, he showed the ability to contribute and has room to grow there in the NFL.

Similarly, his pass protection reps are all over the place. He has flashes but needs to consistently identify and sustain blocks better.

Giddens doesn’t strike me as a surefire feature back in the NFL, but he has a solid baseline of abilities with room to grow and a better-than-expected athletic profile. He’s a strong option in the group of middle-round running backs the Steelers seem to be eyeing.

D.J. Giddens strengths

• Patient; great vision; light on his feet behind the line of scrimmage
• Knows when to get vertical as a runner
• Good combination of size and speed; deceptively shifty
• Excellent contact balance; always falling forward
• Consistent production for the last two years

Weaknesses

• Lacks great power; not a pile-mover
• Slow to get his head around as a pass-catcher; doesn’t make difficult catches
• Longer strides; not the quickest accelerator; lacks true home-run speed
• Split carries at Kansas State
• Hot and cold in pass protection

What others are saying about D.J. Giddens

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com

A productive runner with good size, Giddens lacks explosive elements in his game. He defies expectations as a big back who doesn’t run with heavy power. He’s a long-strider with wiggle between the tackles. He’s patient behind his blocks and quickly processes run-lane development. He’s not sudden and lacks the burst to outflank defenses, so running behind his pads and picking up the tough yardage inside might have to be his ticket into a rotation.

Hogs Haven

D.J. Giddens is a big productive running back who was able to carry the workload for his team as the bell-cow back. He boasts quick, clean footwork and patience in the backfield for holes to develop. He is also a capable receiver in the backfield with natural hands and he’s able to get open in scramble drills. Despite the combination of size, Giddens play strength does not match it. He is not a pile mover and unable to break tackles without a running start. He has the size to be a capable pass blocker but needs to work on his technique and rely less on diving. All in all, Giddens is an elusive, well-rounded running back prospect who has the capability to carry the workload. He is seen as a middle round selection with a wide variance.

Daniel Harms of The Draft Network

Strengths: Pressing the line of scrimmage; Lateral agility; Reading blocks; Body control … Concerns: Explosiveness; Passing-down consistency; Pass-protection technique … Giddens is a scheme-versatile, savvy runner with the tools to carve out a nice role on early downs in a committee backfield. If he wants to be more than that, working on his third-down capabilities will unlock a more impactful role in the NFL. Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Developmental Traits

D.J. Giddens’ fit with the Steelers

While Giddens won’t replicate Najee Harris’ power, he could provide the smooth zone-running skill set the Steelers have needed in their running back room under Arthur Smith. His lack of elite power or acceleration make it a little worrying with how often he could get hit in the Pittsburgh backfield, but his excellent vision alleviates some of those concerns.

Giddens’ rough edges in the passing game will hinder his usefulness early on, but on a team like Pittsburgh with a committee of Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell, he wouldn’t be asked to do too much too early. Overall, I’m a fan of the fit.

TL;DR: Giddens is a productive Big 12 runner whose skill set is somewhere in between an early-down and third-down back — not quite enough speed or pass-catching ability, but not a ton of power, either. However, he consistently wins with great vision and surprising elusiveness, and should find a role at the NFL level.

What are your thoughts on Kansas State running back D.J. Giddens? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!

We are tracking all pieces of news and rumors about Pittsburgh Steelers free agency, all in one place.

2025 NFL free agency is here! And before the action has even officially begun, the Pittsburgh Steelers have made a blockbuster trade, acquiring star wide receiver D.K. Metcalf after an approximate 18-month pursuit of depth at the position and several superstars missed out on, including 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk. The work isn’t done, though, with quarterback still the biggest need of all.

But before we get into the nitty-gritty of the latest Pittsburgh Steelers’ free agency news and rumors, here’s a few key reminders:

When does the legal tampering period begin? The NFL’s legal tampering period begins Monday, March 10 at noon ET.

When does 2025 NFL free agency officially start? NFL free agency begins with the official start of the 2025 new league year, set to open up on Wednesday, March 12 at 4 p.m. ET.

How much salary cap space the Pittsburgh Steelers have in 2025? Prior to the trade to acquire WR D.K. Metcalf, Over The Cap projected the Steelers with $61,076,769 in effective available cap space — the fifth-most cap space in the league. The NFL announced a record-high $279.2 million salary cap for the 2025 season in late February.

Last updated: Wednesday, March 12 at 3 p.m. ET.

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Pittsburgh Steelers free agent signings, contract news

• The Steelers and ILB Cole Holcomb agreed to a revised contract to save Pittsburgh nearly $5 million in cap space in the 2025 season, Gerry Dulac reported.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers signed newly-acquired WR D.K. Metcalf to a five-year, $150 million contract extension, Adam Schefter reported.
• The Steelers have placed a second-round tender on RB Jaylen Warren worth $5.346 million in the 2025 NFL season.
• The New York Jets are signing departing free agent quarterback Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract with $30 million guaranteed.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing cornerback Darius Slay, Jordan Schultz of Fox reported.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers have released veteran DL Larry Ogunjobi, clearing $7 million in cap space for the 2025 NFL season.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing linebacker Malik Harrison to a two-year, $10 million contract, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported Monday evening.
• The Steelers have agreed to terms with former Philadelphia Eagles RB Kenneth Gainwell.
• The Steelers have signed former New York Jets cornerback Brandin Echols, Jordan Schultz of Fox reports.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers re-signed wide receivers Ben Skowronek and Scotty Miller.
• The Steelers signed quarterback Mason Rudolph to a two-year, $8 million contract.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers re-signed CB James Pierre and DE Isiahh Loudermilk.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers signed former New England Patriots defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale.

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Pittsburgh Steelers departing free agents

• Former Steelers left tackle Dan Moore Jr. has agreed to a four-year, $82 million contract with the Tennessee Titans, including $50 million in guarantees, Adam Schefter reports.
• The New York Jets are signing departing free agent quarterback Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract with $30 million guaranteed.
• The Los Angeles Chargers are signing cornerback Donte Jackson to a two-year, $13 million contract.
• Former first-round starting running back Najee Harris has agreed to a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Chargers worth up to $9.25 million.
• Former Steelers linebacker Elandon Roberts has agreed to a one-year, $3 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.
• Former Pittsburgh Steelers WR Van Jefferson to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Tennessee Titans.
• The Miami Dolphins have signed former Steelers RG James Daniels to a three-year, $24 million deal.
• Recently released Larry Ogunjobi signed a one-year, $8.3 million contract with the Buffalo Bills.
• The Washington Commanders signed former Steelers OL Nate Herbig to a one-year contract, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports.

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Pittsburgh Steelers free agent rumors

• A hold-up regarding the potential re-signing of QB Justin Fields could stem from the need to “get past any sting/distrust” with Steelers HC Mike Tomlin following his return to the bench last season after a 4-2 start, Aditi Kinkhabwala of CBS Sports reports.
• Alan Saunders of Steelers Now reports that Justin Fields and the Steelers are “not close” on a contract and that the 26-year-old quarterback is expected to test free agency.
• Gerry Dulac reports that the Steelers have not dismissed pursuing outside options for the quarterback position.
• The Steelers are expected to make an offer for quarterback Sam Darnold, Diana Russini of The Athletic reports.
• Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers is “emerging as an option” for the Pittsburgh Steelers at quarterback, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Monday.
• QB Aaron Rodgers is reportedly deciding between contract offers from the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants.
• Per a report from Dejan Kovacevi of DK Pittsburgh Sports, the Pittsburgh Steelers have reached out to former quarterback Mason Rudolph regarding a potential reunion.
• ESPN reporter Brooke Pryor names Mason Rudolph as a potential option for the Steelers and states that Kirk Cousins is an unlikely fit.
• Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk shared on 937 The Fan radio “that the issue between the Steelers and Aaron Rodgers is that the Steelers thought Rodgers would come cheap,” Andrew Fillipponi shared on X.
• Free agent quarterback Russell Wilson is visiting with the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants this week.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted former San Francisco 49ers All-Pro fullback for a visit Thursday.
• Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports that Aaron Rodgers is waiting on the Minnesota Vikings to make a decision regarding their plans at quarterback before he decides on a landing spot for 2025.

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Pittsburgh Steelers trades

• Pittsburgh Steelers acquired WR D.K. Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick and a swap of sixth and seventh-round picks.

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Pittsburgh Steelers pending free agents

*Players listed in italics indicate starters

• Quarterback: Russell Wilson, Justin Fields (Signed two-year, $40 million deal with New York Jets), Kyle Allen
• Running back: Najee Harris (Agreed to one-year contract with Los Angeles Chargers worth up to $9.25 million), Jaylen Warren (RFA — Steelers placed second-round tender)
• Wide receiver: Van Jefferson (Signed one-year, $2.5 million contract with Tennessee Titans), Mike Williams (Signed one-year contract with New York Jets), Scotty Miller (Re-signed by PIT), Ben Skowronek (Re-signed by PIT)
• Tight end: MyCole Pruitt
• Offensive tackle: Dan Moore Jr. (Agreed to a four-year, $82 million deal with the Tennessee Titans), Calvin Anderson
• Center: Ryan McCollum (ERFA — Re-signed)
• Guard: James Daniels (Signed a three-year, $24 million contract with the Miami Dolphins), Nate Herbig (Signed one-year deal with Washington Commanders), Max Scharping
• Defensive line: Isaiahh Loudermilk (Re-signed by PIT)
• EDGE: Jeremiah Moon (Re-signed by PIT)
• Inside linebacker: Elandon Roberts (Agreed to one-year, $3 million deal with Las Vegas Raiders), Tyler Matakevich
• Safety: Damontae Kazee
• Cornerback: Donte Jackson (Agreed to a two-year, $13 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers), Cameron Sutton, C.J. Henderson, James Pierre (Re-signed by PIT)

Follow along with us as we update this tracker through the first week of NFL free agency, and join BSTC’s free agency mega-thread to discuss the latest news, rumors and more!

Vote on the best front office moves in Steelers history

It’s the fourth week of Steelers March Madness, our annual NCAA-style journey through black and gold history. This year’s theme is the 64-best front office moves in Steelers history. It’s time to vote on the Elite 8!

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Pierogi Bracket

1 seed: April 20, 1996 – Traded for running back Jerome Bettis

(Traded 2nd round pick (59th overall, Ernie Conwell) and 1997 4th round (121st overall later traded, Jerome Daniels) to Rams for Bettis and 1996 3rd round (72nd overall, Steve Conley)

SetNumber: X64443 TK2 R5 F12

In one of the most lopsided transactions in NFL history, Pittsburgh moved down 13 spots from pick 59 to 72 and added a future 3rd rounder in exchange for Jerome Bettis. The Rams were transitioning to a pass-oriented offense and drafted Nebraska’s Lawrence Phillips. St. Louis gave Bettis the option to pick his destination, and he almost considered Houston. Writers in Pittsburgh didn’t love the trade initially, because Bettis had a pair of down seasons and his contract was up at the end of the year. But they changed their tune after The Bus won Comeback Player of the Year and became the highest-paid player in Steelers history at that point.

VS

3 seed: October 3, 2015 – Signed free agent kicker Chris Boswell

(signed two-year, $960,000 deal)

Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Yinz really picked Boswell over trading up for Santonio Holmes in the Sweet 16?!

In Week 4, kicker Josh Scobee missed two fourth-quarter field goals in an overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens. He was released two days later and replaced with Boswell. Since then, Boswell has played in 150 games in the black and gold and has more 50-yard field goals than all other Steelers’ kickers combined.

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Halupki Bracket

1 seed: April 26, 2003 – Traded up to draft safety Troy Polamalu

(Traded 1st round pick (27th overall, Larry Johnson), 3rd round pick (92nd overall, Julian Battle) and 6th round pick (200th overall subsequently traded, Brooks Bollinger) to Chiefs for 1st round pick (16th overall, Troy Polamalu)

Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images

Pittsburgh was almost not in the market for a safety in 2003. The Steelers had a verbal agreement with Dexter Jackson, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, but he would end up signing with Arizona. Polamalu was the top-ranked safety in the draft. When San Diego traded down at pick 15 instead of addressing the safety position, Pittsburgh traded up from 27 to 16 with the Chiefs. The Steelers traded away the 92nd and 200th overall picks.

VS

2 seed: February 14, 2000 – Signed free agent nose tackle Kimo Von Oelhoffen

(signed a four-year, $11 million deal)

Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images

Kevin Colbert’s first free agent signing as the Steelers’ general manager. Von Oelhoffen spent six years in Cincinnati as a nose tackle, but Pittsburgh soon converted him to defensive end. He started 94 games for the Steelers including Super Bowl XL.

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Chipped Ham Bracket

1 seed: April 5, 2002 – Signed free agent linebacker James Farrior

(Signed a three-year, $5.4 million deal)

Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images

Farrior was the 8th overall pick in the 1997 draft, but the Jets used him as an outside linebacker. New York was not interested in extending him after his rookie contract, despite putting up career numbers in 2001. Farrior says he received no other offers besides Pittsburgh. He went on to start 154 games at inside linebacker.

VS

2 seed: March 8, 2001 – Signed free agent center Jeff Hartings

(signed a six-year, $24.2 million deal)

Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images

Former general manager Kevin Colbert was with Detroit when the Lions drafted Hartings. Although Hartings played guard in the NFL, Colbert knew he could play center, and replace the retiring Dermotti Dawson. Hartings went on to make two Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team during his 89 starts in Pittsburgh.

---

Banana Split Bracket

1 seed: April 3, 1993 – Signed free agent linebacker Kevin Greene

(signed a three-year, $5.35 million deal)

Greene came to Pittsburgh in free agency because of Defensive Coordinator Dom Caper’s 3-4 system. He didn’t come cheap. He was the highest-paid Steelers defender ever at the time. Greene was only in Pittsburgh for three seasons, but in those 48 games, he earned 35.5 sacks, two Pro Bowls, and an All-Pro season in 1994. He played in two AFC Championship games for Pittsburgh and one Super Bowl.

VS

2 seed: March 14, 2006 – Signed free agent safety Ryan Clark

(signed a four-year, $7 million deal)

Set Number: D153547 TK1 R1 F32

After two seasons, Washington cut Clark but was willing to bring him back on a smaller, minimum contract. R.C. felt disrespected, so he chose to test the market. Pittsburgh was his only offer. Clark went on to play in 80 games, starting 78, and made three Super Bowl appearances.

Next week, we’ll have our Final Four. Your votes matter more than ever! Defend your picks in the comments.

Keep up with BTSC’s latest draft content.

The 2025 NFL Draft will be here before we know it, and the BTSC staff is here to prepare you for the big event with draft profiles, mock drafts, and more ahead of April 24.

As more draft content gets published, this page will update with the latest. Make sure to bookmark this article and check back throughout the week!

BTSC’s 2025 Big Boards

• Initial Top-50 Big Board — March 18

NFL Draft player profiles, by position

Running back

• TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
• Kaleb Johnson, Iowa
• Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State

Wide receiver

• Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
• Luther Burden III, Missouri
• Matthew Golden, Texas
• Jack Bech, TCU
• Jaylin Noel, Iowa State
• Jayden Higgins, Iowa State

Defensive line

• Derrick Harmon, Oregon
• Kenneth Grant, Michigan
• J.J. Pegues, Ole Miss

Cornerback

• Azareye’h Thomas, Florida State
• Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame

Quarterback

• Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

Ryan Parish’s Draft Gems

• Draft Gems Primer: 2024’s series review
• 2025 NFL Draft Gems: Wide receivers

Mock drafts

• Jarrett Bailey — March 19
• Mike Nicastro — March 4
• Jarrett Bailey — March 3
• Mike Nicastro — Feb. 17
• Jarrett Bailey — Jan. 31
• Jarrett Bailey — Jan. 26
• Alex Hanczar — Jan 21
• Mike Nicastro — Jan. 13
• Ryan Parish — Dec. 9

Mock offseasons

• Ryan Parish — March 5
• Ryland Bickley — Feb. 26
• Mike Nicastro — Feb. 14
• Jarrett Bailey — Feb. 12
• Jarrett Bailey — Jan. 15

Mock draft round-ups

• March 11
• Feb. 25
• Feb. 18
• Feb. 11
• Feb. 4
• Jan. 22
• Jan. 7

Pro Days

Full Pro Day schedule and notable prospects

NFL Combine

Winners, losers, takeaways

Senior Bowl

• Senior Bowl winners
• Takeaways
• Day 2 Notebook
• Day 1 Notebook

General information/analysis

• List of draft picks
• Offseason almanac
• Key offseason dates
• Offseason needs — Mike Nicastro
• Offseason needs — Ryland Bickley

A fun middle-round option for the Steelers.

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.

Defensive lineman is a popular option for the Steelers’ first round pick, but the team has also shown interest in middle-round prospects. Could J.J. Pegues be an option for the black and gold?

The basics on J.J. Pegues

• Position: Defensive line
• Class: Fifth-year senior
• Size: 6’2, 235 pounds
• Age: 23
• Projected draft round: 4

Stats via Sports Reference

J.J. Pegues scouting report

J.J. Pegues is one of the more interesting prospects I’ve scouted this year while going over potential Steelers draft targets. Given his size (playing weight was 325 pounds, even if he weighed in at 309 at the NFL Combine) and the general discourse around him, you’d expect the typical nose tackle profile.

However, watch Pegues and you’ll realize his NFL fit is a bit more convoluted, in both good and bad ways.

For one, he’s far from a traditional nose. Pegues played all over the line at Ole Miss, logging snaps from 0-tech to edge rusher.

Surprisingly, the latter is where some of Pegues’ best reps are. He has some juice as an edge rusher, with a little bit of bend and a good chop move. The Relative Athletic Score (RAS) was underwhelming, but Pegues looks a lot more explosive on tape.

And as a run defender, Pegues excels at setting the edge. He has the size and athleticism to wrangle runners, and it’s always funny to see a pulling tight end try to block a defender of Pegues’ size one-on-one. Sometimes, it’s just physics, and the 320-pound guy is probably going to win.

Inside, where Pegues will spend most of his time in the NFL, he has flashes. He can clog run lanes and shoot gaps, even if he’s a bit inconsistent.

As a rusher, though, Pegues’ game is rather raw. He started his college career as a tight end, and that lack of defensive experience can show. Pegues has a good first step off the line but his rushes tend to lose some steam early on. His hand usage often slows, and while he occasionally counters, he more often ends up turned around and awkwardly shouldering the lineman. That lack of a consistent pass-rush plan and a hot and cold motor are worrying and will likely mean Pegues is a rotational player to start his NFL career.

However, he has the strength and explosion to hit O-linemen with a solid bull rush, helping him collapse the pocket.

In short, Pegues is a bit of a project as a defensive lineman who will need to continue to develop at the NFL level. He also played on an absolutely stacked defensive line at Ole Miss (Walter Nolen, Jared Ivey, Zxavian Harris, Princely Umanmielen) and as a result, didn’t see a ton of double teams.

His stamina and pass-rush arsenal need to improve, but there are a lot of tools to work with, and his absurd versatility will make him an intriguing prospect for defensive coordinators.

Speaking of versatility, the reason why both defensive and offensive stats are featured above is because Pegues was a wildcat short-yardage rusher for Ole Miss last year who excelled in the role with seven rushing touchdowns — enough production to rise from college shenanigans to Hmm… maybe this could work in the pros.

Pegues’ tight end background isn’t worth forgetting with this impressive one-handed interception at the Shrine Bowl:

He seems to be leaning into that aspect of his game as well, doing some tests as a fullback at the NFL Combine and looking like a fluid athlete.

Told you Pegues wasn’t an average nose tackle. His NFL fit is a little murky, but he’s undeniably one of the most fun talents in this year’s draft class.

Strengths

• Extremely versatile; success playing all over the defensive line
• Good athlete
• Size, strength to hold up against double teams, set the edge
• Flashes good bull rush
• Lateral movement to corral runners
• Success as a short-yardage runner

Weaknesses

• Hand usage isn’t urgent; often stalls if initial move fails and can get washed out of plays
• Below average awareness, motor when following the ball
• Rotational defender

What others are saying about J.J. Pegues

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com

Compact, thick-hipped defensive lineman with versatility to play multiple positions — including short-yardage running back! Pegues can be hell on wheels when he’s motivated and has it cranked up. He’s quick off the ball but not explosive into first contact as consistently as he could be. He’ll beat reach blocks and double teams if he gets his technique ironed out. He has quicker hands and feet than most opponents he’ll face and has the talent to get to the other side of the line in both phases. He has rush talent and can finish using rare change-of-direction quickness, allowing him to capture pocket-mobile quarterbacks. Ole Miss leaned on Pegues as a short-yardage runner on offense, using his power and athleticism to convert at a high rate. He has the potential to become a very productive interior defender but his ceiling and floor will be determined by the consistency of his motor.

Kyle Crabbs of The 33rd Team

Pegues projects as a rotational talent at the NFL level. In a perfect storm of personnel moves around him, he could potentially be a starter, but he’ll be best optimized in a rotation that helps keep him fresh — as his combination of size and urgent play style will test his endurance. Pegues projects best to a penetration front as a B-gap defender.

Chris Pflum of Big Blue View

Pegues projects as a rotational defensive tackle at the NFL level with scheme and alignment diversity. He should be able to play from multiple alignments for any one-gap “multiple” defensive scheme run at the NFL level. Although, Pegues probably shouldn’t be used as an edge defender at the NFL level – at least outside of “jumbo” packages in short-yardage situations. He lacks the second step acceleration to be a truly consistent threat as a pass rusher, which could keep teams from viewing him as a starter or a regular option on early downs. However, he’s a good enough pass rusher and run defender that a team should feel confident rotating him onto the field in most situations.

J.J. Pegues’ fit with the Steelers

If the Steelers want a plug-and-play defensive lineman in this year’s draft, Pegues isn’t going to be the best fit. At this stage in his career, he’s a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none, but there is a lot of potential.

Pegues has the size to be a nose tackle at the next level, but the athleticism to be a chess piece all over the defensive front. He’d be a great option if the Steelers decide to double up on the defensive line in this year’s draft, giving Karl Dunbar a rotational piece who can play in a lot of different game scenarios. And I’d bet the team is interested — Pegues is one of the Steelers’ top-30 visits this year.

TL;DR: Pegues is a versatile, athletic defensive lineman who even scored seven touchdowns last season as a short-yardage wildcat runner for Ole Miss. His pass-rush plan is still underdeveloped and his motor can sputter, but he’s an intriguing talent in 2025’s loaded class at defensive line.

What are your thoughts on Ole Miss defensive lineman J.J. Pegues? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!