Who Do You Love?

Pick just one player from each position group that would be your first round pick.


With the 21st pick of the 2025 NFL draft the Steelers select....


QB: Jaxdon Dart

OL: Will Campbell LT

TE: I really don't want aTE in the 1st. I like Warren but he just looks so boom or bust to me.

RB: Omarion Hampton

WR: Another position I really don't want in the 1st. I feel like what we need is a true 'X'. I'll pencil in McMillan.

DL: I really like Alfred Collins here. I know most scout sites have him in the 2nd/3rd. I wouldn't hate getting him earlier.

LB: Jihaad Campbell

CB: Travis Hunter (duh)

Safety: Malachi Moore.


Obviously these names will change over the next couple months.

 

Do you want my #1 option at each position? Or a player that I think can actually be available to us at 1:21? Because I think those answers are probably different.

 

Go for both if you want. My intent is your #1 option. But the other can be fun to discuss as well.

 

For myself, I honestly like Dart and Howard at the QB position. I've just read more positive things said about Dart so he's my first choice if I got my pick at QB. I watched Ward play and he reminds me of a cross between Manziel and Lamar. Too much unknown potential to develop. Sanders is maybe the most like Hurts. I just don't think that style works for us right now.

 

Okay, sounds like fun. I'll list both

With the 21st pick of the 2025 NFL draft the Steelers select....


QB: Cam Ward (#1) , Will Howard (available) - I think the ceiling on Ward is a bit higher, but I don't think the "top of class" QB's are that much better than the Dart/Howard/McCord's of the draft. If we take a QB at 21, I would want it to be Howard.

OL: Kelvin Banks Jr. (#1), Tyler Booker (available) - I think we would draft a guard instead of a tackle and Booker's size and physicality do it for me here. I wouldn't want to draft an OL at 21 under most circumstances, but if we did, I'd go Booker here.

TE: Tyler Warren (Both) - Not sure where the TE's will go. Warren is a bit more unique as a weapon and I think he would project the best as an asset for the offense over Loveland. To be clear, I will be very disappointed if we go TE in round 1 this year.

RB: Ashton Jeanty (#1), TreyVeon Henderson (available) - I think both these guys are just going to be studs, albeit in different fashion. I am all for either one at 1:21

WR: Luther Burden (#1), Emeka Egbuka (available) - Burden is a bit more unique than Egbuka, but I think Egbuka is kinda the perfect WR for what we need. Solid route runner, great locker room guy, good hands, good speed, can go slot and outside. Very reminiscent of Amon-Ra St. Brown

DL: Kenneth Grant (Both) - I think Grant's size and athleticism make him a very intriguing prospect. There's a chance his measurables push him out of range, and there's a chance teams think he's a 2 down guy and he falls to us. He is probably the only DL I consider at 1:21. This team has more important needs.

LB: Jihaad Campbell (Both) - not much of a decision here, he's about the only guy capable of going round 1 at the position class IMO. Again, would be very disappointed if we went ILB in round 1 this year

EDGE: Mike Green (Both) - made a distinction between ILBs and OLBs in our base defense. Green has great explosion and bend, has some less desirable traits too (length, size), but he has the ceiling to be a really good player and is probably best in a 3-4. Sawyer would be a high floor option that is a better all around player than pure pass rusher.

CB: Will Johnson (#1), Jahdae Barron (available) - Johnson has the tools to be a top 5 CB in the league. Fluid and physical, good in man and zone. Barron is an aggressive player with good upside. Both seem to fit the size/athleticism profile that we like to see in Pittsburgh.

Safety: Malaki Starks (#1), Nick Emmanwori (available) - They are pretty similar style players, though Emmanwori is HUGE. Both seem to be that SS type and either would be fine fits (and Steeler types). Big, fast, phyiscal, and decent in coverage (though both have limitations). Can't say I'd be happy with a safety, though, I could come around to it I think.

 

Looks like we agree on a few at least.

 

Barron or Egbuka hopefully we get one of them. I would be really happy if we got both.
Instant upgrade at respective positions, both day 1 Starters.

 

I'll just focus on guys that could possibly be there for the Steelers at #21 that I would consider taking.

QB: none (Dart or Howard if we are determined to take a flyer.)

OL: none (I can't see taking another first round O-lineman unless an elite player falls, but I don't think that happens.)

TE: Warren (perhaps Loveland too if he tests better than Warren)

RB: Jeanty (I doubt he falls, but he'd be the only one I would consider at #21. If he is there, he'd be my favorite pick.)

WR: Egbuka or Burden III (I'd love to have one of these guys as a complement to Pickens, so these would be my preferred picks after Jeanty.)

DL: Grant (Possibly Williams or Nolen, but I'd likely pivot at that point because I also like guys like Walker, Collins, and Norman-Lott later.)

LB: none (I wouldn't consider one in the first round because we have bigger needs in my opinion.)

CB: Morrison, Barron, or Revel

Safety: Starks (Watts perhaps, but he'd feel like a reach.)

 

I like your analyses. Jeanty and Egbuka would be my favorite picks in the first round, and it seems that you would be happy with one of them, too.

 

Jaxon Dart is a 4th or 5th round talent.

Jihaad Campbell in round 2ish.

Travis Hunter and Will Campbell are top 10.

Malachi Moore is a round 6 or 7 talent.

If Tyler Warren is there at 21 I'd have to take him, he's too good of a playmaker. I would be all for trading Muth, who they never should have given a contract extension...he's overrated.

Omarion Hampton is a RB....that is a consumable portion and they should never waste 1st or 2nd round picks on a use them then lose them position.

Tet McMillan will go top 10, if not top 5.

Collins is a 2nd round guy.

 

Looks like you read my list. You should make one of your own.

 

Getting Collins's in the 2nd would be a great pick, IMO. He is the DT that I like most of this draft class so far. I think he is an absolute disrupter for the DL.


My post also says these names will likely change between now and the actual draft. I have already moved Hampton down. I actually like Ollie Gordon over Hampton. I think the Iowa RB is now my favorite though. I also would not take a RB in the 1st again. I don't want a WR or TE in the 1st either.


I have seen a lot of Dart. The only time I felt like he won't make a good pro QB was the Florida game. He had a bit of a meltdown in that loss. There was a lot riding on that one, it pretty much eliminated them from the playoff.


The only thing that would push Malachi Moore to the 6th/7th round would be age (24) or something legal-wise comes out. IMO.

 

Here is who I like by round. I tried to limit it to people I thought would be available in each round.

Round 1:
Kenneth Grant DL Michigan
Ben Morrison CB Notre Dame
Matt Golden WR Texas
Emeka Egbuka WR Ohio State
Kelvin Banks Jr. T Texas
Jack Sawyer Edge Ohio State

Round 2:
Xavier Watts S Notre Dame
Darien Porter CB Iowa State
Omaar Norman-Lott DL Tennessee
Trey Amos CB Mississippi
JT Tuimoloau Edge Ohio State
Savion Williams WR TCU
Jayden Higgins WR Iowa State
Xavier Restrepo WR Miami

Round 3:
Kevin Winston Jr S Penn State
Lathan Ransom S Ohio State
Jeffrey Bassa LB Oregon
Nick Emmanwori S South Carolina
Alfred Collins DL Texas
Anthony Belton T South Carolina
Tez Johnson WR Oregon
Jalen Royals WR Utah State

Round 4:
Jaxon Dart QB Mississippi
Ahmed Hassanein Edge Boise State
Zy Alexander CB LSU
Damien Martinez RB Miami
Will Howard QB Ohio State
Savion Jones Edge LSU
Josh Farmer DL Florida State

Round 5:
Kyle Williams WR Washington State
Kyle McCord QB Syracuse
Connor Colby G Iowa
Tyler Cooper G Minnesota
Trevor Etienne RB Georgia
Kobe King LB Penn State
Kalel Mullings RB Michigan

Round 6:
Jo'quavioious Marks RB USC
Malachi Moore S Alabama
Jamon Dumas-Johnson LB Kentucky
Hunter Wohler S Wisconsin
Cam Horsley DL Boston College
Miles Frazier G LSU


Round 7:
Cam'Ron Jackson DL Floria
Aubrey Burks S West Virginia
Will Sheppard WR Colorado
Kyren Lacy WR LSU

Here is my latest PFF Mock:



I know there was DL taken in this mock, that is because none of the best players were there when I was picking and I was not trading down.

 

Nick Emmanwori will be the first or second S off the board, and will be gone by early 2nd round at worst, maybe mid-first. Malachi Moore will go mid round, maybe on Day 2. Kyren Lacy is currently charged with Negligent Homicide for a DWI accident, and will probably be there in 7. He's a 2nd round talent with an UDFA mentality.
I also like getting a first round talent in the third and only getting an A- grade.

 

Why in the world would anybody draft Lacy? He'll be in jail soon, a-la Henry Ruggs, and frankly should spend the prime of his life behind bars for this:

https://www.espn.com/college-footba...-lacy-jailed-charges-stemming-fatal-car-crash

 

in this draft the DL is loaded with players that are good. you can do it a couple of ways, take one early and then double dip later or you can go after a position that isn't as plentiful early and still get a very good player or two down the line. i don't see a ton of difference with guys in the first round as i do with guys in round 2 and 3 and possibly the 4th in this one. there is some pretty good depth at the DL position.