2025 Steelers Mock Draft: Pro Day Edition

Welcome back everyone to the 2025 Steelers Mock Draft! AskQuestionsLater here and today, I will Mock the players I believe the Steelers will take; a major different twist for certain. For those who are interested in reading the previous mock; please follow the link below!


Post Combine Mock Draft

*** This Mock Draft was created prior to the acquisition of D.K. Metcalf. ***


This mock draft will be different than the last one for certain. Given what has happened since the end of the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine and what the Steelers have been busy with, I believe that the focus has changed somewhat. What do I mean?! Time to find out!


These written statements by the author do not reflect nor are shared opinions of members of TheSteelersFans Message Board, Staff Members and/or Site Administrator.



Round 1: Pick 21:


Steelers select; Emeka Egbuka: Wide Receiver from Ohio State University


I am now fully under the assumption that the Steelers are more interested in adding Offensive Firepower given how unbelievably deep and talented this IDL Class. Not the thought process I'd agree with as Kenneth Grant was still on the board in my Mock but I do have the suspicion that Pittsburgh is performing one of two acts:

1. Deliberately hiding their interest in the IDL Class; namely the top two targets in both Derrick Harmon and Kenneth Grant. I simply don't find this to be the case given Pittsburgh's historical trend of intrigue among players they have had interest in the past. Even Troy Fautanu had a Top 30 visit to the team the previous year. Neither Grant nor Harmon have had Top 30 visits; a more telling sign. Pittsburgh does have interests in other IDLs but not the top ones. Players like Alfred Collins, J.J. Pegues, Joshua Farmer and Yahya Black have both been extensively looked at by the Steelers and more suited towards either specific roles and/or provide specific depth at specific positions.
   
   
   
2. As stated before, Pittsburgh is using a historic IDL Class to justify not spending a First Round Pick on an IDL. This is actually a bit more believable for the Steelers have been in "Supply and Demand" mode as far as specific positions go in the Draft since 2019. Devin Bush was one of two ILBs drafted in Round One, 2021 featured the likes of Najee Harris and Travis Etienne; the only two Running Backs that were worthy of their First Round Grade, 2022 featured Kenny Pickett being the only QB (this is also the only outlier given how bad that class was in addition to that pick being a forced selection) and 2023-2024 featured less than stellar Offensive Tackle classes; Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu being both among the best.
   

Now, could neither be true?! Absolutely. However, there is simply too much history of the team going for the prospects that are playing a position that isn't as talented nor deep as others. Wide Receiver perfectly fits this bill here for the 2025 WR Class is underwhelming. Now, as for Emeka himself?! He is far from underwhelming. Say hello to the best Route Runner in the entire class. No route of any Offensive Play Call will be too difficult for him. He isn't just lightning quick either. Emeka is explosive out of his breaks as well; forcing defenders to play air tight with him in coverage. His best asset though, which will endear him to the Offense, will be his ability to both quickly identify and exploit both personnel and coverage weaknesses during his snaps. That said, he isn't the fastest nor possesses the best hands. Injury history is also something worth noting for Emeka battled injuries throughout 2023. Physical Corners can also get the better of him due to his slow timing at the LOS. Even so, Emeka has proven that he is one of the best Wideouts in all of College Football and would make a great addition to an offense that needs more playmakers than usual. Given how it is very much an unknown if George Pickens is even going to be on the team for much longer, best to use the resources on a Wide Receiver who can both move the chains and open up spots for other playmakers on the Offense.



Round 2; Pick 52:


Pittsburgh's Second Round pick belongs to Seattle as part of the trade for D.K. Metcalf




Round 3: Pick 83:


Steelers Select; Alfred Collins: Interior Defensive Lineman from the University of Texas


Some might not see Alfred Collins falling this far come the NFL Draft. I am in the minority that he will. Given how the 2025 NFL Playoffs ended up playing out, the initial takeaway was that Trench Warfare would end up determining the winner of the Super Bowl; Philadelphia being the victor. Due to that fact, in addition to the tremendous depth of the EDGE Class, there will be a lot of EDGE Players going in the back half of Round 1 to Round Three. Even some of the hybrid options will get a look for having a player who can play multiple spots is much more beneficial than those that cannot. That leaves the Steelers with Alfred Collins; one of the drafts most underrated players. Outside of Tyleik Williams and Kenneth Grant, you will not find a better run stuffer than Collins. Being 6'6' would have its disadvantages... had it not been for Collins' ridiculous 35 inch arms. Natural leverage is also an area where Collins shines; his absurd length allowing him to control the LOS against many opposing IOL. His best feature though is his overall power and strength. Very few IOL will move Collins; even fewer given his physical dimensions and great leverage. Sounds like a player who should be drafted higher right?! Well... that is where the good of Alfred Collins ends. Onto the bad; much of which is why I believe he will be here by this point. For a start, while his leverage and length are great, his lack of acceleration at the point of attack (POA for short) is going to leave DCs wanting a lot more given how nigh immovable he is at the line. Opposing IOL who have superior acceleration can get the initial jump on him against the run and could lead him out of position. His lateral agility on tape is also a concern; very stiff while moving and makes him an easy target for stretch runs or even pull runs. His biggest weakness though is his severe lack of pass rush development; damning considering he is a fifth year senior and will be 24 by the time he enters the NFL. In comparison to other IDLs in the class like Tyleik Williams or even Deone Walker; a player who was actually playing with a Broken Back! Both are much younger and have greater potential from a development standpoint in terms of pass rushing. Despite this, Alfred Collins is still very much worth betting on given his natural run stuffing prowess and superb length. Given how horribly Pittsburgh got gashed during the final five weeks of the Regular Season, never mind the playoffs, having another quality IDL wouldnt be a bad thing at all.



Round 4: Pick 122:


Steelers Select: Bhayshul Tuten: Running Back from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University


What have the Steelers been missing since the days of Fast Willie Parker?! Speed?! Explosiveness?! Receiving ability?! Strength?! Well, Pittsburgh did strike gold with Jaylen Warren in 2021 for he did bring some allusions to Willie himself. Fast forward to today and Jaylen Warren is officially RB1 of the Steelers. That said, very few Running Backs are classified as Feature Backs and sadly, I cannot say in good faith that Jaylen is one of them. No slight to him; only one to two of those are available in a generation; Derrick Henry and SaQuon Barkley being both. There are potentially others like Bijian Robinson and presumably Ashton Jeanty but I digress. Pittsburgh does need another running mate to not only go along with Jaylen Warren but to also give Arthur Smith more options at Running Back. Enter Bhayshul.

On the surface, he does appear to be another Jaylen Warren clone; powerful running, explosive, a great receiving option and a steady workhorse. Their athleticism though is where their similarities end. Warren is more powerful but Tuten is far faster; a home run threat who can house it with little to no effort. A 4.3 can do one wonders in the NFL; doubly so given how explosive he is to get to that speed. Once Bhayshul hits the hole, he is either netting positive yardage or will have a big gain; no in between. This also makes him a better receiving option than Warren is currently on the team as well. However, if there is one skill that Jaylen has Bhayshul soundly beat, and quite good I may add, is his pass protection. Warren enjoys seeking contact and being violent as a whole. Tuten does as well but his over aggressiveness causes him to whiff on blocks a lot more than he should His technique and anchor when initiating contact against opposing blitzers are also in need of a tune up as well. His biggest issue that Warren ended up solving this season was ball security. Much like Warren coming out, Tuten has a bit of a bad habit of putting the football on the ground; not ideal for a player that makes a living running the football. Even so, while Tuten may not split carries with Warren right way, he has extensive Special Teams value and can contribute there. Once he gets up to speed with the NFL Game, he will be able to use his Rushing Talents to both aid Warren and the Steelers Offense; another dynamic Running Back that teams have to account for.


Round 5: Pick 163:


Steelers Select: Kyle McCord: Quarterback from the University of Syracuse


Given how QB hungry a lot of teams are in the NFL nowadays, the standard of the position has changed dramatically. Gone are the days of the Peyton Mannings and Tom Brady's of the world; Pocket Passers who could eviscerate Defense with lightning fast processing speed coupled with passing precision that even the most well renowned of brain surgeons would be envious of. Since 2019, the NFL now places a premium on one major attribute that the league at league shunned for many years; natural athleticism from the QB Position. Players like Kyler Murray, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels, Jordan Love, Caleb Williams and even Trevor Lawrence all possess either very good to elite level athletic ability. This major change has forced Defensive Coordinators to be creative not with just the pressure schemes that they create but also the players they must add to their defense to minimize their damage. As a result, the current NFL Paradigm places an emphasis on QB Mobility vs. Freakshow Level Defenders along the front seven. This makes the era of the Pocket Passer a bygone one.


Enter Kyle McCord. Not a name that has often been linked with the Steelers, Kyle does possess many of the characteristics that the Steelers do look for; leadership, accurate, tough and will continue to push for the win. Even after his disastrous five INT game from Pitt, his critics don't mention how he bounced back winning five of the final six games for the Orange. Kyle is a QB from a bygone era; a classic pocket passer. That said, he is one of the few Pocket Passers in the class that can manipulate the pocket at a very high level while also possessing superb pocket poise. His mechanics, while not perfect, are very good and further allow him to access the intermediate parts of the field with great ease. His best traits though stem from his anticipation upon throwing the football along with his processing speed; both pre and post snap. McCord can ID a Defense very quickly and make plays just as quickly while delivering an accurate football. Given that is the biggest attribute any QB must have to succeed, be they dual threat, pocket passer or otherwise, McCord does pass the test here. Again, he is very, very limited athletically so that also caps him into very, very specific schemes. One such scheme though is the West Coast Offense. Now, Arthur Smith does run a lot of RPO/Play Action but the passing concepts themselves are heavily drawn from the West Coast. I don't forsee Kyle ever starting in the NFL but him as a backup?! With this type of Offense, he can be one of the best in the league.



Round 6: Pick 185 (From Seattle in DK Metcalf trade)

Steelers Select: Yahya Black: Interior Defensive Lineman from the University of Iowa



I'd imagine that allowing a Franchise worst 300 yards (technically 299 thanks to the kneel down) is going to sting the Steelers for a long time; perhaps longer due in part it was due to their arch nemesis in Baltimore. To that end, I'd say it would be best to double down on nabbing another space eater in Yahya Black from Iowa. Pittsburgh already has a former Iowa Hawkeye in Logan Lee. Having another wouldn't hurt; one that can be a great Run Defense option no less. Much like Alfred, Yahya is a space eater with great length. He does have a bit more pass rushing upside that Alfred as well; more so in the fact that his bull rush is a bit better than Collins. If there is one major aspect that Black does have to clean up that Collins doesn't is his contact balance. Sometimes Yahya exhibits good balance after contact and other times he loses balance, him losing more reps at the LOS than he should. Pad level is also another major focus for Yahya to work on for he is also too inconsistent here. However, given the fact he is only 22, he is a good developmental piece to work with.




Round Seven: Pick 229 (From Atlanta through Philadelphia)

Steelers Select; Craig Woodson: Defensive Back from the University of University of California, Berkeley



The name Woodson sounds familiar doesn't it. You'd be correct in assuming that this is Rod Woodson's son. You would also be correct in stating that he didn't inherit all of Rod's legendary abilities. However, there is still a reason he will be the final pick. Craig does have extensive work as a Special Teams demon but he is also better used as a Slot Defender option. His Football IQ and Physicality are not to be faulted but his limited athletic showcasing and therefore limited scheme versatility leave a lot to be desired. However, don't count out Craig just yet. He was counted out once in 2021 after a season ending ACL Injury at Cal. He returned with a vengeance the year later and is a steady player who won't beat himself.





Other Notes:

1. Jahdae Barron is getting dangerously close to being my number one overall option for the Steelers. They first met with Barron at the 2025 Scouting Combine. They met with him again days ahead of the 2025 Texas Football Pro Day event. I will not be surprised if the Steelers bring him in one final time as a Top 30 Draft Visit.
   
   
   
2. Should a Wide Receiver be selected in Round 1, I suspect that the Steelers will do all they can to trade Pickens. Should that happen, I wouldn't be surprised if the team not only nabs another early draft selection but also acquires the likes of Savion Williams or Jayden Higgins. Either or have also had the Steelers interest for some time now and both could be welcome additions to the team.
   
   
   
3. I still won't dismiss that the Steelers will address IDL in Round One. I just find their process of players that the team is thoroughly interested in this season more unusual in comparison to previous seasons. Granted, the Aaron Rodgers Saga has not helped in this matter but it is intriguing to say the least.
   
   
   
4. Getting back to positions that others may not see being taken, I still am not ruling out Offensive Tackle myself. There are only two Offensive Tackles to point towards though; Charles Grant from William and Mary and Wyatt Milum from West Virginia. Wyatt though projects better on the inside however but can play OT in a pinch.
   
   

Closing Statements:


A more wild Mock Draft than the last one for certain. Again, plenty can happen between now and Draft Day! That said, there are a lot more pieces to the puzzle being filled given how close we are. I still expect the Steelers to bring in either Harmon and Grant while also expecting the team to double dip in the class.


For now though, that will do it for the 2025 Steelers Mock Draft: Pro Day Edition. I will say that this mock draft is the Semi Final Edition. The Final Edition will launch next week. After that, no more mock drafts! To that end, I am happy to announce that the Final Top Five Positional Rankings will drop this week; the Top 32 Big Board soon thereafter so be on the lookout for it! Until then, it is time to bid you all farewell for now. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed!!


So long, stay safe and have an awesome day!!

 

Nice job, AQL.

While I would quibble with some of your picks, that's okay - I approach things more from what I would do, not what I think the Steelers would do. Besides, part of the fun in the draft build is bantering over who we like and why (whether it be our choice or that of the FO). And some of the names you dropped I'll be looking up later.

Hope the weather settled down in your neck of the woods. We had some tornado warnings over here today.

 

Sorry to hear that man!

Stay safe!

 

Nice job AQL, your picks are realistic, we will have to see how things shake out.
I still believe Steelers have to figure out how to get the 2nd round pick back. This is much
needed pick for the construction of our roster going forward. I as many on this
board believe that the Steelers will go all in at the QB position in 2026, we must give that person
a roster they could win with.

 

I also think the team should make every effort to recoup the 2nd rd pick they gave up for Metcalf. Not sure if they can pull it off though.
I would like to see them trade back in the 1st, possibly pick up a 3rd rd, and then trade out of the 1st completely and couple that lower 1st rd pick with another lower pick to possibly obtain a mid to early 2nd rd.

I like Dart, but I think the possibility exists that he's not going to make it to the Steelers at 21. Teams like the Jets and Saints could both surprise and take him in the 1st. Even the Rams, who could look for the heir apparent to Stafford, could surprise and trade up for him.

There are also the Browns and Giants, who could take him in the early 2nd if either or both pass on Sanders in the 1st

 

I initially had Jaxson Dart as my Round 1 Pick. Opted out of it due to the uncertainty of the future of Pickens. If the Aaron Rodgers rumors are true, might as well max out his offensive firepower given the fact that this season is likely it for him. In addition, the team will be killing two birds with one stone.


George Pickens may not be on the roster in 2026. To that end, having that 2025 1st Round Wideout will definitley cushion the blow. In addition, Roman Wilson is still unproven and CA III is strictly a slot option. Emeka can be a number 2... just needs to speed up his get off at the LOS.

 

I understand what you are saying. To a great degree, I agree. However, there is simply too much evidence at present to suggest that the Steelers will not opt to go for an IDL in Round One.


Again, this isn't a Mock Draft based on what I would do but what I believe the team will do. Given Pittsburgh's recent trend of gunning for the "Supply and Demand", this years variant is in the form of the IDL group. Pittsburgh made no attempt to head to Oregon for Derrick Harmon's Pro Day and both Tomlin and Khan were no shows at Michigan; all thanks to Aaron Rodgers. That said, both Tomlin and Khan were at Ohio State's Pro Day and Tyleik Williams is a fringe First Round player. The other First Round Player is none other than Emeka. Josh Simmons also has claim to be among the names selected on Day 1 but his medicals will be a massive factor in his draft stock.


Overall, Pittsburgh will likely max out the Offensive Firepower for Aaron Rodgers or Mason Rudolph (whichever one it is at this point) for the majority of the draft given the lack of proven weapons on the Offense sans Pat, D.K., George and Jaylen. CA III is on the up and up but beyond these five, not too many other options at present. In addition, the biggest reason why Emeka was selected has already been stated; George could very well be gone come 2026. If that were to happen, Pittsburgh is back at square one again hunting for another Wideout. In today's NFL, you need three Receiving Threats for a proficient passing attack. Not having a fallback plan will prove disastrous.


I know you know this as much as I do Elvis; you don't just draft for the present for but also the future. Pittsburgh will likely want to solve two problems with one fell swoop.

 

1.) Tomlin has final say ultimately given his reluctance to use the MOF. In addition, Emeka has an advanced route tree; something no other Steelers possesses on this roster.


2.) There is zero guarantee that Roman Wilson will be a factor in 2025 as we stand here today. In addition, Roman Wilson is likely to be CA IIIs replacement given how this season may likely be his last. Emeka isn't taking Roman's spot but George's assuming he leaves in 2026.


3.) So again, this isn't what I would do but what I believe the team would do. Not having either Harmon or Grant in for a Pre Draft Visit is damning for both. Troy Fautanu was a Pre Draft Visit but had a much higher overall Draft Grade than both. Until either or is brought in, there is little evidence to go off of that the Steelers would break absolute precedent and draft a player that the team has little to no evidence on.


4.) Other than Jaxson Dart, I can also see the team going for Running Back; namely Omarion Hampton. Outside of Ashton Jeanty, there isn't any other considerable Round 1 option I see the Steelers taking in terms of Running Backs. However, I am still also not counting out Jahdae Barron or potentially even Malakai Starks either.

 

I have read some about reports Harmon that his best situation in the NFL will be in a 4-3 alignment where he can be used more as a pass rusher. Many times these write ups are only referring to the players rookie campaign and not looking at long term use. Is Harmon a 3-4 DT or more of a 4-3 DE for the pros?

 

I wouldn't let that deter us. Cam is essentially that exact player. a 3-4 DE that kicks inside in sub packages and is a quality pass rusher to boot. I would assume his best usage (for us) would be as a 3 tech in base that kicks inside for sub packages (based off what I've seen/read about him). I think he fits the part.

 

I'm beginning to key in on QB in round 1 this year, and assuming Ward and Sanders are gone... I think Will Howard is probably my favorite at 21. I think he's a much more pro ready prospect than Dart is, and would probably be a safer bet to be a quality player IMO. A perfect world sees him sit a year behind Mason or Rodgers and take over as QB1 in 2026.

DL is probably slated for round 3 then in this scenario. It is a deep class and you never know who will be available to us.

I'll go RB in round 4 here, and then OL/WR/ or DB in round 5, 6, and 7. Which players... idk as much since I won't know who is available. But I think this gives us the best shot at filling our needs and priming ourselves for the biggest offseason for our future in 2026.

 

How sold are we on Bishop as the Slot CB? He was replaced with Sutton last season, and they just brought in Echols to compete for it. If Barron falls to us at 21, how much do we like him there?


On the DL, we don't have a 'true' NT but we don't really ever use one. We drafted Logan Lee last draft who is a NT/DT. Keanu Benton was drafted in '23 3rd round and is a NT/DT. I'll be a bit surprised if we draft one of the 320+LB guys in this draft.

 

I think we will draft a QB, RB, CB, or OLB in the 1st round.

 

There is no way any team will draft Howard in the first round. Some team might reach for him in the late second but most mocks have him going in round 3 at the earliest. He did have a good pro day but his terrible combine performance will stick in a lot of teams mind.

 

It only takes one. Pre draft mocks are a really bad predictor of many players' stock amongst the teams. There will be guys that are mocked in the top 50 that will be day 3 picks and guys mocked way down the board taken in the first 50 picks. Its just not a perfect science. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see a team in the late first or early second take a shot on Howard. He might last to late second or early third, but you never know. I'd be happy with him at 21.

 

I've been saying this too. If you have a QB you want to draft, and you have this gap from pick 21 all the way to 83, I think you have to take him at 21. You cannot afford to wait. Even if you want him to redshirt for a season.

 

WE have 3 picks in the first 122 selections, I do not discount the later rounds but simply point out our needs vs the amount of picks we have, and how in different places I have seen unrealistic hopes. I mean we could double on DL, CB, and perhaps will, but you have given a realistic and well thought draft. At times you get a player available and you draft because he is possibly going to be a core player for a decade, but really you are drafting for the future of the franchise, and here you do that. With DK, GP on the team this year (at least for now), Rowan waiting to show something, you draft a WR in the 1st..this is ballsy and while it could help this year..it is a future move. I do not know if McCord lasts till the 5th, have no idea if he is more than a career b/u, but of all the guys talked about as later round picks, he intrigues me the most. With the right system, coach, and given the weapons he has a football mind, is it enough...in the 5th no doubt he is worth a pick.

 

Well, it's not 100% apples to apples, but regarding your first point they essentially did the same thing to the position last year with the Johnson trade. Sure, they courted Aiyuk through the summer, but didn't seem concerned about breaking off negotiations to find someone else when things became protracted. That left a rookie to replace Johnson.

In a similar sense, there's the RB room this year. They obviously want to upgrade from Harris, but the current trio of Warren/Gainwell/Patterson is weaker than were Harris still around. Of course, I expect them to add a RB in the draft, but that's the same concept as trading Pickens and drafting a WR. Essentially making the unit weaker in the short term, while trying to make it better in the long run.

Ultimately, I think it comes down to whether they see Pickens here long term, and what kind of comp they expect if he walks next year. If they do intend to let him walk the best they could get would be a 3rd in 2027, but if they don't better their QB play fro last year his market will be questionable, as will the comp pick. Meanwhile they could draft someone more complimentary to Metcalf's skill set if they wanted to this year.