Steelers Mock Draft: Post Combine

Good day everyone! Glad to be back! AskQuestionsLater here with the 2025 Steelers Mock Draft. Quite a bit has happened since the end of the combine (today included) so there is a lot to discuss. With introductions out of the way, let us begin!


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Round 1: Pick 21:


Steelers select; Derrick Harmon: Defensive Lineman from the University of Oregon.


Back to back years selecting from the PAC 12?! Yep; you betcha. Troy Fautanu was one of the best picks from Day 1 of 2024. Sadly, he was not able to showcase that ability due to him being gone for the rest of the season via an injury. Thankfully though, he is back to full strength and will prove himself in 2025. Why lead off with Troy into Derrick?! Outside of the conference connection, Derrick Harmon did put together a great Junior Campaign before he declared. Though his Junior year wasn't without its fair share of trouble, tackling consistency being key among them, he still was one of College Footballs best overall Defensive Lineman; a tough conference no less. While he is in need of fine tuning of leverage and tackling; his abilities as both a pass rusher and a run stopper will allow him to fit right in with the Steelers. Given how the team is in dire need of a youth movement along the IDL, Harmon is a great pick here.





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; Charles Grant: Offensive Tackle from William & Mary University



Mike Tomlin went to William & Mary. That would be the major connection most would take away from this. However, I am here to tell you that Charles Grant is oh so much more than a mere Player and Coach School Collection. Say hello to the most underrated OT in the entire class as a whole. Charles Grant saw to it that William & Mary had not just the best overall Rushing Attack in the entire FCS but fourth overall in the entire NCAA College Football World. Not alone of course but Charles was William and Mary's best overall player in 2024... and it showed big time. Climbing to the second level won't be an issue for zone heavy rushing teams (hint hint). Speed rushers?! Not a problem with Charles either.... mostly. I do caution mostly for the case of him not facing top tier FBS level competition in addition to his missed opportunity at the Senior Bowl. That said, Charles is a super athletic OT that the Steelers both could use and could need given how they are razor thin in terms of depth of OTs.




Round 4: Pick 122:


Steelers Select; Xaiver Restrepo: Wide Receiver from the University of Miami


Not only is this good CA III insurance for the future, it also keeps Roman Wilson honest about the Number 3 spot not being given to him. However, Xaiver is more than just a mere slot option. While he isn't the speedster Calvin Austin the Third is, he more than makes up for it tremendous Football IQ, superb separation and exceptional route running; among the best in the class. His production in the slot has been both well documented and noted; evidenced by his three touchdown performance against Duke. That said, he still is limited to the slot and will have to be used as such. First things first; he has to actually win the job; something I know that Calvin Austin the Third or even Roman Wilson is giving up without a fight. Even in the event he doesn't win the job, Xaiver can use this season as a Red Shirt while picking up some experience along the way. Should the worst happen to the WR room though, he is ready to step in whenever he is called upon.



Round 5: Pick 163:


Steelers Select; D.J. Giddens: Running Back from Kansas State University



It is no surprise that Najee Harris isn't coming back. It is also no surprise that the Steelers Running Back room is barren with very limited options; Jaylen Warren just recently receiving a Second Round Tender option. What is worth noting is that, now Arthur Smith is in charge, the Steelers need both an explosive and powerful runner for the Wide Zone Offense that Smith employs. D.J. Giddens fits hand in glove with this approach; a north south battering ram with speed and acceleration to match. That said, he is a pure runner only at this point; both receiving and pass protection being in dire need of an overhaul. Even so, as far as an immediate impact, rely on D.J. for short yardage situations.



Round 7: Pick 225:



Steelers Select; Mello Dotson: Cornerback from the University of Kansas



Now, for much of 2024, lots of people, myself included, thought that the Steelers had it all figured out with Beanie Bishop Jr. as the true Slot CB successor to Mike Hilton. However, as the season winded down, so did Beanie's snap count. Why?! Lack of trust via the Coaching Staff?! Not proficient enough in coverage?! Whatever the case may be, Beanie's snap totals saw a sharp decline. That leads us to some competition in Mello Dotson. Now technically speaking.... Mello is actually better suited for the outside given his tremendous levels of production there. However, he does have more than enough functional length and explosiveness to play inside as well. He does need to work on his tackling though; an area where Beanie does have him beat. In addition, his stiffness in his hips is also not a glowing sign for someone to play the slot. However, given his tremendous play recognition and ball skills, adding another potential playmaker, this late in the draft, is never a bad thing.



Round 7: Pick 231:


Steelers Select; Cam Jackson: Defensive Lineman from the University of Florida


Mr. Jackson; the one trick pony of this draft class for the Steelers. Yes, his very limited pass rush upside and lack of conditioning do not make him appear to be the IDL so many want. That said, his major trick to his trade does involve with something that the Steelers need more of.... besides the aforementioned discussed youth movement. Cam Jackson is one of the most underrated run stuffers in the entire class of a historic IDL group. Again, he will not be challenging the likes of Kenneth Grant, Alfred Collins, Tyleik Williams or Alfred Collins but he is within the Top 10 conversation as far as pure run stuffers go. With his immense size at 6'6, 325lbs begets great length at 34 inches. Due to that fact, he has shown to be nigh immovable at the POA and is very knowledge about gap integrity and assignments. Conditioning and his lack of pass rush though do let him down greatly overall; doubly so compared to other IDLs in the class. That said, for a 7th Round pick?! Cam is definitely worth taking a shot on.



Round 7: Pick 247:



Steelers Select; Xaiver Truss: Offensive Lineman from the University of Georgia.



Pittsburgh have some Georgia connections already on the radar. Broderick Jones, Darnell Washington and George Pickens. Nabbing Xavier Truss isn't a College Reunion though of any kind. Truss has been a Two Time National State Champion at his time at Georgia; a fixed starter since 2021. However, Truss isn't limited to one position; 1800 total snaps of playing Left Tackle, Left Guard, Right Guard and Right Tackle to his credit. That said however, while Truss did display consistency at times at both Tackle Positions, his overall recovery speed against the better speed rushers from the SEC forces him to play inside as a Guard. Granted, he does possess nearly an 83 inch wingspan with 33 inch arms to boot but length alone doesn't beget a good tackle; much less a great one. At Guard though; his full season of starting at Left Guard in 2022 at that?! That is worth investing in; doubly so if the Steelers permit him to learn Left Guard and exclusively that position. Even if the team gets Nate Herbig back, it never hurts to invest in the Offensive Line.



Other Notes:


Granted, the Steelers could still technically opt for a First Round WR should the Steelers want to have a potential failsafe in case they cannot either resign Pickens in 2026 or if the team is still more confident about adding IDLs later in the draft. Personally I would not but nabbing a Round One WR isn't out of the realm of possibility here. I also would not be shocked if the First Round Selection is a Corner; Jahdae Barron being chief among them. If not Jahdae, another option would be Benjamin Morrison of Notre Dame. Wildcard pick though would be Omarion Hampton of North Carolina. I say Wild Card though due to the fact that the Running Back Class this year is great; doubly so from a season ago.


Finally, for the IDL, don't be surprised if the Steelers bring in other mid to late Round IDLs either. I still want them to nab Kenneth Grant though I have all but conceded in them acquiring Harmon. Should neither be around?!... Alfred Collins might be the contingency plan.




That will do it everyone on the Post Combine edition of the Steelers Mock Draft. Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Hope to see you guys again for we will be diving into the updated Top Five Positional Rankings for the 2025 Draft and boy oh boy.... are there A LOT of changes.



Until then, this is AskQuestionsLater saying so long, stay safe and have an awesome day!!!

 

Been out with the Flu!!!


Took me a whole month to recover!!


Apologies in advance for the lack of Draft updates!!

 

1. Harmon is my man

3. Grant, one of the few mid round true tackles. Like him.

4. Restrepo, love him. I watched almost every Miami game this year. He's one of those guys they describe as "He's just a good football player." He's Miami's all time reciever. He really, for some reason, reminds me of Hines. He couldn't outrun my grandma but he's tough, always open somehow, and catches everything. He'd be a fantastic pickup in the 4th.
5. Been pushing Giddens. Good size, burst, and got some sweet moves.

7. Was watching som Cam Jackson last week. A very large human. I would be really surprised if he went this late. But, he could I guess.

 

If we could get Mello Dotson in the 7th that would be a major steal. I've seen him listed up in the 4th round.