Mock Draft
1/16/25
8 min read
Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 7-Round NFL Mock Draft: A New Franchise QB in The Steel City?
After such a promising start to the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers limped out of the playoffs with more questions than answers.
Despite Mike Tomlin's impressive streak without a losing record, the Steelers have failed to win a single playoff game since 2016. This year's exit was just as frustrating for Steelers fans, getting dominated by an AFC North rival in a 28-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
With so many questions heading into the offseason, the Steelers will need to hit some home runs in the 2025 NFL Draft, regardless of who is running the show as their head coach and/or quarterback. Let's dive into what a seven-round mock could look like before any of the drastic changes for Pittsburgh happen in the coming weeks and months.
Steelers 2025 NFL Mock Draft
#Michigan iDL Kenneth Grant vs. Ohio St.
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) December 2, 2024
If you’re betting on his potential, this is the tape you turn on. Disruptive strength at the POA. pic.twitter.com/LCk4pCEKcq
Round 1, 21st Overall
Pick: Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan 
Cameron Heyward continues to play at an All-Pro level, but at some point, the 35-year-old will be ready to hang up his cleats.
The Steelers pride themselves on dominating the trenches, and that's where Kenneth Grant could be an ideal first-round pick for a team hoping to get back to its roots. Grant is a massive presence up front at 6-foot-3 and 339 pounds, dominating the point of attack with play strength and extension to bully offensive linemen.
In addition to that strength, Grant also has surprising explosiveness and short-area quickness for his size, giving him a boost as a pass rusher. He can still work on driving his legs through contact more consistently and anchoring down against double teams, but these are technique things that can be cleaned up as he develops.
It's a rare skill set for a player of Grant's size, but it would make him the perfect long-term partner to Keeanu Benton once Heyward decides to hang up his cleats.
Kenneth Grant's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
Round 2, 52nd Overall
Pick: Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
George Pickens is the clear No. 1 receiver in Pittsburgh as long as he's there, but the Steelers desperately need reinforcements at the position. Van Jefferson, Ben Skowronek, and Mike Williams are all hitting free agency, leaving them with few viable options to throw to at wideout.
Isaiah Bond had a down year, but his skill set might be the perfect complement to Pickens while still bringing another vertical threat to Pittsburgh. He's a smaller wideout at 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, but his play speed and shiftiness give him some outside and slot versatility.
Speed kills for Bond, but his movement skills also allow him to get in and out of breaks on his routes without sacrificing speed. He can handle a fairly developed route tree, although he may struggle with catches outside of his frame due to adequate length.
Regardless, the Steelers need some kind of playmaker that defenses are forced to respect outside of Pickens in the passing game, and Bond's upside makes him a worthwhile swing in the second round.
Isaiah Bond's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
Jaxson Dart’s final college game featured one of the best throws of his career. pic.twitter.com/BOj8CKSrwq
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 3, 2025
Round 3, 83rd Overall
Pick: Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
All three quarterbacks on Pittsburgh's active roster are hitting unrestricted free agency this offseason. Even if the Steelers bring one or two of them back, they need to start throwing darts at quarterbacks in the draft to see if they can find a long-term star at the position.
Of the Day 2 tier of quarterbacks, Jaxon Dart looks like the most interesting. A four-year starter in college, he brings tons of experience to the NFL level.
Dart's arm talent was a perfect fit for Lane Kiffin's offense, allowing him to hit receivers in stride deep downfield. That arm talent also showed up on off-script plays, with Dart showing an uncanny ability to hit accurate shot plays when on the move. In addition to arm strength, Dart also had a quick release to get the ball out in time on quick-game passes and RPOs.
Despite the talent, Dart can try too often to lean on his arm instead of focusing on clean throwing mechanics, and his gunslinger mentality can get him into trouble when he's frustrated and trying to force throws into double coverage.
The right coach can work on breaking Dart's bad habits, which could make him a starting-caliber quarterback at the next level.
Jaxson Dart's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
Round 4, 121st Overall
Pick. Mello Dotson, CB, Kansas
Joey Porter Jr. is showing flashes of being a long-term starting cornerback, but the Steelers seriously lack depth outside of him at the position. The position will likely be a big priority in free agency, but that doesn't mean the Steelers should ignore it in the draft.
Mello Dotson hasn't gotten much pre-draft buzz, but the numbers during the past two seasons are impressive. He racked up 17 pass breakups, nine interceptions, and four defensive touchdowns.
On top of a good frame at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, Dotson has the length and instincts to be an asset in press and zone coverage with legitimate ball skills. He may not have the top-end play speed or play strength to be a full-time man coverage corner, but he's battle-tested and has the production to be an intriguing option for the Steelers in the later rounds.
I think this was the exact moment DJ Giddens wasn’t coming back for a senior year. The only question about his game coming into this year was the long speed. pic.twitter.com/PVY2WBAs7M
— qǝlɐɔ (@EMAWCaleb) December 17, 2024
Round 5, 161st Overall
Pick: DJ Giddens, RB, Kansas State
Is the Najee Harris era over in Pittsburgh? The former first-round pick is heading to free agency after his fourth straight 1,000-yard season, but Jaylen Warren could end up holding down the starting role while the Steelers allocate their cap space elsewhere.
If that happens, then an RB2 will become a real need for the Steelers. DJ Giddens brings a different play style to the backfield than Warren and one that could make him a real home-run threat behind Pittsburgh's young offensive line.
Giddens has patience and vision at the mesh point on handoffs but then has the burst and wiggle in space to generate explosive runs with regularity. He's not a bowling ball like Warren, but that playmaking ability in open space could make him an ideal third-down back as both a runner and pass catcher out of the backfield.
DJ Giddens' Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
Round 7, 223rd Overall
Pick: Xavier Truss, OT, Georgia
The Steelers could be losing multiple offensive linemen in free agency, so adding some versatile pieces who can play multiple positions in the later rounds would be beneficial.
Xavier Truss played multiple positions for Georgia during his college career, but his 6-foot-7, 320-pound frame makes him look like a tackle at the next level. He has legitimate athletic ability and good length, but he needs to build up his strength to be a more dominant offensive tackle at the NFL level.
Elijah Roberts BULL RUSHHHHH!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/mydR8r3dMf
— NMD Grant (@NMDgrant) December 21, 2024
Round 7, 229th Overall
Pick: Elijah Roberts, EDGE, SMU 
EDGE isn't a true need for the Steelers, but some depth at the position could allow them to rotate stars like T.J. Watt to keep them fresh throughout games.
Elijah Roberts is an experienced EDGE with good size at 278 pounds who can fly off of the snap and convert speed to power as a strong bull rusher. His frame is an asset against the run, making him a potential early-down EDGE for the Steelers to save Watt and Alex Highsmith to get after the quarterback on passing downs.
Round 7, 243 overall
Pick: Jaylen Reed, SAF, Penn State
The Steelers can use their final pick to focus on depth in case of an emergency, adding an interesting backup behind Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Reed was a versatile player on Penn State's defense this year, racking up 98 total tackles and three interceptions. He can play all over the field, with good post-snap processing to get himself in the right position. He also has the play strength and aggressiveness to thrive in run support.
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