2025 NFL Draft Steelers Analysis
Bell: Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 Mock Draft 1.0
Mock draft season is in full swing and it’s time to give the people what they want. Today, the Pittsburgh Steelers brass will arrive in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine and continue doing their homework on a talented crop of prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft.
We are still very early in the team building process seeing as free agency hasn’t happened yet but we do have a general idea of the strengths and weaknesses of the team to the point where we can at least draw conclusions as to which positions they’ll target. Speaking of needs, this is a team with some pretty important ones to fill.
For necessary context, this mock draft is conducted under the assumption that the Steelers acquire a starting caliber wide receiver and cornerback before draft weekend arrives. Figuring out a stopgap option at quarterback is at the top of the priority list but they’ll have plenty of cash flow to make a couple more substantial upgrades even if they aren’t the flashy ones that get people jumping for joy.
Without further ado, here we go!
PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2025 MOCK DRAFT 1.0
Round 1, Pick 21: DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
Opinions will vary on Nolen’s place within the first round but the tape shows a player that can pay off that type of investment and then some. After transferring from Texas A&M, Nolen’s production saw an major uptick, nearly doubling his quarterback pressures from the prior season and started to look like the force we all expected him to be as the top recruit out of high school.
He wins with an impressive combination of quick twitch and raw strength, with a pass rush plan that appears to be rapidly developing. As a junior, you saw him flex calculated footwork to get blockers off balance and subsequently set up different pass rush moves (cross-chop, club-rip, side scissors) and the lower body flexibility to continue surging through the rush phase. As a run defender, Nolen can dismantle blocks with heavy hands while having both the lateral range and red-hot motor to run plays down horizontally to the perimeter.
His primary weaknesses such as inconsistent pad level and less than ideal anchor ability were negated by how slant heavy their front was in college, a luxury that won’t be afforded to him at the next level. Still, his lack of size shouldn’t be a significant hindrance to keeping him on the field and you are drafting this dude based on his ability to rush the passer.
His interviews with front offices at the combine will be a highly critical part of his evaluation. While far from a finished product, the flashes are extremely enticing, making him a three-down contributor right away but whether or not he morphs into a true difference maker in the trenches will center around his work ethic and commitment to further developing his craft. Cam Heyward, soon to be 36 years old, won’t play forever and given how talented this crop of defensive lineman is, it makes a lot of sense for them to address it here with someone who is talented enough to be a foundational piece moving forward.
Round 2, Pick 52: RB Kaleb Johnson, Iowa
Outside of inventing a time machine for Derrick Henry, there isn’t a more perfect pairing for an Arthur Smith-led offense than Kaleb Johnson. At 6-foot, 225 pounds, he possesses the ideal build for what teams look for in a lead back and scored a whopping 23 touchdowns this past fall while averaging 4.42 yards after contact per attempt, second-best in the class according to PFF.
He’s a wide zone savant with outstanding vision, the ability to press the line of scrimmage to set up blocks at the second level and innate instincts to find cutback lanes. Johnson perfectly treads the fine line between patience and decisiveness with very good contact balance, capable of absorbing blows and staying on his feet to churn out extra yardage. For someone without an elite top gear, he ripped off an enormous amount of explosive runs this past year. He was mostly a checkdown option in the receiving game and despite not a ton of exposure in pass pro, there are reps that showcase proper awareness to identify pass rush threats up front.
Other backs may offer more fancy highlights and if you are looking for super twitchy back that can string moves together in succession, that’s just not Johnson’s game. The real key moving forward will be refining his technique and increasing his temperament as a pass protector that you can trust no matter the down and distance. Plenty of folks are quick to point out that he ran behind an effective offensive line, which is true, but Johnson’s one-cut style has proven to make the most of his ecosystem while also consistently adding hidden value on his own.
The Steelers want to be a run-first offense that grinds people down but they don’t have a back on the roster that truly excels at the zone concepts that they lean into the most. Johnson is the prototype for this system and he solves that issue immediately. In the interim, Jaylen Warren’s proveness as a pass protector can offset some of Johnson’s inexperience in that regard and they can create a really fun 1-2 punch that can give this unit an identity for the first time in what feels like forever.
Round 3, Pick 83: WR Jack Bech, TCU
A late bloomer that didn’t breakout until his senior season, Jack Bech took significant strides in 2024 and became the fifth player in program history to notch 1,000 receiving yards. The three main selling points on his scouting profile are: size, reliability and alignment versatility.
At a verified 6-foot-1, 212 pounds, he understands how to use his size to his advantage with good play strength and advanced hand usage to knock defenders paws off his frame. He dropped just one pass on 91 targets in 2024, is a natural hands catcher with excellent technique and doesn’t shy away from traffic over the middle. While in college, Bech lined up across the formation with experience beating press as a true X-receiver out but also has power slot traits that NFL teams covet in the modern age. His merit further increases because of his willingness as a blocker and functionality when positioned tighter to the core.
Bech is a fluid route runner for his size but not necessarily a sudden mover and had trouble stacking cornerbacks when pushing vertically. His range out of outcomes on draft weekend may ultimately boil down to how well he tests in the explosiveness and speed categories, meaning if he outperforms expectations, he won’t likely be available at this slot for the Steelers. An appropriate valuation of his skill set is just that he’s a very useful player that is solid across the board and would be an appreciated member of a receiver room right away.
Bech is a similar archetype of player as Jerricho Cotchery, who spent some time in Pittsburgh many moons ago. While never likely to be a primary option in a passing attack, his well-roundedness signals a chance for a long tenured career as a player that’s an instrumental part to winning. Regardless of who they target during free agency, the Steelers could use some physicality, versatile and maturity in the receiver room.
Round 4, Pick 122: CB Jacob Parrish, Kansas State
Jacob Parrish is a sticky cornerback who prefers to bring the fight to receivers by aligning near the line of scrimmage. He mixes things up with his press technique, altering between mirroring receivers movements or jamming them to delay route progress. While he put out quality tape playing on the boundary, Parrish is better suited for the slot at the next level where his short area burst, toughness and ball skills can shine. His lack of recovery speed can lead to excessive grabbiness and his margin for error will be further reduced in the pros. The Steelers defense has been searching for an every-down slot corner like this for quite some time and at just 20 years old, Parrish should continue to ascend.
Round 5, Pick 163: OT Logan Brown, Kansas
Finding quality offensive tackles on Day Three is often a fools errand but Logan Brown has traits worth buying into. As a run blocker, he has the power to uproot defensive lineman on down blocks and the requisite foot speed to get out in space. In pass protection, he mixes up his sets, can effectively anchor versus power moves and loves to deploy the snatch-trap technique.
But Brown hasn’t played very much football to date and will need time before he’s thrown to the wolves versus NFL edge rushers, especially in true pass situations. With Dan Moore Jr. slated to hit free agency and Broderick Jones currently failing to live up to expectations, the Steelers need to add more depth to the roster, even if it’s in the form of a developmental tackle late in the draft.
Round 7, Pick 225: CB B.J. Adams, UCF
Press specialists with 32.25-inch arms have value, appealing more-so to teams that like to live in the single high world and that’s where the bulk of the intrigue lies with B.J. Adams. His long levers can give receivers fits at the line of scrimmage and are a real deterrent in throwing lanes. He’s able to flip his hips with ease to carry routes vertically with sufficient speed, understands positioning and how to use the sideline as an extra defender.
When he went up against better competition, specifically the Iowa State/TCU games, he rose to the challenge and competed hard on an island without help over top. As you’d expect for a day three pick, Adams game still needs a lot of work because everything outside of his press reps (which could also improve technically) were truly an adventure. However, you can’t teach the size and length. the Steelers have an affinity for this particular archetype in the draft. Adams would be an interesting dice roll.
Round 7, Pick 247: QB Max Brosmer, Minnesota
Every team wishes they could find the next Brock Purdy in the seventh round but that isn’t realistic, especially considering how uninspiring this group of quarterbacks is this year. What the class does offer is potential backup options, one of those being Max Brosmer, a transfer from New Hampshire. He’s an anticipatory thrower, particularly to the middle of the field, that is accurate to the first two levels and has experience working from under center.
Brosmer is a smart quarterback who can survive as a point-and-shoot general that delivers the ball where the play design intends. He’s not someone that is capable of making things happen on second reaction plays but he can get hot when kept clean from pressure. Ultimately, the Steelers seem destined to take a signal caller at some point on draft weekend and long career as a backup is within the realm of possibilities for Brosmer.