Ben Roethlisberger Reveals Position Steelers Must Address Early in 2025 NFL Draft
Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger reveals which position Pittsburgh must address early in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could go several different ways with their first-round pick (No. 21) in the 2025 NFL Draft. But former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger thinks there’s one position Pittsburgh must address early on.
“It’s gotta be a win now because what you have on defense isn’t going to last,” Roethlisberger said on his “Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger” podcast. “I think D-line has got to be important in the draft because you’ve got Cam Heyward, who played lights out last year, but how many years does he have lights out?”
The Steelers don’t own their second-round pick after trading for wide receiver DK Metcalf this offseason, so it seems like Roethlisberger would prefer to go defensive line on Day 1 of the draft.
Roethlisberger may get his wish since Pittsburgh has done a lot of homework on this year’s defensive line class, which included a pre-draft visit with potential first-round defensive tackle Derrick Harmon of Oregon.
The Steelers have also spent time with Michigan’s Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant and Mississippi’s Walter Nolen — all projected to be first rounders — during the pre-draft process.
There is also growing belief that Pittsburgh could use its first-round pick on a quarterback with just Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson under contract for 2025. However, Roethlisberger thinks strengthening the trenches is a must after allowing the Baltimore Ravens to rush for 299 yards in the team’s wild-card round loss.
“It starts with the “Steel Curtain.” Mel Blount sat here and said the same thing. You don’t give up 200 yards rushing,” Roethlisberger said. “I think you’ve got to sure up that D-line in the front. I think that’d be important early on to get someone. It’s gotta go now. You’ve gotta do it now.”