Late Swerve to QB Leaves Steelers With Uncertain First-Round Draft Plan
The Pittsburgh Steelers made a late pivot in their pre-draft process, bringing quarterback into play in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, despite the fact that they had spent most of the offseason preparing to take a defensive lineman with pick No. 21 in the first round.
But there’s only one. The Steelers made a late change to their draft plans, bringing Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders into UPMC Rooney Sports Complex for a pre-draft visit. As late as the 2025 NFL Combine in early February, Sanders was nowhere on the Steelers’ radar, with the assumption being that he would be a top-five pick.
The Steelers did their due diligence on Sanders, and came away largely impressed. Though there have been reports that his meetings with other teams did not go well, the Steelers interest in him is genuine. This is no smokescreen.
But it’s not a slam dunk that he’ll be the pick at No. 21, either. First of all, Sanders may not make Ito the Steelers. Secondly, there are some within the organization that would prefer to stick with the initial plan and draft a defensive linemen. Oregon’s Derrick Harmon is probably the organizational favorite at that position, with Kenneth Grant also a strong contender.
But if all of that group is on the board at No. 21, will the Steelers take Sanders over the defensive tackles? I haven’t been able to get a firm answer to that question. The Steelers are usually one of the easiest teams to read in the draft, but their late pivot to Sanders has made them tougher to get a beat on this year.
If it’s at 21, expect the pick to be Sanders, Harmon or Grant, assuming one of them is available.
No matter who is on the board, and perhaps more than they like any specific player, the Steelers would like to trade back in the first round, but it takes two to tango, and league sources have said the prices are weak for teams trading back across the board in the first round.
If the Steelers are able to trade back, all bets are off, with options like Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe, and several defensive backs, wide receivers and running backs all in the mix at that point.
Some other things I’m hearing about the Steelers draft plans for the first round:
• The team is not overly concerned about the potential medical issue with Harmon, which was revealed this week to be a shoulder issue. That tracks with the way they’ve operated over the last couple years with such players.
• The Steelers were among a number of teams that were a bit put off by the way Walter Nolen handled his pre-draft process. I wouldn’t say he’s off their board, but I get the sense that the other defensive linemen are priorities for them.
• The Steelers are not expecting to trade wide receiver George Pickens, but could be blown away by an offer, and will listen to calls.
• Ohio State Emeka Egbuka is being looked at by the Steelers as a trade-back option, and also as a possibility at No. 21, though I think that is unlikely. Drafting Egbuka could cause the Steelers to be more open to trading Pickens on Day Two.