Draft Guru Predicts Steelers Will Skip DT for Safety in First Round
Todd McShay’s latest mock draft has the Pittsburgh Steelers focusing on the defensive side of the ball but skipping defensive tackle and instead drafting South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori with the 21st overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Emmanwori was a first-team All-American last fall, leading his team with 88 tackles. He had four interceptions, including a pair of pick-6s. According to his measurements from the NFL Combine, he stands 6-foot 3-inches, weighs 220 pounds and runs a 4.38-second 40.
Pittsburgh has kept a close eye on the 21-year-old this spring, scouting him at the Gamecocks’ pro day and hosting him for a visit early this month.
Should Emmanwori come to Pittsburgh, he’ll compete for playing time with DeShon Elliott, who has only one year left on a two-year deal signed last March.
Perhaps a few interceptions will help fantasy football players, who are heavy on the Steelers (our friends at Fantasy Labs have the best DFS apps reviews, where you can see the comparison and find out which one meets your criteria).
McShay formerly of ESPN, now at The Ringer, justifies this pick with a series of bold predictions that seem to assume Pittsburgh lands Aaron Rodgers before the draft next Thursday, as everyone else in need of a quarterback right now gets one, but the Steelers hold off.
He has the Tennessee Titans grabbing Cam Ward with the top pick, before the Cleveland Browns snag Travis Hunter at two, and trade up to take his college teammate Shedeur Sanders at No. 15. The other quarterback off the board before the Steelers are up is their own target Jaxson Dart. In McShay’s projection, the New Orleans Saints forgo Sanders with the ninth pick and fill their newfound quarterback void with the Ole Miss product.
McShay rounds out the top of the quarterback class by having the New York Giants select defensive end Abdul Carter at number three and trade up to get Alabama’s Jalen Milroe with the 24th overall pick.