Potential Steelers Draft Target Arrested for Sexual Assault
Potential Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 NFL Draft target, wide receiver Isaiah Bond, turned himself into police in Texas on Thursday after being charged with sexual assault.
Bond, 20, was charged with sexual assault in Frisco, Texas, and was released after posting bail. He denied the allegations in a statement to NFL Network.
“Regarding the accusation made against me, I would appreciate the time and opportunity to defend myself and prove the claims made, patently false,” Bond said. “I am in full cooperation with the authorities and will remain a willing and active participant in the investigation. Unfortunately, claims like these prove to be harmful to all involved, absent full review. I kindly request that all reserve judgement until the authorities provide a complete report based on truth and evidence.”
Bond is a Hamilton, Georgia native that played two seasons at Alabama before transferring to Texas for his final season of college football.
He had his best season with the Crimson Tide in 2023, recording 48 catches for 668 yards and four touchdowns. This past fall with the Longhorns, he caught 34 passes for 540 yards and five scores.
Bond was originally thought of as a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but his draft stock has been falling throughout the pre-draft process.
The 5-foot-10 1/2, 180-pound receiver promised that he would break the NFL Combine 40-yard dash record in February, before running a good but not elite 4.38. Far slower times in the shuttle (4.48 seconds) and three-cone (7.21) resulted in a 4.23 Relative Athletic Score out of 10.
Bond was rated as the No. 38 player in the NFL Mock Draft Database consensus big board as of Jan. 5, before the end of Texas’ run in the 2024 College Football Playoff.
Since then, he’s had a steady fall to No. 70 overall, and the news of his arrest has not yet been factored into that number.
The Steelers have not shown a large amount of specific interest in Bond, but did send head coach Mike Tomlin, general manager Omar Khan and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to the Texas pro day last month.
Of course, Bond is far from the only 2025 NFL Draft prospect on the Longhorns, with fellow receiver Matthew Golden and cornerback Jahdae Barron both potential Steelers first-round picks, a pair of day two defensive tackles in Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton and safety Andrew Mukuba that could all fit the Steelers’ draft needs.