By this point in previous draft processes, there would be a general consensus of what the Pittsburgh Steelers plan to do in the first round. In recent history, their pre-draft activity has made their first-round selection fairly predictable. Throw that line of thinking out the window in 2025, though. The Steelers have been all over the place in the lead-up to the draft, so it’s anyone’s guess which direction they’ll go in the first round.
Pittsburgh has met with defensive linemen, defensive backs, running backs, quarterbacks, and wide receivers ahead of the draft. The overwhelming majority of their 30 pre-draft meetings have been with players who aren’t expected to be first-round picks. Maybe they are planning to trade back. Whatever their plan is, there are three obvious Steelers draft targets who would be impossible to pass on if they fell to 21.
3 Can’t-Miss Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Targets
QB Shedeur Sanders – Colorado
The most controversial entry kicks off the list. As the draft nears closer, buzz continues to generate that Shedeur Sanders may experience a draft-night slide. Widely considered the second-best quarterback in the class, odds are Sanders will be off the board before Pittsburgh makes their pick. But if he does fall, the Steelers would be hard-pressed to not draft Sanders. They desperately need to find a franchise quarterback, and while Sanders may not be a perfect prospect, his value late in the first round would be difficult to pass on.
Pittsburgh has met with Sanders during the pre-draft process, so the interest is there. In Sanders, the Steelers would be getting a mixed bag – there are things to love and hate about him as a prospect. On the plus side, Sanders has great accuracy, is a decent post-snap processor, showed serious toughness in college, and is good enough at making plays outside the pocket. However, he has serious arm strength concerns, isn’t a great athlete, and lacks high-end pocket presence.
All that said, Sanders has real arm talent and the intelligence to develop into a successful NFL quarterback. Given their need and the value of the quarterback position, the Steelers should draft Shedeur Sanders if they get the chance.
CB Will Johnson – Michigan
Considering all factors – talent, need, and positional value, Will Johnson would be a superb Steelers draft pick at 21. Like Sanders, early in the draft process, the idea of Johnson being available that late seemed impossible. Now, while it is still unlikely, Johnson has an outside chance to fall to Pittsburgh. He didn’t run the 40-yard dash at Michigan’s Pro Day, which may concern some teams. His injury concerns could slide him down draft boards, too.
If the Steelers could land Johnson, they would be landing a day-one starter, and potentially their immediate CB1. One question mark in Pittsburgh would be Johnson’s scheme fit. He is more successful in zone coverage, while the Steelers play a lot of man coverage. That is not a reason to pass on a player with Johnson’s talent, though. Their plan should be to draft the best players they can get ahold of, then find a way to maximize that player’s skill set. Johnson’s size, athleticism, ball skills, and instincts would make him a perfect young player for Pittsburgh to pair with Joey Porter Jr.
WR Tetairoa McMillan – Arizona
While all three of these Steelers’ dream draft targets are unlikely to be available at 21, Arizona’s Tet McMillan feels like the biggest long shot. Leading up to the draft, he has widely been considered the WR2 in this class, or WR1 if Travis Hunter is considered a cornerback. Wide receiver has continued to become a more valuable position in the NFL, potentially only behind the quarterback. It’s a premier position and McMillan is a premier prospect.
If McMillan would slide to 21 for some reason, he would have to be the Steelers pick. In an impossible scenario where McMillan, Sanders, and Johnson were all available, McMillan would be the toughest to pass on. He has a very unique combination of size, hands, and route-running abilities. Most 6’4″ receivers don’t run a full route tree the way McMillan does. As a rookie, McMillan could round out the NFL’s best wide receiver trio alongside DK Metcalf and George Pickens. With Pickens set to hit free agency after this season, the Steelers would already have his replacement waiting in the wings.
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