Things are really starting to shape up well for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the 2025 NFL draft. Pittsburgh currently holds the No. 21 overall pick and based on trends, should have their pick of players a their top positions of need.
In the latest mock draft by the New York Times, they brought all their beat writers together to make their respective team’s picks. For the Steelers, writer Mike DeFabo went with Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. Here’s what he had to say about the pick:
GM Omar Khan spent first-round picks on offensive tackles in his first two years in the pilot’s chair and will be tempted to continue addressing the trenches this year, especially with Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon still available. However, after years of watching the NFL’s highest-paid defense flame out in the first round of the playoffs, he knows it’s time to add playmakers to the other side of the ball. Pittsburgh paid the price for never backfilling Diontae Johnson’s WR2 spot last offseason. Mercurial WR George Pickens is entering the final year of his rookie deal, but his tenure in Pittsburgh could end sooner than that, with a possible hold-in or even a trade on the horizon. For that reason, the Steelers need to substantially address their receiver room on Day 1. They can tap into a deep defensive tackle class beginning in the second round.
It is tough to argue against Egbuka as the ideal Steelers pick. In fact, in this scenario, the Steelers have several options that would fit into that category. Fellow Wide receiver Luther Burden went just after this pick and would just an excellent choice. Burden and Egbuka
But I’d offer up another option. One pick later, the Los Angeles Chargers select Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant. Grant is 1a to Egbuka as 1b for us in terms of the Steelers best options in the first round, along with Burden. While we agree with DeFabo that the defensive tackle class is deep, so is wide receiver. The Steelers really couldn’t go wrong either if we consider these the Steelers biggest positions of need.