The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the 2025 NFL Draft with numerous pressing needs. At the top of their priority list are positions like wide receiver, cornerback, and defensive line. The former two positions need a major infusion of talent, while the latter needs to add depth and some youth. Beyond that top tier, there are three impactful Steelers draft needs that fans should expect to see the team address in April.
3 Under the Radar Steelers Draft Needs
Safety
While cornerback has gotten a lot of attention as one of the Steelers biggest draft needs, the other part of the secondary could use a fresh face, too. Safety hasn’t been talked about much as a draft target for Pittsburgh because they have a very strong starting duo in DeShon Elliott and Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Behind those two, though, Pittsburgh has very little depth. Damontae Kazee, their most-used depth safety in 2024 (30% of total defensive snaps played) is an unrestricted free agent. Miles Killebrew is an elite special teams player but should rarely see the field on defense.
Drafting a starting-caliber safety would accomplish a couple of things for the Steelers. First, they would be able to give Fitzpatrick and Elliott some plays off. Last season, Fitzpatrick played 99% of Pittsburgh’s defensive snaps and Elliott played 87%. Keeping two of their better defensive players a little fresher could have paid huge dividends late in the season.
Further, adding a safety could potentially allow Fitzpatrick to move around more often. If Pittsburgh finds a single-high capable safety in the draft, they could get creative with Fitzpatrick’s alignment, a role in which he usually excels.
Running Back
This has probably been the most talked about of the Steelers second-tier draft needs. While the door doesn’t seem totally shut on a potential Najee Harris return to Pittsburgh, he will more likely than not be playing elsewhere next year. A Harris departure would leave Jaylen Warren as the only legitimate running back on the roster. Warren is capable of being an every-down back, but it is always helpful to have at least a committee of two running backs given the wear and tear they accumulate over a season.
Pittsburgh is in luck because this is a draft class that is loaded with high-end talent at running back. There’s a very low chance they address the position in the first round, but the potential is there for the Steelers to take a running back in round 2. If that’s the route they go, TreVeyon Henderson, Kaleb Johnson, and Dylan Sampson are names to watch.
If they wait until the third or fourth round, Devin Neal, Ollie Gordon, and Bhayshul Tuten could be on their radar. No matter how long they wait, Pittsburgh should be able to find a running back ready to contribute as a rookie.
Guard
There has been very little chatter about guard being one of the Steelers most important draft needs, but that is certainly the case. James Daniels is a free agent following his season-ending Achilles tear in 2024. Isaac Seumalo enters the last year of his contract and will turn 32 in the middle of next season. Rookie Mason McCormick did a fine job replacing Daniels last year, but he didn’t necessarily cement himself as a building block of Pittsburgh’s offensive line moving forward.
If the Philadelphia Eagles didn’t make it clear in the playoffs, a team can never be too talented in the trenches. With Daniels’ status up in the air, Pittsburgh likely wouldn’t be drafting a guard they would expect to start as a rookie. But looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, they at the very least will need a replacement for Seumalo.
As the Steelers aren’t good enough to be true contenders right now, they should be looking to build the foundation of a strong future. And looking at it from that perspective, they should certainly look to draft a guard with some upside.
Main Photo Courtesy of Brett Davis – Imagn Images
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