NFL

NFL Draft 2025: Pittsburgh Steelers Picks, Team Needs, Targets, & Mock Draft

Anthony Cardenas Sports Editor

Published18 Apr 2025

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The Pittsburgh Steelers qualified for the postseason for the fourth time in five years in 2024, making them one of the more consistently successful NFL teams over the last half decade. But all of those playoff runs have been cut short, as they have suffered Wild Card losses each time, and have been stuck in an above-average purgatory.

The 2024 season was a perfect microcosm for what the Steelers have been in the 2020s. They started off the year with a 10-3 record, but limped into the postseason by losing their final four games. They were eliminated by the Ravens in the first round, and entered the off-season with major questions at the most important position.

Pittsburgh Steelers | NFL Draft Preview

Aaron Rodgers still hasn’t made a decision about his NFL future, which leaves Pittsburgh in limbo leading up to the draft. The two sides have flirted in recent weeks, but the 41-year-old is taking his sweet time, but the clock is ticking on exactly how long the Steelers will wait around.

If the veteran QB doesn’t sign, it will make the team one of the favorites to draft a prospect signal caller with one of their early picks. Below, we take a look at the draft capital and team needs for the Steelers:

List Of Steelers 2025 NFL Draft Picks

The Steelers need to be smart with their picks in 2025. They have six total selections for the upcoming draft, and a majority of those will be made on Day 3. Pittsburgh has just two picks within the top-100, with the 21st overall being their most valuable asset. When it comes to draft pick power rankings, there are only three teams with less firepower this time around.

1st Round, 21st overall

3rd Round, 83rd overall

4th Round, 123rd overall

5th Round, 156th overall

6th Round, 185th overall (from CHI)

7th Round, 229th overall (from ATL)

Steelers must be super pumped about these comments one week before the NFL Draft. https://t.co/ipEuAJRp2v

— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) April 17, 2025

Team Needs

Quarterback

The most glaring need is at the most important position. The two quarterbacks on Pittsburgh’s roster are Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson, who are not considered starting caliber players in the NFL. They have of course been in pursuit of a former MVP in Aaron Rodgers, but they’d be in a tough spot if that situation falls through. The Steelers are the team most likely to strike first on a signal caller in the latter half of the first round.

Defensive Tackle

The Steelers actually had one of the better rushing defenses in 2024, but the defensive line still needs some serious improvement. There isn’t a whole lot of talent on the unit aside from Cam Heyward, and the pieces added in free agency are more for depth purposes. It will be tough for the team to make a decision between the defensive line and quarterback with their first round pick.

Running Back

Pittsburgh has a handful of running backs on their current depth chart, but none that are ready to shoulder the load that Najee Harris carried before he bolted to play for the Chargers. Jaylen Warren has had 500+ yards in each of the past two seasons while playing second fiddle to Harris, and he is listed as the top back at the moment. But the Steelers will still need to add depth to the position and another reliable runner who can take some of the load off of the starter.