The 2025 NFL Draft is in the books. The Steelers went in with a plan to beef up the tranches along the defensive line, and they executed it with three of their seven selections. That was all part of a plan that was set in motion since the team gave up 299 rushing yards to the Ravens in another embarrassing playoff loss.
"It goes beyond the defensive front," Mike Tomlin said Saturday night following the conclusion of the draft. "We wanted to retool physicality in all areas, including in that discussion is the use of the second-round pick to acquire DK Metcalf, although he's a receiver, I think he fits the bill in terms of physicality and size. That definitely was an agenda of ours this weekend."
The plan was successfully executed. What remains is whether or not it will pan out. The book isn't written on any of these players, and only time will tell if this class ends up contributing to the Steelers getting back to becoming a true contender.
Grading drafts, at least for me, isn't meant to look into a crystal ball and predict if the player will become everything they're drafted to be. This isn't a perfect science, but I'm grading based on the player's projection, their respective value based on where each was selected, what was on the board when each player was selected and the strength of the position in the class.
ROUND 1, PICK 21: DERRICK HARMON, DT, OREGON
The Steelers executed their plan from the very beginning of prioritizing defensive tackle with this pick. The question is if they reached or not since it aligned with a roster need.
Harmon was perhaps the best consensus defensive tackle as Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant and Walter Nolen were all picked before Harmon. Omarion Hampton was the top running back available and wide receiver Matthew Golden was still on the board, and both of them were taken with the next two picks. There could be some arguments made for players such as Malaki Starks, Will Johnson and Maxwell Hairston, but the secondary wasn't as big of a need and none of those three are outright better prospects than Harmon.
Harmon fits in very well with what the Steelers want to do with their defensive front. He can play as one of two interior linemen in subpackages and scoot over to the 4i-technique when the Steelers are in their base 3-4 defense. He's got ideal size and length. He's a polished pass rusher for an interior lineman, and he's got a high football IQ. It's really hard to not like this pick.
Grade: A
ROUND 3, PICK 83: KALEB JOHNSON, RB, IOWA
Just as the Steelers prioritized defensive tackle, running back was another position that was undoubtedly going to be addressed in this draft. And, even without making any trades to acquire an earlier Day 2 pick, they stood a good chance of getting a quality player because of the depth of the class.
That being said, Johnson in the third round -- much less at 83rd overall -- is a steal. He was a consensus second-round pick throughout the draft process. Here at DK Pittsburgh Sports, I had him fourth on my top 10 running backs behind first-rounders Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton, as well as early second-rounder TreVeyon Henderson.
Not only is the third round phenomenal value for Johnson, he fits very well with the Steelers. His strength is running wide zone and outside zone, which is Arthur Smith's bread and butter, thanks to his vision, patience and very underrated burst. At 6-1 and 224 pounds, he's a big-bodied runner that's light on his feet but consistently gains extra yards by both making guys miss and through breaking tackles. This could be not only the steal of this class, but one of the Steelers' best draft picks in a long time.
Grade: A+
ROUND 4, PICK 123: JACK SAWYER, EDGE, OHIO STATE
Sawyer was the first surprise of the Steelers' draft class, mainly because of the position he plays. Of all the positions on the roster, edge defender was perhaps the least of concerns. But, like Johnson, Sawyer was a projected Day 2 pick that was still available in the fourth round. For those who want the Steelers to draft the best player available, it's difficult to argue with this one.
Even so, there were still some very good options at positions of need. Florida State defensive tackle Joshua Farmer was still on the board, and was on the Steelers' radar. And it's not like the Steelers didn't want to double dip at defensive tackle since they took Yahya Black in the fifth round. While receiver wasn't a gigantic need anymore, there were still some very intriguing receivers available such as Virginia Tech's Jaylin Lane, Utah State's Jalen Royals and Stanford's Elic Ayomanor, who slid quite a bit. And, it's not like the team was closed off to adding a receiver, as they agreed to terms with Robert Woods on Monday.
However, I do believe the Steelers deserve credit for adding to the edge position. When Alex Highsmith went down for six games last season, the run defense suffered greatly while Nick Herbig filled in -- so much that Omar Khan acquired Preston Smith at the trade deadline to address it. Sawyer comes in as a run-first edge defender that can turn into a whole bunch more if he can overcome lack of length and develop his pass rush.
Grade: B-
ROUND 5, PICK 164: YAHYA BLACK, DT, IOWA
The Steelers traded down eight spots in the fifth round to acquire an additional seventh-round pick, and still managed to get the defensive tackle they wanted. The double dip was complete. So, that's a win.
Of course, you could always look at the players that ended up being drafted after the Steelers took Black. The one that stands out was Colorado State wide receiver Tory Horton. The Steelers formally met with him at the Combine and, again, the Steelers weren't opposed to adding a receiver. Horton was a good value pick in the fifth round.
Even so, there's plenty of reason to think Black can be a good use of a fifth-round pick. Thanks to his impressive size at 6-6, 336 pounds and ridiculously long arms (35 inches), he's an immovable object in run defense. His upside as a pass rusher is a huge question mark, but Black is a versatile interior defender that can fill in at nose tackle, the three-technique or five-technique.
Grade: B
ROUND 6, PICK 185: WILL HOWARD, QB, OHIO STATE
Khan and the Steelers remained patient in addressing quarterback and finally did it in the sixth round, landing the man who led Ohio State to a national championship.
By the time the sixth and seventh rounds come along, teams begin to bet on specific traits, usually very good athletes that are raw and need a ton of coaching. In drafting Howard here, the Steelers were able to do this at a position of need, which is a win-win situation.
Howard's ceiling isn't massive, but he's a smart football player that is trending upward. He went from being an afterthought after Ohio State's loss to Michigan in the season finale to a legitimate prospect with a ridiculous performance in the college football playoffs. Howard was thought to be a late Day 2 or early Day 3 pick, but the Steelers got him in the sixth round. That's massive value, especially if he develops into even an average NFL starting quarterback.
Grade: A+
ROUND 7, PICK 226: CARSON BRUENER, LB, WASHINGTON
Some fans will look at this pick and scream nepotism since Bruener's the son of former Steelers tight end and current team scout Mark Bruener. However, Bruener was likely going to be drafted either way. According to NFL.com, Bruener was a projected sixth- or seventh-round pick. This wasn't a reach to please his father.
However, even by the way Tomlin spoke of Bruener after the draft, this seems like a move to address special teams more than anything else.
"Over 100 tackles this year as a starting inside linebacker, displaying great instincts, and in '22 and '23 he had double-digit special teams tackles for his football team," Tomlin said. "It is a worthy resume. It's just an awesome side note that his father is a Steeler and got drafted by this organization, I think, 30 years ago."
Coaches don't often cite special teams numbers when talking about potential upside starters. But, Bruener is a very good athlete, running a 4.58 40-yard dash and earning an 8.85 RAS score, the highest of the Steelers' 2025 draft class. Maybe Bruener can turn into something more, but he looks more like a career core special teamer. It's not a bad pick, but it's not a great pick, either.
Grade: C
ROUND 7, PICK 229: DONTE KENT, CB, CENTRAL MICHIGAN
There are no issues with taking a speedy cornerback that can play multiple spots and help in special teams. However, there were several cornerbacks that fell to the seventh round that had much higher upside.
Kansas' Cobee Bryant, LSU's Zy Alexander, South Carolina's O'Donnell Fortune and Florida State's Fentrell Cypress are just a few of the cornerbacks that were still available when the Steelers picked. The potential for better value was there for the Steelers. And, even Kent himself didn't have the Steelers as a team that was on his radar.
"I had no idea," Kent said via conference call after he was drafted. "I didn't really have too much communication with the Steelers throughout the whole process. So, it caught me by surprise."
He's not alone.
However, I don't believe it's a complete failure of a pick, either. Kent is blazing fast (4.38 40-yard dash), position versatile, can help a lot in special teams and excels more in man coverage than zone coverage, of which the Steelers need more. It's just not a pick that's going to move the needle very much.
Grade: C-
FINAL ANALYSIS
The Steelers got their best player at a position of need in the first round, then found phenomenal value in the third and sixth rounds. The other four picks don't come with much risk.
Sawyer and Black are high-floor, low-ceiling players, and I'm not going to act like seventh-round picks will make or break a draft. If they turn into nothing, whatever. If anything, they can make this class. even better.
Overall, especially counting the use of their second-round pick to acquire Metcalf, Khan, Tomlin, Andy Weidl and the whole gang made their team better in 2025 and better set the franchise up for the potential of getting a franchise quarterback next year when the class will be strong.
OVERALL GRADE: A-
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THE ASYLUM
Chris Halicke
4:28 pm - 04.29.2025South SideGrading the Steelers' 2025 NFL Draft class
The 2025 NFL Draft is in the books. The Steelers went in with a plan to beef up the tranches along the defensive line, and they executed it with three of their seven selections. That was all part of a plan that was set in motion since the team gave up 299 rushing yards to the Ravens in another embarrassing playoff loss.
"It goes beyond the defensive front," Mike Tomlin said Saturday night following the conclusion of the draft. "We wanted to retool physicality in all areas, including in that discussion is the use of the second-round pick to acquire DK Metcalf, although he's a receiver, I think he fits the bill in terms of physicality and size. That definitely was an agenda of ours this weekend."
The plan was successfully executed. What remains is whether or not it will pan out. The book isn't written on any of these players, and only time will tell if this class ends up contributing to the Steelers getting back to becoming a true contender.
Grading drafts, at least for me, isn't meant to look into a crystal ball and predict if the player will become everything they're drafted to be. This isn't a perfect science, but I'm grading based on the player's projection, their respective value based on where each was selected, what was on the board when each player was selected and the strength of the position in the class.
ROUND 1, PICK 21:
DERRICK HARMON, DT, OREGON
The Steelers executed their plan from the very beginning of prioritizing defensive tackle with this pick. The question is if they reached or not since it aligned with a roster need.
Harmon was perhaps the best consensus defensive tackle as Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant and Walter Nolen were all picked before Harmon. Omarion Hampton was the top running back available and wide receiver Matthew Golden was still on the board, and both of them were taken with the next two picks. There could be some arguments made for players such as Malaki Starks, Will Johnson and Maxwell Hairston, but the secondary wasn't as big of a need and none of those three are outright better prospects than Harmon.
Harmon fits in very well with what the Steelers want to do with their defensive front. He can play as one of two interior linemen in subpackages and scoot over to the 4i-technique when the Steelers are in their base 3-4 defense. He's got ideal size and length. He's a polished pass rusher for an interior lineman, and he's got a high football IQ. It's really hard to not like this pick.
Grade: A
ROUND 3, PICK 83:
KALEB JOHNSON, RB, IOWA
Just as the Steelers prioritized defensive tackle, running back was another position that was undoubtedly going to be addressed in this draft. And, even without making any trades to acquire an earlier Day 2 pick, they stood a good chance of getting a quality player because of the depth of the class.
That being said, Johnson in the third round -- much less at 83rd overall -- is a steal. He was a consensus second-round pick throughout the draft process. Here at DK Pittsburgh Sports, I had him fourth on my top 10 running backs behind first-rounders Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton, as well as early second-rounder TreVeyon Henderson.
Not only is the third round phenomenal value for Johnson, he fits very well with the Steelers. His strength is running wide zone and outside zone, which is Arthur Smith's bread and butter, thanks to his vision, patience and very underrated burst. At 6-1 and 224 pounds, he's a big-bodied runner that's light on his feet but consistently gains extra yards by both making guys miss and through breaking tackles. This could be not only the steal of this class, but one of the Steelers' best draft picks in a long time.
Grade: A+
ROUND 4, PICK 123:
JACK SAWYER, EDGE, OHIO STATE
Sawyer was the first surprise of the Steelers' draft class, mainly because of the position he plays. Of all the positions on the roster, edge defender was perhaps the least of concerns. But, like Johnson, Sawyer was a projected Day 2 pick that was still available in the fourth round. For those who want the Steelers to draft the best player available, it's difficult to argue with this one.
Even so, there were still some very good options at positions of need. Florida State defensive tackle Joshua Farmer was still on the board, and was on the Steelers' radar. And it's not like the Steelers didn't want to double dip at defensive tackle since they took Yahya Black in the fifth round. While receiver wasn't a gigantic need anymore, there were still some very intriguing receivers available such as Virginia Tech's Jaylin Lane, Utah State's Jalen Royals and Stanford's Elic Ayomanor, who slid quite a bit. And, it's not like the team was closed off to adding a receiver, as they agreed to terms with Robert Woods on Monday.
However, I do believe the Steelers deserve credit for adding to the edge position. When Alex Highsmith went down for six games last season, the run defense suffered greatly while Nick Herbig filled in -- so much that Omar Khan acquired Preston Smith at the trade deadline to address it. Sawyer comes in as a run-first edge defender that can turn into a whole bunch more if he can overcome lack of length and develop his pass rush.
Grade: B-
ROUND 5, PICK 164:
YAHYA BLACK, DT, IOWA
The Steelers traded down eight spots in the fifth round to acquire an additional seventh-round pick, and still managed to get the defensive tackle they wanted. The double dip was complete. So, that's a win.
Of course, you could always look at the players that ended up being drafted after the Steelers took Black. The one that stands out was Colorado State wide receiver Tory Horton. The Steelers formally met with him at the Combine and, again, the Steelers weren't opposed to adding a receiver. Horton was a good value pick in the fifth round.
Even so, there's plenty of reason to think Black can be a good use of a fifth-round pick. Thanks to his impressive size at 6-6, 336 pounds and ridiculously long arms (35 inches), he's an immovable object in run defense. His upside as a pass rusher is a huge question mark, but Black is a versatile interior defender that can fill in at nose tackle, the three-technique or five-technique.
Grade: B
ROUND 6, PICK 185:
WILL HOWARD, QB, OHIO STATE
Khan and the Steelers remained patient in addressing quarterback and finally did it in the sixth round, landing the man who led Ohio State to a national championship.
By the time the sixth and seventh rounds come along, teams begin to bet on specific traits, usually very good athletes that are raw and need a ton of coaching. In drafting Howard here, the Steelers were able to do this at a position of need, which is a win-win situation.
Howard's ceiling isn't massive, but he's a smart football player that is trending upward. He went from being an afterthought after Ohio State's loss to Michigan in the season finale to a legitimate prospect with a ridiculous performance in the college football playoffs. Howard was thought to be a late Day 2 or early Day 3 pick, but the Steelers got him in the sixth round. That's massive value, especially if he develops into even an average NFL starting quarterback.
Grade: A+
ROUND 7, PICK 226:
CARSON BRUENER, LB, WASHINGTON
Some fans will look at this pick and scream nepotism since Bruener's the son of former Steelers tight end and current team scout Mark Bruener. However, Bruener was likely going to be drafted either way. According to NFL.com, Bruener was a projected sixth- or seventh-round pick. This wasn't a reach to please his father.
However, even by the way Tomlin spoke of Bruener after the draft, this seems like a move to address special teams more than anything else.
"Over 100 tackles this year as a starting inside linebacker, displaying great instincts, and in '22 and '23 he had double-digit special teams tackles for his football team," Tomlin said. "It is a worthy resume. It's just an awesome side note that his father is a Steeler and got drafted by this organization, I think, 30 years ago."
Coaches don't often cite special teams numbers when talking about potential upside starters. But, Bruener is a very good athlete, running a 4.58 40-yard dash and earning an 8.85 RAS score, the highest of the Steelers' 2025 draft class. Maybe Bruener can turn into something more, but he looks more like a career core special teamer. It's not a bad pick, but it's not a great pick, either.
Grade: C
ROUND 7, PICK 229:
DONTE KENT, CB, CENTRAL MICHIGAN
There are no issues with taking a speedy cornerback that can play multiple spots and help in special teams. However, there were several cornerbacks that fell to the seventh round that had much higher upside.
Kansas' Cobee Bryant, LSU's Zy Alexander, South Carolina's O'Donnell Fortune and Florida State's Fentrell Cypress are just a few of the cornerbacks that were still available when the Steelers picked. The potential for better value was there for the Steelers. And, even Kent himself didn't have the Steelers as a team that was on his radar.
"I had no idea," Kent said via conference call after he was drafted. "I didn't really have too much communication with the Steelers throughout the whole process. So, it caught me by surprise."
He's not alone.
However, I don't believe it's a complete failure of a pick, either. Kent is blazing fast (4.38 40-yard dash), position versatile, can help a lot in special teams and excels more in man coverage than zone coverage, of which the Steelers need more. It's just not a pick that's going to move the needle very much.
Grade: C-
FINAL ANALYSIS
The Steelers got their best player at a position of need in the first round, then found phenomenal value in the third and sixth rounds. The other four picks don't come with much risk.
Sawyer and Black are high-floor, low-ceiling players, and I'm not going to act like seventh-round picks will make or break a draft. If they turn into nothing, whatever. If anything, they can make this class. even better.
Overall, especially counting the use of their second-round pick to acquire Metcalf, Khan, Tomlin, Andy Weidl and the whole gang made their team better in 2025 and better set the franchise up for the potential of getting a franchise quarterback next year when the class will be strong.
OVERALL GRADE: A-
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