With less than three weeks to go before the 2025 NFL draft kicks off, how the Pittsburgh Steelers will use their first-round pick is still unclear. With no second-round pick thanks to the D.K. Metcalf trade, it is even more important for them to make that pick count.
There are clear needs at several spots along the roster, but the talent available points them in one direction.
The defensive line is perhaps the deepest group in the entire class outside of running back, but it seems unlikely the Steelers would use a first on another runner after how the Najee Harris pick worked out.
In their latest mock draft for Yahoo.com, Nate Tice and Charles McDonald selected a former National Champion and massive interior defender.
Pittsburgh Steelers select Michigan's Kenneth Grant in latest NFL mock draft
Michigan's Kenneth Grant is ultimately who Tice and McDonald landed on for the Steelers, and it's not hard to see why. Standing at a monstrous 6-4 and 331 pounds, Grant has a tantalizing combination of size and athleticism that gives him unlimited potential.
Despite the high ceiling, he was very inconsistent during his time with the Wolverines. That could allow him to fall to the Steelers' pick in the first round. It would be an ideal fit, allowing him to learn from Cam Heyward while he is still around.
Pittsburgh hasn't had a true run-clogging defensive lineman in a long time, and it would allow both Keeanu Benton and Heyward to save more of their energy for getting after opposing quarterbacks.
It was evident at the end of last season that the run defense wasn't good enough, even with Heyward having a monster year in that regard. Blocking him and Grant on the field together would be a daunting task for any group of guards and centers.
Whether it's Grant or another interior defender, don't be surprised if the Steelers attack the position early in the draft.
