The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most unpredictable teams when it comes to what they are going to do during the first-round of the 2025 NFL Draft. There are plenty of positions that Pittsburgh could address, as defensive tackle, wide receiver, and cornerback are prime positions that the team may address with the 21st overall pick. Quarterback is another position that cannot be ruled out of the equation, while some experts have even suggested that running back is a position the organization has been looking into.
It is always interesting to pay attention to what Pittsburgh does during the pre-draft process. Whether that be which Pro Days the brass travels to, or which players are brought in for visits. Those two factors are usually pretty telling as Pittsburgh likes to get to know their top selections, which makes recent news about who has been visiting the facility fairly interesting.
Steelers have a full house on the Southside today, hosting four pre-draft visitors: Texas WR Matthew Golden, FSU CB Azareye’h Thomas, Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson, and Pitt TE Gavin Bartholomew
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) April 3, 2025
Matthew Golden and Azareye'h Thomas are both considered first-round picks, with Golden having the potential to go in the top-12 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Some believe he has the potential to be the first wide receiver off of the board outside of Travis Hunter. Thomas could fall to the bottom of the second, but many believe he is one of the best cornerbacks in the 2025 class and is often mocked to go in the first-round of the event.
Golden's athleticism has caught the attention of a lot of teams, and he would certainly be a smart pick for Pittsburgh with George Pickens entering the final year of his rookie contract. It seems unlikely that Golden will be on the board by the time Pittsburgh is picking, but the interest the Steelers are showing in him is somewhat promising.
The most interesting prospect being brought into the facility by Pittsburgh is Iowa running back, Kaleb Johnson. Johnson is likely a second-round pick as the only two running backs that are expected to go in the first round are Ashton Jeanty and maybe Omarion Hampton. Pittsburgh does not have a second-round pick, which makes their interest in a player like Johnson very interesting. The running back led the Big 10 in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns during the 2024 season, and he should have a very high ceiling at the NFL-level.
The Steelers gave up their second round selection in exchange for DK Metcalf, but in a draft with a lot of starting-caliber players, Pittsburgh definitely wants as many picks as possible. There has been some speculation that Pittsburgh could trade down to the second-round from 21, which might be the smart move as they would bring in additional draft compensation.
Steelers Could Win The Draft By Trading Back
If Pittsburgh's interest in Johnson is real and the organization feels like it can trade back and land him while also addressing the defensive line, it needs to do it. If a team from the top half of the second-round wants to trade up to 21, that could be anywhere up to a 25 pick leap. That should give Pittsburgh a good amount of compensation, including that team's second-round pick. The Steelers should also probably bring in a third-round pick, and maybe even future considerations.
A trade like this would make Day 2 of the event extremely important for Pittsburgh, and the team could land Johnson while addressing every other need on the roster. However, if the Steelers want to land one of the top defensive tackles in the draft, staying at 21 might be their only option.
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