The Pittsburgh Steelers will have a lot on the line when the team prepares to select a prospect with the 21st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. A trade up or back is always possible, but that will depend on how the board falls. A lot of local media pundits believe that the organization will target a defensive lineman, however, there is no long-term solution at quarterback just yet, and that happens to be the most important position in all of football. The fan base is a tad on edge as general manager Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin near a big decision.
Every football fan and analyst is expecting Cam Ward to be drafted first overall by the Tennessee Titans, but Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart could end up in a number of cities. If the New Orleans Saints pass on the position with the ninth selection in round one, many believe that the Steelers will have their choice if no one trades up ahead of them at 21.
Sanders apparently had a great visit with Pittsburgh when he came to town for a top 30 visit. He joined Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby's podcast on Tuesday and talked a little bit about his potential future teams. On "The Rush with Maxx Crosby," he sent a simple message about the Steel City when asked about the best quarterback-wide receiver combinations in the NFL.
"Whoever gonna be the quarterback for DK Metcalf and George Pickens, whoever that is," Sanders said. "So whatever that means for who is listening."
Sanders also gave a couple of shoutouts to Malik Nabers of the New York Giants and Chris Olave with New Orleans. There's no doubt that Sanders mentioned these three situations because he believes that one of those three franchises is where he will end up. It's hard to argue the fact that the Steelers aren't his preferred destination based on coaching and current setups.
Both DK Metcalf and George Pickens are expected to dominate in 2025 opposite of one another. The only small problem currently is that the duo doesn't have a reliable signal-caller just yet. Sanders could be the perfect prospect for the Steelers.
Time will tell what happens with the Steelers' quarterback situation, but Pittsburgh needs a long-term answer at the position. Sanders has a lot of potential, but some wonder if his game will translate to the NFL. He had a horrible offensive line in college, so most of his throws were quick. He could take some time to develop at the professional level, but Khan and Tomlin need to figure out what the goal is for the future under center.
There is no doubt that Metcalf and Pickens could be a dynamic duo for the Steelers. Pickens may not be around longer than the 2025 season due to his rookie contract expiring, so it doesn't give the franchise much time to figure out if the two can mesh. It's also very possible, though, that Khan does what the Cincinnati Bengals did with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins if Pickens has a phenomenal season on the field and provides little drama off of it.
Steelers could have best receiving corps in NFL with right quarterback at the helm
A combination of Metcalf and Pickens has the potential to be lethal if used properly. The main contributing factor to the success of the two will depend on who the signal-caller is. Pittsburgh needs to be more formidable offensively, and bringing Sanders in is possibly the answer the franchise is looking for. There's no doubt that his job would be easy right off the bat because of the talent around him.
