As the highly anticipated 2025 NFL Draft draws ever closer, the Pittsburgh Steelers are deeply immersed in their planning. This pivotal event offers every NFL team a crucial avenue to reshape their roster and secure young talent for sustained success. The draft is a focal point of the entire league's offseason, generating immense excitement and discussion among fans and analysts alike. This creates a widespread of individual opinions and predictions regarding the Steelers' potential draft strategies and the multitude of possibilities they face.
During a recent online chat he hosted, Gerry Dulac, a Steelers insider, shared his perspective on the highly discussed quarterback position in the upcoming NFL Draft. When directly asked about three players linked to the Steelers – quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and defensive linemen Derrick Harmon and Kenneth Grant – asking which the Steelers might select at pick 21, Dulac offered the following response.
"Not Sanders," Dulac responded.
This stance is surprising to many observers, especially considering recent indications that the Steelers are considered a leading potential landing spot for Sanders. Adding to this, Sanders himself recently visited the Steelers' facilities and subsequently shared positive feedback regarding his experience with the team. Dulac further emphasized his perspective on Sanders when directly asked about the percentage chance he would assign to the Steelers selecting the quarterback, and he responded with the following.
"How low can I go?" Dulac answered.
Sanders stands out as one of the premier quarterback prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft. The Steelers are facing a clear need at quarterback, as they currently have a significant vacancy in their starting lineup. While numerous reports have indicated the Steelers are the frontrunners to acquire veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers and are currently in an extended period awaiting his decision, the rapidly approaching and pivotal 2025 NFL Draft necessitates that the Steelers also look towards their long-term future and give significant focus to the quarterback options available in the draft.
Reports also indicate that the Steelers' intention to find their long-term franchise quarterback in the NFL Draft, whether this year or in the subsequent year, remains firm regardless of Rodgers' ultimate decision. While the quarterback prospects in this year's draft are generally not as highly rated as those in the previous class, history shows that teams can still discover their guy. The unpredictable nature of last year's draft, where an unexpected six quarterbacks were selected within the first 12 picks, serves as a prime example of how pre-draft evaluations can often be subverted.
The Steelers are undoubtedly investing considerable time and careful consideration in their draft evaluations to avoid a repetition of their experience with Kenny Pickett. Pickett was selected 20th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, the draft that followed the retirement of Steelers' legendary quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, with the hope that he would become Roethlisberger's successor. However, his tenure with the team did not meet the expectations of either the fans or the organization, ultimately leading to his trade to the Philadelphia Eagles last year.
This recent history, coupled with the Steelers' unique draft capital – notably the absence of their second-round pick due to the acquisition of veteran wide receiver DK Metcalf – elevates the significance of their first-round selection. The second round is a pivotal stage of the draft where many highly talented players, much like Sanders whose potential draft range spans from the third overall pick to the Steelers' position at 21, can often be found. While Metcalf is undoubtedly a valuable addition to their receiving corps, forfeiting a second-round pick represents a substantial loss, thereby further underscoring the critical nature of the Steelers' first pick.
The Steelers Need More Than A Quarterback
Beyond the widely discussed quarterback situation, the Steelers also have other key positional needs that they will need to address during the 2025 NFL Draft. Furthermore, the quarterback position is not the sole focus of speculation regarding the Steelers' potential selection at the 21st overall pick. To illustrate this, the other two players Dulac mentioned in his comparison are not quarterbacks; rather, both Harmon and Grant play on the defensive side of the ball, specifically on the defensive line.
Considering the Steelers' needs and the available talent, who is your top choice for their first-round pick in the upcoming draft, and at what position do they play?
