It’s officially NFL Draft season, and that means it’s time for my first Steelers Mock Draft of the season. For this 1st Mock, while rumors and prospect relationships are still in their infancy, I will be selecting players that I believe would be great fits for Pittsburgh at positions of need. That said, I won’t just be pulling rabbits out of a hat. Each selection will make sense, and each prospect below should find themselves on the Steelers radar come selection weekend in Green Bay.

Let’s dive in!

Round 1, Pick 21 Overall

WR Emeka Egbuka | Ohio State | Ht. 6’1″ | Wt. 205lbs | Senior

Role: Inside/Outside versatile WR2

Egbuka has one of the more complete games of any WR in this class, displaying excellent route running ability and natural hands. He’s not a traditional X receiver, but he can line up anywhere else from the Z to the Slot and handle an immediate WR2 role in Pittsburgh. You won’t have to worry about any attitude/effort issues with this guy either. He’s a total Pro from Day 1.

Round 2, Pick 52 Overall

DT Alfred Collins | Texas | Ht. 6’5″ | Wt. 320lbs | Senior

Role: Penetrating NT/3-Tech

Ideally, Collins could step in early in his rookie year as an explosive power defender in the middle of the Steelers defense. He has position flexibility in the Steelers’ 3-4 alignment, but I would love to see him slide in as the 0-tech and bump Keeanu Benton out to the 3-tech spot opposite Cam Heyward. Collins size and physical playstyle would help solidify the DL against the run and give them a spark in the middle against the pass.

Round 3, Pick 83 Overall

QB Will Howard | Ohio State an e| Ht. 6’4″ | Wt. 235lbs | Senior

Role: Developmental QB with NFL Traits

Will Howard is the only QB I’d look at in this Draft if I’m building the Steelers Draft strategy. He’s got prototypical size and good arm strength, accuracy, and touch, and he provides a sneaky level of mobility so you can run anything from RPOs to straight drop-backs. His best trait is his ability to layer throws into the middle of the field, something Steelers QBs haven’t been comfortable doing since Roethlisberger in the pre-Matt Canada era.

Round 4, Pick 122 Overall

RB Ollie Gordon | Oklahoma State | Ht. 6’1″ | 233lbs | Senior

Role: Early Down Power Back with Sneaky Speed

Gordon is a Steelers type back. He’s a power runner with good vision and solid pass catching ability out of the backfield. He’s also more dynamic and explosive than what Steelers fans have gotten used to with Najee Harris as the team’s lead back. If he gets to open grass, he’s a long strider with enough speed to get down field fast when he’s moving North and South.

Round 5, Pick 163 Overall

CB Quincy Riley | Louisville | Ht. 5’10” | Wt. 192lbs | Senior

Role: Competition at Nickel with Outside Versatility

Riley’s draft stock could rise enough to where he’s gone long before Round 5 come Draft Weekend, but as it stands, he’s almost unanimously ranked just inside the Top 150 of most Big Boards. If he’s there and the Steelers have addressed other more pressing needs, I’d run the card to the table to add a guy that projects as a potential starting Nickel early in his career, with inside/outside versatility in the long run as he develops.

Round 7, Pick 225 Overall

OG Dylan Fairchild | Georgia | Ht. 6’5″ | Wt. 315lbs | Junior

Role: Developmental Depth OG with Starting Traits

Fairchild is another prospect who could find himself going much higher than this when it’s all said and done, but there are some inconsistencies with his game that will keep him from going too early. That said, he is experienced, powerful at the point of attack, and he knows how to out leverage defenders with quick feet and a powerful initial strike. He’d be a great depth fit in Pittsburgh at a quiet position of need.

Round 7, Pick 231 Overall

S/LB DeShawn Pace | UCF | Ht. 6’2″ | Wt. 220lbs | Senior

Role: Dime Backer/Box Safety/Special Teams Demon

Pace is an elite athlete who can do a little bit of everything on the back end of the defense. He landed on Bruce Feldman’s “Freak List” in 2023, and he’s a rocked-up Safety who’s at his best coming down hill to attack ball carriers and be an enforcer in the middle of the field. He could provide solid ST value early in his career while he develops as a defender.

Round 7, Pick 247 Overall

DT Nazir Stackhouse | Georgia | Ht. 6’3″ | Wt. 320lbs | Senior

Role: Run Stuffing Developmental NT

I think the Steelers will be all in on rebuilding that defensive front, so it would make sense to add another big-bodied defender up front. Stackhouse didn’t really live up to the hype at UGA as the heir apparent to All-World DT Jalen Carter, but he finished his career strong with a 2nd Team All-SEC selection in 2024. Stackhouse really does a great job of stacking and shedding as a run defender and he has the mass to control the LOS from the Nose Tackle spot.

It’s still very early in the process, and many things will change in the coming weeks ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay. If I’m the Pittsburgh Steelers, I’m attacking my biggest needs early in this draft to take advantage of the early talent while I can. This class lacks both the high-end talent and the depth we’ve seen out of the last few classes, but there are still really good players who will be available to help remake this team into a contender.

Let me know your thoughts on my initial Steelers mock draft of 2025. And stay tuned to the Steel Curtain Network and Fans First Sports for all your Pittsburgh Steelers offseason news and notes!