Draft analyst Chad Reuter of NFL.com posted his first mock 2025 NFL Draft on Monday, and it's quite the bleak outlook for fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers .
In his three-round mock draft , Reuter projected the Steelers will reach for a running back in the first round, go to Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in the second round and complete Day Two of the draft without having taken either a wide receiver or a defensive lineman, widely seen as the team's top two needs this offseason.
In the first round, Reuter projected the Steelers to go way off the board, taking Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins. Judkins was the second running back taken in Reuter's mock, after Boise State phenom Ashton Jeanty went at No. 6 overall. Reuter had the Steelers bypassing the rest of the top running backs, as well Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant and wide receivers Luther Burden , Emeka Egbuka and Matthew Golden.
Judkins is seen as the consensus No. 5 running back on the NFL Mock Draft Database big board, behind North Carolina's Omarion Hampton, Iowa's Kaleb Johnson and his Ohio State backfield-mate, TreVeyon Henderson . The No. 66 overall prospect, Judkins would represent a huge reach for the Steelers in the first round.
"Judkins' open-field burst, ability to read blocks and willingness to run through contact will make him a great fit for the Steelers — and he's a nice outlet for quarterbacks out of the backfield," Reuter wrote.
Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in practice at the 2025 Senior Bowl, Jan. 30, 2025. — Alan Saunders / Steelers Now
From there, Reuter has the Steelers taking Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in the second round. That's a justifiable choice with Milroe at No. 39 on the consensus big board, but leaves the Steelers entering the third round without addressing either wide receiver or defensive tackle. Florida State DT Joshua Farmer and TCU WR Jack Bech went in the picks immediately following the Steelers at the end of the second round.
In the third round, Reuter has the Steelers passing on their top needs again, navigating to another Ohio State Buckeye in slot cornerback Denzel Burke at No. 83. The Steelers do have a need in the slot, with Cam Sutton set to become a free agent, but it seems unlikely they'd prioritize that position with Kentucky DT Deone Walker , Tennessee DT Omar Norman-Lott, Maryland DT Jordan Phillips and Utah State WR Jalen Royals all staring at them on the board.
It's just one mock draft early in the cycle, but this prediction could become a draft-day nightmare for the Steelers, should it come to pass.
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