MOBILE, Ala. —When the dust settled at the end of the 2024 season, we sat down and identified where the Pittsburgh Steelers had offseason needs in their roster for 2025. After exit interviews with head coach Mike Tomlin and president Art Rooney II and a week at the 2025 Senior Bowl in Mobile, we have a pretty good idea of how the Steelers plan to address most of those needs.
The Steelers made no secret about their priorities in Mobile, with head coach Mike Tomlin practically drooling over what is a very deep defensive line group , and Omar Khan, Teryl Austin and Andy Weidl also showed specific interest in that group during the week of practice.
Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen during practice for the 2025 Senior Bowl on Jan. 29, 2025. — Alan Saunders / Steelers Now
On the offensive side of the ball, wide receiver seemed to be the spot to garner the most interest. Both are position with strong groups in Mobile, and strong players likely to be available with each of the Steelers first two draft picks.
At this point, it would be a surprise if the Steelers' first-round pick wasn't among the group of wide receivers, including Emeka Ebguka of Ohio State and Matthew Golden of Texas and the defensive tackles like Kenneth Grant of Michigan, Derrick Harmon of Oregon, Walter Nolen of Ole Miss and Tyleik Williams of Ohio State.
The need at wide receiver has been obvious since the Steelers traded Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers last spring and was only exacerbated by a season that did not answer many questions about whether the Steelers should be willing to give top wide receiver George Pickens a major contract extension.
They currently have one player at the position under contract beyond 2025: last year's third round pick Roman Wilson , who does not have a NFL catch. Whether the Steelers decide to keep Pickens or not, they absolutely must add to the receivers group, especially with players that figure to stick as X or Z players on the outside. Wilson and Calvin Austin III could be long-term options on the inside, but at 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-11, they're probably confined to slot or tight-split work at this level.
Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins make a catch during practice for the 2025 Senior Bowl on Jan. 30, 2025. — Alan Saunders / Steelers Now
That's what makes the pairing of Golden and Egubka so attractive to the Steeles, and also so important. There are few sure things like that in this draft class. Jayden Higgins of Iowa State had a nice week at the Senior Bowl and appears to have solidified himself as at least a second round pick. Reports out of Dallas said that Tre Harris of Ole Miss did not do the same. TCU's Savion Williams backed out of participating in Mobile. Tai Felton of Maryland and Jack Bech of TCU probably moved up draft boards this week, but most of the rest of the early-round receivers in this class are too similar to what the Steelers already have.
TCU wide receiver Jack Bech during practice for the 2025 Senior Bowl on Jan. 30, 2025. — Alan Saunders / Steelers Now
But if you gave Omar Khan some truth serum (plenty of that to be found around the Mobile bar scene), he'd probably tell you that he'd prefer to draft a defensive tackle with the Steelers' top pick at No. 21 overall.
The Steelers under Khan and Weidl have made a clear priority to draft from the trenches out. They've used a first-round pick and a second-round pick on a trench player in each of the last two drafts. After using four picks on the offensive line in the last two seasons, that project is nearly complete.
Pittsburgh Steelers guard Mason McCormick and center Zach Frazier at practice on Nov. 15, 2024, — Alan Saunders / Steelers Now
But they're just getting started on defense. Keeanu Benton is a part of the future. Cam Heyward , at 35, certainly is not. Larry Ogunjobi 's hold on the other starting spot seems tenuous, with an elevated salary and the Steelers getting their run defense decimated down the stretch by Derrick Henry . Whether he's back for the final season of his deal in 2025 or not, it seems unlikely he's a part of the future going beyond that.
So the Steelers have a big-picture plan to draft from the trenches out, they had their need at defensive tackle leave a bad taste in their mouth down the stretch run of the season, and that need happens to line up with one of the strengths of the 2025 NFL Draft class.
It shouldn't be a surprise that defensive tackle was a focus in Mobile, and likely will continue to be throughout the process leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft.
When we broke down the Steelers needs for the offseason, quarterback was at the top of that list, and Rooney called it the No. 1 priority for the team this offseason . But the Steelers are overwhelmingly likely to re-sign one of their incumbent passers, and will probably do so before the start of free agency in early March.
In terms of filling out the rest of the quarterback room, the Steelers will likely be active in the 2025 NFL Draft, but probably not until the third day, with a veteran backup signing to go along with a dart throw (or maybe a Dart throw if it's Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart ) at the quarterback position in this year's draft.
Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart during practice for the 2025 Senior Bowl on Jan. 29, 2025. — Alan Saunders / Steelers Now
The Steelers may like top Senior Bowl quarterback prospect Jalen Milroe , as has been reported, but they sure didn't show much interest in him in Mobile. If the Steelers draft a quarterback this year, don't expect it to be until later.
The cornerback position was also high on our list, with starter Donte Jackson and top slot option Cam Sutton both set to hit free agency , but the Steelers did not seem to attack that position with the same urgency they did at wide receiver.
There were good players that could be options for the Steelers at either pick No. 21 or No. 52 like Florida State's Azareye'h Thomas and Kentucky's Max Hairston. But the Steelers did not seem to pursue that group as aggressively as others.
Florida State cornerback Azareye'h Thomas during practice for the 2025 Senior Bowl on Jan. 29, 2025. — Alan Saunders / Steelers Now
That's probably because the free agent and trade options at cornerback are a lot more plentiful this offseason. Building through the trenches in the draft is a priority for the team. They're going to address defensive line in that fashion. If you look at the players available before then at wide receiver and cornerback, it's a lot easier to see the Steelers more completely addressing their defensive back situation than wide receiver.
Players like Carlton Davis III, Rasul Douglas , Byron Murphy , D.J. Reed , Asante Samuel Jr. and Charvarius Ward could be long-term, big-contract options while Stephon Gilmore and Jonathan Jones would likely be stop-gap upgrades to the position. A return for Donte Jackson is probably not out of the question, too.
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Donte Jackson during a Wild Card game against the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 12, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
The Steelers could very well circle back to cornerback later in the draft, especially in the slot, where players like Kansas State's Jacob Parrish and Western Kentucky's Upton Stout impressed this week. But it sure looks like the plan is to address starting cornerback before draft day comes.
The last big need for the Steelers is at running back, where Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren are both pending free agents. Expect the Steelers to tender Warren, who is a restricted free agent, and try to work out a longer-term deal with him, and let Harris walk into free agency.
The plan for his replacement is less clear at this point. There are few options in free agency and they figure to be expensive. If they wanted to go down that road, they could just have kept Harris on his fifth-year option.
It is a very deep draft class at running back, with many of the top prospects here in Mobile. Devin Neal of Kansas and Bhayshul Tuten of Virginia Tech probably had the best weeks, with Miami 's Damien Martinez, Michigan's Donovan Edwards and Delaware's Marcus Yarns also turning heads.
Devin Neal, Kansas Athletics
There's plenty more in this draft class beyond the Senior Bowl, as well, led by obvious first-round pick Ashton Jeanty from Boise State. North Carolina's Omarion Hampton, Iowa's Kaleb Johnson, Arizona State's Cam Skattebo and the Ohio State duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins will also tempt the Steelers early in the draft.
But with their out-sized aggressiveness at defensive tackle and wide receiver, it's hard to see that coming before Round 3, when someone like Judkins, Skattebo or Neal could be good value.
Beyond the big five needs, don't be surprised if the Steelers branch out to guard, safety and tight end in this draft class. Isaac Seumalo is entering the final year of his contract at 31 years old. Backups Damontae Kazee and MyCole Pruitt are both free agents on the wrong side of 30 that could be replaced by younger players with more promise.
This is a deep tight end class, and the guards in Mobile excelled, especially North Dakota State's Gray Zabel and West Virginia's Wyatt Milum, though both will likely go too early for the Steelers to seriously consider.
Big-name tight ends Harold Fannin and Mason Taylor will also likely be long gone by the time the Steelers consider that spot, but Miami's Elijah Arroyo, Clemson's Jake Briningstool elevated their status in Mobile.
The Steelers appear to be punting on their need at quarterback, likely bringing back Fields while pushing a big swing at that position into the future.
But everywhere else, their needs seem to align with the available players in either free agency or the draft in a way that makes it seem possible for Khan and company to pull off a major upgrade of the team's roster moving into the 2025 season.
We won't know the players for a while yet, but as the Steelers move through the offseason, the path forward seems clear.
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