Steelers fans welcome to Draft Week! 

We are one step closer to the start of another eventful NFL season. Speculation and very vocal fans have been circling social media for the past several months now, and rightfully so. The fans want to see this team win. They are tired of barely making the playoffs just to get eliminated in the first round, they want more. 

That step to get more could very well start with the Draft. The Steelers look to fill holes in their team and get back to the playoffs, hopefully further than the first round. The team currently holds the 21st overall pick in the 2025 Draft. There are multiple needs for this team and I look to give you fans a few Do’s and Don’ts for the Steelers 21st pick. 

Do….

Strengthen the defensive line. 

It’s no secret the Steelers need to fill the void in the middle of the defensive line. Larry Ogunjobi was released and Cam Heyward is unfortunately facing old age (he is still undoubtedly a stud though). The Steelers really haven’t addressed the defensive line at all throughout free agency which leads me to believe they are looking at one coming out of the Draft. They should look no further than the 21st pick. With names like Kenneth Grant, Derrick Harmon, Walter Nolen, and Tyleik Williams you are sure to get a dominant nose tackle this season. An addition to the defensive line is at the top of my list for important additions in this 2025 Draft. 

Add depth to the defensive backs.  

Cornerback 

Currently the Steelers have Joey Porter Jr. and newly acquired Darius Slay Jr. as their starting cornerbacks heading into the 2025 season. These are two solid starters. On one side you have a veteran with a championship and leadership background. On the other you have a young, talented player that suffers penalties at times. Looking at this class for the 2025 Draft, there are a few names that pop out that could very well fall to the Steelers at 21. I would not mind if the Steelers use this pick to select a top cornerback to add needed depth. 

Safety 

For safety I believe it’s an equal necessity to cornerback. The Steelers have two studs in Minkah Fitzpatrick and Deshon Elliott that cover downfield pretty well. But, to be completely honest there isn’t really any reliable option besides them. Looking at the safety class for the 2025 Draft there are multiple names that scream reliable backup to me. Most of them will be available at pick 21 as well. 

Trade the pick to move down into the second round. 

Some of you fans won’t like the sound of this, but stick with me here. Yes, the Steelers haven’t traded down in the first round since 2001 to select a unit of a nose tackle in Casey Hampton, I got it. But, they lost their second round pick in the trade with Seattle to acquire D.K. Metcalf. Now with less draft capital, I believe trading down becomes a “Do” for the Steelers. Yes, you miss out on top names you could get in the first round, but for the right price the Steelers can fill nearly every void they currently have through this move. 

For you QB advocates, this doesn’t completely diminish the opportunity of the Steelers getting a QB early. Though we won’t be looking at Shedeur Sanders in this case, the likes of Jaxson Dart or Jalen Milroe will be available. This becomes a big “Do” for me with the lack of draft capital and more opportunity to fill holes in needed places. 

Don’t…. 

Reach for a QB in the first round.

I’ll start this by saying the best quarterback in this class, Cam Ward, will go number one overall. The rest either won’t do too hot in the big leagues or will be career backups. There are too many other positions with elite talent in this draft. The Steelers should not waste this selection by reaching for the next best available quarterback when there are better players in other positions of need. The Steelers will get a quarterback in the Draft, but it should be either on Day 2 or 3. 

Select a running back.

This running back class is one of the best in recent years. Two running backs come to mind when talking about the first round: Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton. The rest are not too far behind. I can safely assume the Steelers will not have trouble with the running back position if they wait for later rounds. This class is deep with talent, and personally I wouldn’t be upset if the Steelers go the likes of R.J. Harvey or D.J Giddens (both of whom had pre-draft visits with the Steelers). Don’t forget about those boys from Ohio State either. 

We Don’t Know 

At the end of the day us fans don’t know what the Steelers are going to do with the 21st overall pick. As previously written about, Nobody Knows a Darn Thing. We would like to assume the masterminds of Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan shine bright on Thursday, but our job is to watch and appreciate who they take with the 21st overall pick.