Now that the East-West Shrine Bowl and the Senior Bowl are in the rearview mirror, and Super Bowl LIX is about to be played Sunday, I thought it would be a perfect time to take a crack at my first seven-round mock draft for the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason.
After being in Texas for the Shrine Bowl this year and getting a good feel for the players in attendance while also being able to dive into the draft process fully, I have a decent idea of what players would be good fits for the Steelers, positions of need for the Black and Gold, and where certain guys might slot in from a value standpoint.
Before diving into the seven-round mock draft, a couple of caveats to better explain the picks: I believe that one of Russell Wilson or Justin Fields (it wouldn’t shock me if both) is back with the Steelers as the starting quarterback/bridge quarterback for 2025 and beyond.
I also believe the Steelers will be active in free agency, addressing wide receiver and defensive line with a pair of solid signings. I have circled Darius Slayton and Javon Kinlaw as Steelers signings. Neither would be flashy signings, but they’d be solid starting-caliber guys.
I fully expect the Steelers to bring back Donte Jackson, too, at cornerback, and maybe even make a cheap signing at running back to get another capable body into the room with Jaylen Warren, maybe someone like a Javonte Williams on the cheap.
With that out of the way, let’s dive into the first version of my mock draft. Reminder: this is what I think will happen, not what I would do, per se.
ROUND ONE (21ST OVERALL) – JAHDAE BARRON, CB, TEXAS
Analysis: Yes, a defensive back in the first round. While I fully acknowledge that games are won and lost in the trenches, and the Steelers need to address the defensive line in a major way, it’s a deep, talented class, and high-end players can be found outside the first-round at the position. The same can’t be said for cornerback.
Texas’ Jahdae Barron is so much more than just a cornerback. He reminds me so much of Detroit’s defensive back, Brian Branch. He’s a Swiss Army knife who can line up all over, wear several hats, and is just a very good player. The Steelers need more of that in the secondary. He can play on the boundary, can handle slot snaps, has some experience at safety, and can give some solid snaps in the box, too.
Others considered: Derrick Harmon, iDL, Oregon; Matthew Golden, WR, Texas; Walter Nolen, iDL, Ole Miss
ROUND TWO (52ND OVERALL) – DARIUS ALEXANDER, iDL, TOLEDO
Analysis: Coming out of the Senior Bowl, Toledo’s Darius Alexander is a hot name in the scouting circle for the Steelers due to the interest the Black and Gold seemingly showed him in Mobile, both on the field and in the meeting room. He certainly addresses a major need.
He certainly looks the part, too. At the Senior Bowl, Alexander measured in at 6035, 304 pounds with 34-inch arms. That fits the profile of what Pittsburgh looks for in the position. He also has the production in 2024, too. At Toledo, Alexander recorded 40 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks in his final season with the Rockets.
Alexander can play inside and outside, too. He’s a bit older, as he’ll turn 25 before the start of the 2025 season, but he fits the Steelers’ defense timeline and brings impressive traits to the table. He’d be a good shot in the arm for the Steelers in the trenches defensively.
Others considered: Will Howard, QB, Ohio State; Treyveon Henderson, RB, Ohio State; Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State
Darius Alexander Scouting Report
ROUND THREE (83RD OVERALL) – KYLE MCCORD, QB, SYRACUSE
Analysis: The Steelers need to find a long-term answer at quarterback this offseason. Though they will likely bring back one of Russell Wilson or Justin Fields, the 2025 NFL Draft class isn’t a great QB class to find that long-term answer. That doesn’t mean the Steelers shouldn’t take a shot at some of the better names in the class.
Kyle McCord won’t find himself in the conversation with the likes of Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, and Will Howard, but he had a great showing at the Shrine Bowl and played his way into closing the gap some in that conversation. He doesn’t have the rocket arm, but he’s a good processor, has impressive accuracy, and makes good decisions with the football time and time again.
He might not be that true franchise quarterback, but he has the tools to develop well in a quick-strike passing game while also having the arm and accuracy to push the ball down the field at the next level. He’s also coming off of a record-setting season, breaking the ACC passing mark, and has a good season at Ohio State under his belt, too.
Others considered: Devin Neal, RB, Kansas; Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss; RJ Harvey, RB, UCF
ROUND FOUR (122ND OVERALL) – TORY HORTON, WR, COLORADO STATE
Analysis: This is admittedly much later than I wanted to grab a receiver in this first mock draft, but theoretically, landing a player like Darius Slayton in free agency helps lessen the blow here. Getting a talent like Colorado State’s Tory Horton might not be the name many want to see at WR, especially with Horton’s final season in Fort Collins ending in injury, but this guy could be quite the find on Day 3.
Horton was a productive player at Colorado State, earning first-team All-Mountain West honors in 2022 and 2023. He’s a contested catch weapon that consistently wins above the rim and has plenty of juice after the catch, too. He’s a bit limited on his route tree, but the guy was a true No. 1 target year after year for the Rams and produced in a major way, even with teams scheming to take him away.
The injury might knock him down a few rounds, which could bode well for the Steelers by landing a high-character player who was a team captain at Colorado State.
Others considered: Pat Bryant, WR, Illinois; Rylie Mills, iDL, Notre Dame; Damien Martinez, RB, Miami (FL)
ROUND FIVE (163RD OVERALL) – TAHJ BROOKS, RB, TEXAS TECH
Analysis: Presumably, the Steelers will let Najee Harris walk in free agency, which makes running back a sizable need. But by not picking up a $6.79 million fifth-year option, the Steelers are seemingly signaling that running backs aren’t all that valuable financially. That could mean from a draft capital perspective, too. Therefore, that could make Texas Tech RB Tahj Brooks the ideal Day 3 target at the position.
He’s coming off of two straight 1,500-yard seasons for the Red Raiders and profiles as a guy that can play all three downs in the NFL due to his work in the passing game. Brooks does have 879 career carries and another 102 receptions, giving him nearly 1,000 career touches in college, which is quite a bit of tread worn off the tire. Still, he’s a stocky running back with powerful legs who appears to be able to withstand a heavy workload.
Brooks also had a great meeting with the Steelers at the Shrine Bowl, as they compared his feet to Le’Veon Bell’s. He could be a nice one-two punch with Jaylen Warren moving forward.
Others considered: Kyle Monangai, RB, Rutgers; Cody Simon, LB, Ohio State; Junior Tafuna, iDL, Utah
ROUND SEVEN (225TH OVERALL) – NAZIR STACKHOUSE, iDL, GEORGIA
Analysis: A personal favorite of mine dating back to last summer. The Steelers double-dip here in the trenches defensively and do well by adding a three-year starter from Georgia in Nazir Stackhouse. The big, hulking defensive tackle (listed at 6-3, 320) has quite a bit of big-time football experience at Georgia over the years, holding down a starting role in the trenches even in rooms with the likes of Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis.
Stackhouse can play nose tackle, 4i and even 5-tech, giving him flexibility to move all over the defensive line. That’s a good value to get on Day 3. Add in the fact that he has plenty of history with the likes of current Steelers Broderick Jones, Darnell Washington, and George Pickens, and it could make for a seamless transition to the Steelers’ locker room.
Others considered: Theo Wease Jr., Missouri; Aubrey Burks, S, West Virginia; Malachi Moore, S, Alabama
ROUND SEVEN (247TH OVERALL) – CARSON BRUENER, ILB, WASHINGTON
Analysis: You should recognize that last name. Carson Bruener is the son of former Steelers’ TE and current scout Mark Bruener. We know how much the Steelers love their bloodlines and the feel-good stories, and this checks those boxes. That’s not to say Bruener is just a feel-good story, though.
The guy can really play. He was the Washington defensive MVP in 2024, recording over 100 tackles. He participated in the East-West Shrine Bowl and brings a good deal of experience on special teams to the table, too. He also has experience playing in a linebacker rotation from the first few years in Washington. He’s been around the game his entire life, handled quite a bit of expectations due to his last name, and has put himself in this situation to jump to the next level.
Bruener profiles as an old-school, thumping downhill linebacker. He did have two interceptions in 2024 and can handle some coverage snaps, but he could make for a solid No. 4-5 linebacker in Pittsburgh immediately, one that quickly becomes a key special teamer.
Others considered: Joshua Gray, OG, Oregon State; Shamari Simmons, DB, Arizona State; Femi Oladejo, EDGE, UCLA
