In the mind of former scout and current lead NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, the Pittsburgh Steelers need offensive playmakers. After a 2024 season that ended with the offense turtling and on its back, it’s hard to blame him. More juice, explosiveness, and big play ability to give the Steelers true firepower and ability to sustain throughout an entire season instead of collapsing when the calendar turns to December. And though the Steelers recently went down the first-round running back road, Jeremiah thinks they should do it again if Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty falls into their lap at No. 21.
“Well, in the first round, I would run the card up for Ashton Jeanty,” said on the Shek Show with Dave Dameshek a few days ago. “If he got down there, if he got that far down, yeah, I would run it up there. In the second round, I am TreVeyon Henderson…I think he’ll go early second round. So there kind of might be in between there. He’s like, again, I want somebody with some juice. So that would be the one that I would be most excited about. Maybe that requires you trading back a little bit and then pull the trigger on him. He would be a home run pick there.”
In the same interview, Jeremiah criticized Najee Harris and the Steelers’ running game for lacking enough juice. A backfield featuring burly runners without big-play ability, Harris averaged just 3.9 YPC across four years with Pittsburgh. His longest run was 37 yards, and despite being second in rush attempts since being drafted, he’s just sixth in runs of 20-plus yards (24) and tied for 27th in runs of 25-plus yards (8).
Jeanty is projected to go earlier than No. 21 and is the unquestioned top back of the draft, receiving a high 9.1 grade in our scouting report. Adding Jeanty would reinforce the grind-it-out offense the Steelers have built, and they have a better framework of an offensive line than when they drafted Harris. Still, Pittsburgh isn’t a team just one running back away from the Super Bowl like the Philadelphia Eagles, making the pick feel more luxury than need.
As our scouting report noted, Henderson is a home run hitter and a potential Day Two option. His long speed could complement Jaylen Warren’s burst and hard running, though Henderson isn’t a standalone workhorse back. Our NFL comp was Raheem Mostert, who shined in San Francisco and Miami when healthy.
Beyond them, the class is strong at the position, giving Pittsburgh plenty of options throughout Day Two and spilling into the fourth round. Kansas’ Devin Neal, North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, and fellow Ohio State RB Quinshon Judkins are also candidates.
If not running back, Jeremiah pointed to two names at receiver.
“The two receivers that I’ve said for the Steelers kind of going through the process is like professional, reliable, not crazy for lack of a better word. And that would give you two guys in Emeka Egbuka from Ohio State and Matthew Golden from Texas. I have them right next to each other. I have Golden one spot over Egbuka.”
Egbuka is a solid route runner who brings an all-around game and left as Ohio State’s all-time receptions leader. Golden is more explosive and came on strong late in Texas’ season, a strong route runner who adjusts well to the ball. Our NFL comp for him was long-time Green Bay Packers WR Greg Jennings.
Jeremiah also threw out a pair of second-round options.
“You’d be looking at somebody like Jayden Higgins from Iowa State would be a fun one. And then I’ll tell you like Jack Bech, who we saw at the Senior Bowl, feels like he could be a good fit there, too. He’s big and physical. But again, like, you need pros. There are too many immature dudes in that receiver room over the last 20 years. Get some professional dudes in there.”
Jeremiah clearly refers to the long list of malcontents who’ve resided inside the Steelers’ receiver room without naming names. Antonio Brown, Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, and now George Pickens, Jeremiah is angling for Pittsburgh to draft a no-drama receiver, and all four he named fit the bill.
