Free agency and the trade market will determine the Pittsburgh Steelers’ biggest needs entering the 2025 NFL Draft in late April, but ahead of the start of the new league year, the Steelers have some glaring holes that will need addressed in a big way in the seven-round draft.
Those holes include wide receiver, running back, defensive line, and cornerback. Fortunately for the Steelers, it’s a great defensive line class, while wide receiver, cornerback and running back all have plenty of depth and talent down the board.
Knowing that, it makes the decision at No. 21 overall in the first round an interesting one for the Steelers and GM Omar Khan. Heck, it made it an interesting one for The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo in the beat writers mock draft that published Thursday morning.
In it, DeFabo passed on defensive line at No. 21 overall, and instead addressed receiver for the Steelers, landing a popular name connected to the Black and Gold to this point in Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka.
“GM Omar Khan spent first-round picks on offensive tackles in his first two years in the pilot’s chair and will be tempted to continue addressing the trenches this year, especially with Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon still available. However, after years of watching the NFL’s highest-paid defense flame out in the first round of the playoffs, he knows it’s time to add playmakers to the other side of the ball,” DeFabo writes of the selection of Egbuka for the Steelers in the exercise. “Pittsburgh paid the price for never backfilling Diontae Johnson’s WR2 spot last offseason. Mercurial WR George Pickens is entering the final year of his rookie deal, but his tenure in Pittsburgh could end sooner than that, with a possible hold-in or even a trade on the horizon.
“For that reason, the Steelers need to substantially address their receiver room on Day 1. They can tap into a deep defensive tackle class beginning in the second round.”
It’s no secret that the Steelers desperately need help at wide receiver. Realistically, they should sign one in free agency — maybe two — and potentially double dip in the draft. Egbuka would be a great starting point for the Steelers in the draft at the receiver position.
Egbuka has been a popular name throughout the pre-draft process for the Steelers, due in large part to their need at the position. It’s much more than that, though. He’s a good blocking WR who plays physical and with an edge. He’s a good route runner, too, and is dynamic after the catch.
Though he played the majority of his snaps at Ohio State in the slot, Egbuka can play inside and outside. He understands pace and spacing within routes and is tough as nails. Overall, Egbuka profiles as a good fit in Pittsburgh. During his time in Columbus, Egbuka put up 205 career receptions to set the program record, with 2,868 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Putting that type of talent at the receiver position opposite George Pickens, along with the mentality Egbuka brings, would do wonders for the Steelers’ offense. It makes sense why DeFabo went this direction with the mock, but where things go off the rails is what happens after the Egbuka selection, which would really hinder what DeFabo envisions with the defensive line outside of the first round.
Following DeFabo’s choice of Egbuka, Michigan DT Kenneth Grant (Chargers), Texas A&M DL Shemar Stewart (Packers), Oregon DT Derrick Harmon (Vikings), and Ohio State DT Tyleik Williams (Eagles) all went off the board in the first round after the Steelers’ selection.
On top of that, names like Michigan’s Mason Graham (Jaguars) and Ole Miss’ Walter Nolen (Bengals) came off the board before the Steelers’ selection, thinning the top-tier talent along the defensive line in the mock draft. Only one receiver came off the board prior to Egbuka’s selection by DeFabo, and that was Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillian to the New York Jets at No. 7 overall.
After the Egbuka selection at WR, Missouri’s Luther Burden III went to the Houston Texans at No. 25, and Texas’ Matthew Golden went No. 30 to the Buffalo Bills. So, in this scenario it’s a risk for the Steelers to grab a WR and hope there isn’t a run on defensive linemen before they’re back on the clock in Round 2 at No. 52 overall.
