The Steelers have a ton of work to do with their roster and the quickest way to fix that is the NFL Draft. Since there are months until Pittsburgh is officially on the clock, mock draft season is in full swing with Pro Football Network’s Ben Rolfe taking a crack at a seven-round mock draft ahead of the 2025 NFL Combine.
In the first round, Rolfe has the Steelers focusing on one of their biggest weaknesses in 2024, wide receiver. With their 21st pick, he has them selecting Luther Burden out of Missouri.
“Luther Burden III does not fit the mold that we might expect from a dominant receiver, but he has all the tools to be an incredible weapon from Day 1 of his NFL career. He is undersized to play on the outside but is a dynamic inside threat for an NFL offense. His route tree is highly developed for a young player and can be a tremendous weapon on screens and slants with the ball in his hands.”
Rolfe notes that the Steelers need an “offensive overhaul” with wide receiver being near the top of the list. Burden is extremely dangerous after the catch weapon, which would pair nicely with George Pickens. For my money, he’s also one of the most twitched-up athletes in the class, seamlessly accelerating and decelerating with the ball in his hands. It’s a bit concerning that he had a drop in production during 2024 while returning his quarterback from last season, but the Missouri offense as a whole took a step back. Still, I’m interested to see Burden in an NFL offense that tries to use him in less gimmicky ways.
Rolfe’s next pick for the Steelers attacked another position of need on offense, quarterback. In this exercise, he has them selecting Jalen Milore from Alabama.
“Milroe is the most athletic quarterback in the group and has an incredible cannon for an arm. Accuracy and decision-making are the knocks on him, especially on passes in those short to intermediate areas. However, that is an easier trait to coach up than athleticism and arm strength. Milroe uncorking bombs to George Pickens is a tantalizing thought with this selection.”
Personally, I’m all the way out on Milroe. He’s struggled with accuracy and decision-making, which does not make for a good NFL quarterback, even if he has elite running abilities. I worry about his long-term development and whether he will be able to get the appropriate time to sit and learn for several years in Pittsburgh.
Third round saw the Steelers finally dip their toes into the defensive side of the ball with Zy Alexander from LSU.
“Alexander is a long, wiry cornerback with the athleticism and fluidity to develop into a Day 2 draft pick. The LSU defender shows solid movement skills and flashes upside in coverage but needs to refine his press technique. His length should earn him plenty of suitors in the pre-draft process, and if his consistency improves, he can be a long-term NFL starter.”
Alexander fits the mold of what the Steelers look for in a cornerback, at 6010 and 194 pounds. While he isn’t the best in press coverage, he can right a lot of wrongs with good speed as well as click-and-close technique. Expect him to be a solid tester when the combine comes.
For the Day Three picks, Rolfe mocked the Steelers NC State’s offensive tackles Anthony Belton in the fourth round, followed by Utah linebacker Karene Reid and Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks in the seventh.
Of those names, Steelers Depot draft analyst Jonathan Heitritter is most bullish on Belton, who he sees as a future quality starter in the NFL. In fact, Heitritter sees similarities between Belton and 2024 first-rounder JC Latham.
Overall, not a bad haul for the Steelers who hit nearly all of their needs in this mock draft.
