The 2025 NFL Draft is now over. The Pittsburgh Steelers had two clear intentions during this draft. They understood the holes across their roster that needed to be addressed and wanted to get more physical overall. All things considered, the Steelers’ draft class looks like an impressive one.
Physicality was something they looked at early and often with their selections. Starting in the first round, with the 21st overall pick, the Steelers decided on Derrick Harmon, a DT out of Oregon. Harmon’s certainly a likeable person, and former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is high on him as well, speaking on his Footbahlin podcast in a new episode that aired Wednesday.
“I think this is a great pick,” Roethlisberger said of Harmon. “… Yes, there’s some quarterback need there, but that wasn’t the most dire need… I’m really excited about this pick.”
Roethlisberger is referencing Shedeur Sanders as the quarterback on the board, and many thought he might’ve been the Steelers’ pick in the first round instead. However, the Steelers, as well as everyone else, were aware of just how much they needed to add depth on the defensive line. After Harmon, the Steelers also took Yahya Black in the fifth round.
Running back was another major need. Continuing the theme of physicality, Pittsburgh took Kaleb Johnson in the third round, one of the hardest runners in the entire draft. Roethlisberger was a fan of that selection, too.
“He’s the physicality that you need to kind of balance the attack,” Roethlisberger said. “… It might have been a reach, but you knew you needed another running back.”
Roethlisberger mentions that Johnson might have been a ‘reach’, which is a topic that’s been floated since Johnson was drafted. Yet, Johnson racked up 1,537 rushing yards and 23 total touchdowns during the 2024 season. That’s even more impressive, considering the fact that he played in arguably the toughest conference in all college football and was the only real threat on Iowa’s offense. Johnson looks like a great fit in Arthur Smith’s scheme as well.
Johnson’s role in the backfield is hard to ignore. Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell are both smaller backs, but Johnson is the opposite and brings the physicality that Pittsburgh needs in its backfield.
The Steelers kicked off Day 3 with another defensive lineman, Jack Sawyer, out of Ohio State. Roethlisberger was a fan of this selection as well, even going as far as to say Sawyer can do things the Steelers’ way.
“The pick came up, I’m like, oh, yeah, that’s a good pick,” Roethlisberger said. “He [Jack Sawyer] feels like a guy that is a big-play guy… This is an awesome pick… It feels right. It feels like a guy that’s going to be a Steeler and be doing things the Steelers way. I love this pick.”
The edge position isn’t lacking in depth, but it’s clear the Steelers felt pressured to add to their defensive line in general. Sawyer has his limitations, but he should be a great depth piece. He has experience rushing the passer from the edge, lining up on the interior of the line, and even dropping back in coverage. Learning behind T.J. Watt for the near future should also be helpful for Sawyer.
Finally, the Steelers started to round out their draft class with a quarterback, Will Howard, in the sixth round. That’s a position Roethlisberger knows better than just about anybody, and he thinks Howard will be a welcome addition.
“I’m really excited about this pick… Heard some really good things about him… To me, that is a love of the game,” Roethlisberger said. “Not caring where you’re getting drafted, not caring what round you’re getting drafted, being excited to get to the NFL. I think that is what you want.”
Depending on whether Aaron Rodgers eventually signs or not, the amount of time Howard sees the field in the near future remains up in the air. However, he provides Pittsburgh with great value in the sixth round. Howard played the best football of his career in the most critical time in 2024, leading Ohio State to a National Championship through several dominant performances during the back half of the season.
Roethlisberger’s praise is similar for seemingly each of the four players he names here. It’s hard to blame him, though. The Steelers took care of their needs and found players that should fit into the locker room seamlessly. Most of these selections could realistically have a big impact in 2025. That is exactly what the Steelers want out of their draft class.
