The Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to draft a wide receiver in the 2025 NFL Draft, which begins Thursday with Round 1. But with other needs to address and the team already trading for WR DK Metcalf earlier this season, it wouldn’t be a surprise to me if the Steelers waited until Day 3, and potentially until the fifth or sixth round.
In my opinion, the Steelers need to take a defensive lineman with one of their first two selections – No. 21 overall in the first round and No. 83 overall in the third round. On top of that, the Steelers are likely to select a quarterback with the uncertainty surrounding QB Aaron Rodgers. With running back also a need, that leaves four needs for the Steelers to address with their top three picks, which come in the first four rounds.
There’s a chance the team could trade WR George Pickens and recoup a Day 2 pick, in which case a receiver would come earlier, but that’s not something I foresee happening. Assuming the Steelers keep Pickens, then the team will have DK Metcalf, Pickens, Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson as their top four receivers, with the likes of Scotty Miller and Ben Skowronek adding depth.
It’s not a bad room, especially with the top two of Metcalf and Pickens, and the Steelers could look to address a position like running back ahead of wide receiver, where they’re more likely to get an immediate difference maker. If the Steelers do keep Pickens though, he’ll be playing out the last year of his contract, so there’s need to get someone who could potentially replace him next offseason.
However, the Steelers are slated to receive four compensation picks, including a third and fourth-round selection, in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Steelers could choose to take a late-round flier on a receiver (in my mock draft, I have them selecting Tennessee’s Dont’e Thornton Jr. in the sixth round) this year before addressing the position with an earlier selection next year in order to supplement the potential loss of Pickens next offseason.
The one debate the Steelers will have to weigh is that this year is a deeper running back class than receiver, which could lead to the team waiting to take a running back after a receiver. But given where the nine pre-draft visitors the Steelers brought in at running back are projected to be drafted, which is largely around the third and fourth round, the tea leaves would have the Steelers taking a running back in that range.
It’s not unfathomable by any means to think that the Steelers could take a receiver earlier than Day 3, but given their current needs and picks they have now, I could see them waiting until a round into Day 3 before addressing the position.
