The Pittsburgh Steelers only have six picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, and despite their lack of draft capital, ESPN’s Dan Graziano doesn’t think it’s out of the question that the team could trade up. On Unsportsmanlike Wednesday morning, Graziano said that it’s not out of the realm of possibility for the Steelers to move up and that it’s something they’ll consider if there’s a prospect they really like.
“I do think the Steelers would consider it if they have a guy they really love. The problem the Steelers have is they don’t have as much ammunition,” he said. “They don’t have as much in terms of other picks, because they traded their second rounder already for DK Metcalf.”
Graziano said that for the Steelers to move up into the top 10, it would cost them their first-round pick next year but that they will still be “nimble and they’ll be willing to move up” if there’s someone they really like available.
The example Graziano used about Pittsburgh jumping into the top 10 would be moving ahead of the New Orleans Saints at No. 9 overall. With Derek Carr potentially out for the season due to an injury, the Saints are the biggest threat outside of the top three to select a quarterback, and jumping New Orleans would likely signal that Pittsburgh would be taking a quarterback.
The Carolina Panthers have the No. 8 pick, and general manager Dan Morgan said the team is open for business regarding potentially moving that pick.
It would cost the Steelers a lot to move up, and in a weak quarterback class, it really may not be worth doing so. Even with the team hosting Shedeur Sanders for a pre-draft visit, it’s hard to see the Steelers jumping up 13 spots to select him, especially with the team still pursuing free agent QB Aaron Rodgers. Needing to give up future draft capital could also be a deterrent to the Steelers, and I’d classify it as unlikely that the team moves up in the draft next week.
But it can’t be completely ruled out, as Graziano said. If the Steelers are really in love with a prospect, they could take a big swing to get them like they did with LB Devin Bush in 2019. That move didn’t work out, but the Steelers could get aggressive if there’s someone available that they truly believe can take their franchise to the next level, even if it means costing themselves some future picks.
