If you pay close enough attention, the Pittsburgh Steelers usually tell people their draft plans. Not with their words, but with their actions throughout the pre-draft process. It isn’t an exact science, but pre-draft visits and Pro Day stops are often revealing of the team’s intentions. Roman Wilson and Ryan Watts were the only two draft picks last year who didn’t come in for a pre-draft visit, for example.
If you’ve paid attention to the pre-draft visitors so far in 2025, the team’s intentions are starting to take shape.
“I think they have their eye on a defensive lineman and a running back before anything else,” the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac said Tuesday via 102.5 WDVE’s Morning Show with Randy Baumann.
His opinion is held regardless of whether the Steelers sign Aaron Rodgers or not and whether or not they decide to draft a quarterback at some point.
“I don’t see their draft strategy changing anything more than a third, I don’t even see a third or maybe a fourth-round pick,” Dulac said of quarterback jumping up the list of priorities. “Even if he doesn’t sign, they’ll have to go out and give somebody a one-year deal, a veteran. So I really don’t think it’s going to affect their draft strategy. I think if they’re planning on drafting one of these rookies, I think they’re gonna do it regardless.”
So far, the Steelers have reportedly met with (or have planned meetings with) two quarterbacks, five running backs, three wide receivers and four defensive linemen.
Given their moves in free agency, the defensive line and running back rooms feel like the top priorities. Because they signed Mason Rudolph, and with the overall lack of talent in this quarterback draft class, that feels like more of a mid-round possibility than anything. DK Metcalf’s acquisition via trade also makes you wonder about receivers over the first two days.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to draft a receiver in the first or third round. George Pickens’ contract will expire after this season and then the Steelers will be back at square one without a true WR2 in the building if he signs elsewhere. It might be good to get ahead of the issue so whoever the young quarterback ends up being in this draft or next can hit the ground running with great weapons.
It’s also especially notable that WR coach Zach Azzanni has been the most active position coach on the Pro Day trail. That typically correlates to a first- or second-day pick invested in a position coach’s room.
I tend to agree with Dulac that defensive linemen and running backs feel like the safest bet for the Steelers’ first two picks, but I wouldn’t completely rule out a receiver, quarterback, or even a safety. The other half of the pre-draft visit list should tell a more complete story in the coming weeks.
