If anything can be taken away from the Steelers’ 2025 draft so far, it’s that they’re being serious about their defensive line. Early in the draft, Pittsburgh grabbed DL Derrick Harmon. Kicking off Day 3, they snatched EDGE Jack Sawyer in the fourth round. Now, in the fifth round, the Steelers make yet another addition to the defensive line, taking Yahya Black out of Iowa.
Black is the continuation of an effort to beef up the defensive front. Speaking to the media after the Steelers’ selection, defensive line coach Karl Dunbar spoke about some of the things he’s excited to see Black add to his group.
“I think we need to get more dominant up front,” Dunbar said. “I think the way you get more dominant up front is to get youth, I think he’s [Yahya Black] gonna be a great addition to the group.”
Prioritizing youth is certainly something the Steelers have done regarding that defensive line. Coming into the draft, it was arguably the weakest spot on the roster. Cam Heyward turned in an excellent year despite his rising age in 2024, but the Steelers can’t really count on that to continue happening year in and year out. Keeanu Benton is also a solid name, but there wasn’t much depth behind those two.
Now, the line looks much better. Harmon will have a big role in his rookie season, and Black should have a decent-sized role himself, despite being a fifth-round pick.
Black is yet another defensive lineman taken this year by Pittsburgh who has good size for the position. He’s strong in the trenches and can push blockers back into the pocket with his longer arms. He’s pretty quick off the ball as well. That helps him get on top of linemen quickly with his bull rush. You can check out Black’s full scouting report here.
All things considered, this was a solid selection by Pittsburgh. Getting this late in the draft, they still managed to find solid value with Black. They also doubled up on a major position of need, something many hoped they’d do during this draft. We’ll have to see how his rookie year develops. Still, the interior of the defensive line in Pittsburgh looks much better than it did a couple of days ago.
