When it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the 2025 NFL Draft, we know a couple things that could happen in the first round. They could go defensive line, one of the team’s biggest and most obvious needs. They could be in play for quarterbacks like Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, well-connected to Pittsburgh and prospects the team has shown clear interest in. A wide receiver like Texas’ Matthew Golden feels in-play.
But what are we missing? What could become a draft day surprise? As much as we think we know the Steelers’ draft trends, and we study them as intently as anyone, there have been surprises. Few saw Stanford OG David DeCastro falling into the team’s lap in 2012. Virginia Tech SS Terrell Edmunds wasn’t on the media first-round radar in 2018.
Could the same happen in 2025? Let’s think at least a little out of the box for what names could shake up the Steelers’ first night of the draft.
Shedeur Sanders/QB Colorado
Sanders’ name has been floated in connection with Pittsburgh and oddsmakers have him on the Steelers’ radar. But would Sanders, who could still go in the top three, really fall to No. 21? Or would Pittsburgh be willing to trade up for him if he slid out of the top 10?
It would be a chance to get a potential franchise quarterback now instead of waiting to see what 2026 offers. The Steelers haven’t shown much overt interest in Sanders — they didn’t send decision-makers to his recent “showcase” workout — but they’ve done their homework on him. He might be too good to ignore if the decision came down to Matthew Golden or Derrick Harmon versus a potential franchise-changing player.
Tetairoa McMillan/WR Arizona
For large swaths of the draft cycle, McMillan was the consensus No. 1 receiver and viewed at worst, a top-15 selection. Nothing close to Pittsburgh’s range. Inching closer to draft day and McMillan’s stock is less certain. No longer is he locked in to become the first receiver off the board, battling Golden for that honor.
Recent mock drafts have slotted him within spitting distance of where Pittsburgh is picking. In his latest mock, Lance Zierlein placed McMillan 18th overall to the Seattle Seahawks and that’s not uncommon. Several mocks have him in the 18-20 range. If he slips just a tiny bit beyond that, he could be one of the highest-graded players on Pittsburgh’s board.
Like with Sanders, the Steelers haven’t seemingly shown much interest in McMillan. But he has the size and contested-catch ability Pittsburgh covets, and he could replace George Pickens in 2026…or sooner.
Jahdae Barron/CB Texas
An outside and inside corner all in one, Barron could solve a lot of problems in Pittsburgh’s secondary. Nickel option this season? Jahdae Barron. Long-time outside cornerback? Jahdae Barron. Versatile chess piece to help free up players like Minkah Fitzpatrick? Jahdae Barron.
He’s already on the Steelers’ short list. Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan dined with him ahead of the Longhorns’ Pro Day. Right now, he’s a lot closer to being the pick than Derrick Harmon or Kenneth Grant, two prospects who have failed to check those boxes.
Safety
This is more all-encompassing but focuses on two prospects: Georgia’s Malaki Starks and South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori. Pittsburgh’s certainly taken a long look at the top four safeties in the draft. As they often do, the Steelers sent the house to the Bulldogs’ Pro Day where DC Teryl Austin personally put Starks through positional drills. DBs Coach Gerald Alexander did the same to Emmanwori during his Pro Day while the team recently brought him in for a visit.
Safety isn’t an immediate need but there’s multiple paths to getting that guy immediate playing time. DeShon Elliott is a pending free agent after 2025 while Minkah Fitzpatrick needs a good year to guarantee he’s on roster in 2026.
