The Pittsburgh Steelers have expressed interest in the top safeties in the 2025 NFL Draft, but if they don’t land one early, it still could be a position the team targets on Day 3. Despite signing Juan Thornhill as the team’s third safety, DeShon Elliott is set to be a free agent following the 2025 season, and Pittsburgh could be looking for a long-term solution at the position. With that in mind, Pro Football Focus’ Mason Cameron named Oklahoma S Billy Bowman Jr. the ideal prospect for the Steelers to target on Day 3 of the draft.
“While size and tackling concerns mar Bowman’s tape, he remains a versatile coverage defender with the big-play ability to turn a game on its head. He can play deep, in the box and in the slot, having produced a single-coverage PFF grade in the 92nd percentile across the past three seasons. He would provide the Steelers with more versatility on the back end,” Cameron wrote.
Bowman’s ball skills make him a really intriguing Steelers option on the back end. He has 11 interceptions since 2022, including six during the 2023 season. Of those six, Bowman returned three of them for touchdowns. Per PFF, Bowman’s 11 interceptions during that timeframe rank second among safeties.
With Minkah Fitzpatrick having just one interception over the past two seasons, the Steelers haven’t gotten the splash plays from the back end of their defense that Fitzpatrick once gave them. If Bowman’s ball skills can translate to the next level, he could prove to be a solid depth piece and eventual starter.
At the 2025 NFL Combine, Bowman measured in at 5097 and 192 pounds. He ran a 4.42 40-yard dash and had a 35.5-inch vertical jump with a 10’3″ broad jump.
In his scouting report, Jim Hester gave Bowman a third-round grade and praised his “incredible instincts” as well as his football IQ and “fiery playing personality.” However, knocks against him included his size and inconsistent tackling.
If Bowman is around on Day 3, he could wind up being a steal for Pittsburgh. Even with Thornhill in the fold behind Fitzpatrick and Elliott, Bowman could get playing time in sub-packages and appears to have the potential to grow into a future starter. Safety might not be the Steelers’ biggest need, but it’s a position they’ve looked at, and while there haven’t been too many links to Bowman, he would be a really intriguing prospect to add defensively.
It’s rare to find a player as smart and instinctual as Billy Bowman available in Day 3, and if Pittsburgh hasn’t addressed safety, Bowman will likely be under consideration if he’s around in the fourth or fifth round.
