Welcome to the “If George Pickens gets traded, then…” mock.
Do I think the Steelers want to trade Pickens? No. I think they want to play him and DK Metcalf together in 2025, and then either extend or tag Pickens for 2026 after the two of them make the duo in Cincinnati look like amateurs. Option two would be to let him the young man hit free agency and earn a major comp pick for 2027. Call that 60-70%.
The remaining 30-40% comes from the chance that Pickens will inform the team he wants to leave, creating a “volunteers not hostages” scenario. Indeed, this may have happened already. Think it through and you’ll see that Pittsburgh’s front office would have asked the young man to keep things mum so the team could negotiate the best terms in a trade. This mock assumes that is the scenario we are in. George Pickens has asked to be traded, and Omar Khan is looking for a partner. Ideally one who will give the Steelers a Round 2 pick to replace the one that went to Seattle as part of the Metcalf transaction. I still hope for the more likely answer, but all those Day 2 WRs in for a visit have to make you wonder.
More below. For now, let’s deal with Round 1.
Round 1 – DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon. 6-5, 310 lbs. with long 34⅜” arms and big 10⅜” hands.
Harmon has been my favorite target for Pittsburgh since I started work on the Big Board back in January. I was around when the Steelers picked Cam Heyward in 2011, and I promise you the overall vibe this year with Derrick Harmon is all but identical. The young man is a Steeler in waiting.
Yes, Harmon may be a late-1st talent on your typical all-teams board. I would be surprised – really surprised – if he isn’t DT1 for this particular team.
Harmon fits what the team does. He fits what it wants. He has the ceiling the Steelers crave. He will fall all over himself for the chance learn from Cam Heyward. He has the body type to really absorb what the master has learned over all these years. And the team can afford to let him play a rotational role in his rookie year, which will get his feet NFL-wet while he focuses on just getting better.
It’s a perfect match. Done.
| DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon by way of Michigan St. (RS Junior). 6-5, 310 lbs. with long 34⅜” arms and big 10⅜” hands. Born Oct. 9, 2003 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Visit] Derrick Harmon is one of those rare prospects who fits the Steelers’ mold, with Round 1 marks for strength, length, and attitude. He plays like a Steeler. His solid (if inconsistent) pad level made him a real force against the run in college, and he’s flashed some decent pass-rush moves. The ever-hot motor fits too, as does his high-level experience, and the reports that he’s a high-character asset in the locker room. Watch film and you’ll see some eye-popping moments when he knifes through an OL in a manner we haven’t seen for quite some time in the Burgh. FWIW, Harmon seems to have had a light bulb moment in 2021-2022, when he suddenly got in shape, dropped 50 lbs. and doubled his measurable strength. Daniel Jeremiah emphasized a set of spectacular interviews during the Combine coverage and mentioned Harmon’s “quick hands”; a talent that enhances both pass rush and block shedding. His physical lookalike on the numbers was Chris Jones! |
| Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting profile from January triggers eerie flashbacks to Cam Heyward’s draft profile: A long, strong, power player who backs it up with good athleticism but doesn’t rely on being quicker than OL opponents, with a very high floor, questions about the ceiling, and enough technical gaps to really need 2-3 years of NFL coaching before he can get beyond “just a starter.” Alex acknowledged the strong Heyward echo, but instead went with Leonard Williams as the comp. Readers should remember that Heyward famously went at the very end of Round 1. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 1 grade, #3 of the class) quotes a scout who says the same thing: “the tape… reminds me of a young Cam Heyward but bigger.” Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile from late November (fringe-1st grade) prefers a DaQuan Jones comp based on all the same assets with perceived limitations on lateral mobility that could limit the ceiling. “Harmon is likely a rotational defender early in his NFL career before developing into a high-volume snap taker by the end of his rookie contract.” The Bleacher Report scouting profile (strong Round 2 grade) says, “Harmon’s ability to take on double teams is a big part of what sets him apart as a run defender,” and projects him “as an impact starter [as a versatile 4-3 IDL] who can contribute on all three downs.” This goes to a nice, gif-supported scouting report from a Steelers POV that came out in February. “Derrick Harmon… was in the backfield a lot. He has a quick first step and good hand usage that led to him consistently darting by his blocker and into the quarterback or running back’s face. He was among the top college defenders in quarterback pressures in 2024, which is impressive for a defensive tackle.” Many more pressures than sacks, however, which explains why he’s generally viewed as a mid- or late-1st talent rather than early. |
Also considered: DTs Kenneth Graham, QB Shedeur Sanders, WR Matthew Golden, CB Jahdae Barron, SAF Nick Emmanwori, and SAF Malaki Starks.
ROUND 2 – DK METCALF
!!TRADE!! GEORGE PICKENS TO NEW YORK JETS FOR PICK 3:09 (#73 OVERALL) and a 2026 PICK IN ROUND 2-4
The Jets have a new QB in Justin Fields. The Jets need a wide receiver to play across from Garrett Wilson. Fields and Pickens have a preexisting relationship from their time in the Burgh. It just makes sense…unless New York has the hots for a receiver who mysteriously falls out of Round 1 like Tetairoa McMillan or Matthew Golden.
I thought about making this a one-to-one exchange for New York’s pick at #42 but decided that would be ambitious. Better to illustrate a more flexible alternative that sidesteps the value discussion. We know the Steelers could use more trade bait to move up for a prime QB prospect in 2026. Incorporating 2026 consideration lets you customize the Steelers return based on your opinion on what a Pickens trade should yield. By the numbers, New York’s current Round 2 pick is worth 142 points. The Round 3 pick is only 65 points. If you think that Pittsburgh has the whip hand, make it a 2026 Round 2. That would be another 65 points. A 2026 Round 3 pick would be 30 points. It’s up to you. Plug in the 2026 round required to match what you think the Steelers can get in this trade. It won’t change the analysis for the rest of this mock. But do feel free to argue your position down in the comments!
Also considered: Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, and Arizona Cardinals
Round 3 from NYJ (#73 overall) – WR Jaylin Noel, Iowa State. 5-10¼, 194 lbs.
With DT out of the way, I pencil this in as a pick for the offense: WR2, QB3, or RB1. Here is a list of the late-2nd to early-3rd targets for those positions with whom the Steelers have shown some kind of special interest:
| QB Jaxson Dart [VISIT] QB Tyler Shough [VISIT] QB Will Howard [PRO DAY DINNER] |
RB TreVeyon Henderson [PRO DAY DINNER] RB Quinshon Judkins [PRO DAY DINNER] RB Kaleb Johnson [VISIT] RB DJ Giddens [VISIT] RB Dylan Sampson [VISIT] RB Bhayshul Tuten [VISIT] |
WR Tre Harris [PRO DAY COACH] WR Jayden Higgins [VISIT] WR Jaylin Noel [VISIT] WR Savion Williams [VISIT] |
WRs Harris and Higgins lead the pack, along with QB Jackson Dart. All three would have been serious considerations had the Jets forked over Pick #42! So let’s assume they are gone by pick #73. [NOTE: I would personally add in my draft crush WR Elic Ayomanor, and maybe WR Jalen Royals, but this list is long enough already. We’re including only players the Steelers have focused on.] The running backs get discounted because there are so many that I’m willing to wait. That leaves QBs Shough and Howard versus WRs Noel and Williams, with only 10 picks until we get to go again.
I choose Noel because people haven’t been paying him enough attention. I think he’d make a great counterpoint to DK Metcalf, and he offers inside/outside versatility that Roman Wilson may not have.
| WR Jaylin Noel (“nole,” not “no-ell”), Iowa St. (Senior). 5-10¼, 194 lbs. with 29½” arms and 8¾” hands. Born Sep. 4, 2002 (22 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] On the intangibles front, Noel was a two-year captain at Iowa State, received numerous Big 12 coaches awards, and some academic honors. Color that box checked! Then he popped onto the scene at the Senior Bowl, where this small, dense WR was so good that the opposing DBs named him the practice player of the week. No one wins that honor unless he’s bursty as heck and already runs good routes. Enter the Combine, where he compiled a starting 97th-percentile RAS based on elite scores in everything but size, and despite the extra handicap of a 10-lb. typo in the weight column. Then factor in return ability that is every bit as good as his receiving chops. Innnteresting… This goes to a Steelers Depot interview with Ross McCorkle, and this to the Depot Scouting report by Jonathan Heitritter (Round 2 grade). Jon describes Noel as “an undersized, yet polished prospect who can make plays all over the field from the slot, winning quickly as a route runner on short and intermediate concepts while also being able to stretch the field and win jump balls down the field, too.” I.e., a talented chain mover with good mass but a severe lack of length who projects best in the slot but isn’t limited to that role. To my eyes and ears, the descriptions leave vibes of a slightly smaller but just as dense Deebo Samuels (2” and 10 lbs.), with even better speed and the same kind of inside/outside/gadget versatility. But is that what Pittsburgh could really use, especially when the player is still battling the occasional drops? Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile (Round 3 grade) notes that “Noel has been predominantly implemented as a slot receiver [who has]…run a bevy of routes…His frame is compact, and Noel offers quick feet…[but] his second gear doesn’t scream ‘burner.’” He adds that “Noel’s value as a slot receiver is boosted by some prolific numbers as a return man.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 3 grade, but Zierlein has said on-air that will probably go up). “His routes can be a little unfocused but that’s correctable with coaching. What can’t be coached is his consistent play speed. He can accelerate and separate from turns and stems and tends to uncover on cross-country routes.” |
Round 3 (#83 overall) – QB Tyler Shough, Texas Tech. 6-4⅞, 219 lbs.
Working off the same list, my heart wants me to pick one of the RBs, but my head says the QB just makes sense. Picking a QB here becomes all but mandatory if Aaron Rodgers retires instead of joining the team for 2025 but makes sense even if he comes on board. Pittsburgh likes to carry three QBs on its 53-man roster, with an optional fourth on the practice squad. Tyler Shough would slot right in as the QB3, with legitimate hope that he could challenge Mason Rudolph as QB2 in 2026 behind the anticipated QB1 to be picked somewhere in the top 10. There is even a chance that he’ll prove to be one of those rare Day 2 QBs who makes the extra-big leap. The native stuff is there.
The elephants in the room are Shough’s age and injury flags. I’m not really worried about the first for a QB, and especially for one who I’m picking with the expectation of a backup role. The injuries are all broken bones, which tend to heal completely and be even stronger than they were before. Put it this way: he’ll be off the board if my team doctors say he has fragile bones, but I’m not willing to assume that diagnosis based on his history alone.
Why not Will Howard? The quarter came up tails. Live with it.
| QB Tyler Shough (“Shuck”), Texas Tech by way of Oregon (7-year RS Senior). 6-4⅞, 219 lbs. with 9¾” hands. Born Sep. 28,1999 (25 years old). [Mtg. at Visit] [2021 broken collarbone, 2022 broken collarbone, 2023 broken fibula] Excellent size, easy NFL arm talent, very good mobility, and a full slate of college experience under excellent QB developers. That’s impressive! He also killed the Combine by compiling a 95th-percentile RAS, which included much better (4.63) speed than expected (very similar to Josh Dobbs fwiw), and the most impressive arm of anyone there. So why isn’t Shough in the Round 1-2 conversation? You need to discount his grade for (A) that long list of season-ending injuries, all of which occurred before halfway through the season, and (B) he’ll turn 26 soon after opening week of his rookie year. Shough has been around long enough to be Justin Herbert’s backup at Oregon! Ignore those discounts and Round 1-2 would be appropriate. And, in fact, the buzz is building! Shough was voted as the best practice QB at the Senior Bowl. That sent respected analysts like Louis Riddick (review is linked) and Todd McShay (same) back into the film room, from which they emerged with “Steal Of The Draft!” narratives. Greg Cosell has him as the #2 QB in the draft based on film alone. The expansive PFN scouting profile from the same time period puts it bluntly: “Shough could be a high second-round pick, and one could argue he deserves to be in the same conversation as Ward and Sanders. However, his talent cannot be evaluated in isolation…External factors, such as his age and injury history, play a significant role in his draft stock.” This gif-supported, Vikings-oriented scouting report agrees on the Day 2 grade and the QB3/4 position for this year’s draft, despite some well-argued frustration about Shough’s field vision and tendency to check things down too quickly. Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) puts Shough as his personal QB 4, very close behind Will Howard and well ahead of everyone else. He concludes that “Overall, Tyler Shough is a solid and well-balanced quarterback. Some of the buzz he’s receiving is warranted…But you have to wonder if Shough took advantage of being a 25-year-old facing mostly 20-22-year-olds, defenders who simply weren’t as mature and experienced.” This goes to a Steelers Depot interview from March. |
Also considered: QB Will Howard. The RBs listed above. CB Jacob Parrish
Round 4 (#123 overall) – DJ Giddens, Kansas State. 6-0¼, 212 lbs.
One of those six RBs listed above should fall this far, and we can add RJ Harvey [VISIT] and Ollie Gordon II [VISIT] to the list for Round 4. Why Giddens? Because the Steelers’ front office reads every Depot article out there (obviously), with special focus on the comments section (what else?), and this is the name that will make the most people happy.
See how powerful we are? Oogah boogah!
| RB DJ Giddens, Kansas St. (RS Junior). 6-0¼, 212 lbs. with 30⅜” arms and 9¼” hands. Born Aug. 26, 2003 (21 years old). [Mtg. at Combine, Visit] Cue the Jaylen Warren vibes, except 5” taller and 10 lbs. lighter. Giddens is solid, all-around RB with good vision, elusiveness, contact balance (not a given for someone his height), patience to let blocks develop, and short-area quickness to make tacklers miss. He projects as an excellent fit for the outside zone system that Arthur Smith prefers. Note that Giddens surprised the world by compiling a top 3% athletic profile with elite speed and explosion numbers. Earlier scouting reports tended to discount those factors and view him as a more limited doubles hitter. Now it is clear that home runs are there to be had if his skills develop. Jonathan Heitritter’s Depot scouting report (Round 3 grade) compares Giddens to Chuba Hubbard “as another high-cut runner who has good size and play speed but wasn’t seen as the freak athlete. However, after backing up Christian McCaffrey for a couple of years, Hubbard broke into the starting lineup and shined in 2024, earning himself a lucrative contract extension. I see a similar trend for Giddens.” Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 5, pre-Combine grade) calls Giddens a “workhorse with good size and strong production…[who] defies expectations as a big back who doesn’t run with heavy power [and] lacks explosive elements in his game. He’s a long strider with wiggle between the tackles…[who] will lacks explosive elements in his game.“ This solid, Steelers-oriented scouting profile (Round 3 grade) concludes that “Giddens is a productive…runner whose skill set is somewhere in between an early-down and third-down back – not quite enough speed or pass-catching ability, but not a ton of power, either. However, he consistently wins with great vision and surprising elusiveness and should find a role at the NFL level.” This goes to a mid-March scouting profile (Round 4 grade). The NFL Draft Buzz profile sounds like another Round 3 grade, though it forecasts distinctly limited snap counts unless and until Giddens learns to block. This good-looking, late-March scouting profile (Round 5 grade) describes outsize-zone skills, but seems to believe Giddens only fits as an inside runner. The mid-March Draft Network scouting profile (Round 5 grade) sees Giddens as an early-round runner worth picking for that alone but limited by a lack of “third down capabilities.” |
Also considered: RBs Bhayshul Tuten, Dylan Sampson, RJ Harvey, and Ollie Gordon II.
Round 5 (#156 overall) – CB/S Caleb Ransaw, Tulane (Senior). 5-11⅜, 197 lbs.
After three picks for the offense, it’s time to give the defense some extra love. Outside of ILB, the field is wide open since Harmon joined the fold. So this pick really comes down to finding the highest-ranking player who I think could be available. Up to now I focused on young men who came in for a visit. This will break that pattern, while recognizing a type the Steelers have been exploring: the superior Nickel DB.
Caleb Ransaw has a lot of technique to refine, but the bottom line is that he can quickly slide in as a role player due to his astounding athletic talent. Ransaw will be the slot CB we’ve wanted for years if all goes right. If things merely go well, he will be a short term solution for TEs and big-slot WRs, with some extra ceiling to tease us while he learns the nuances of the position. And if he’s too raw to do either? The athletic talent and attitude alone will make him a special teams standout. Not bad for a Round 5 pick.
| CB/S Caleb Ransaw, Tulane (Senior). 5-11⅜, 197 lbs. with 30¾” arms and 9¾” hands. Born Dec. 22, 2002 (22 years old). Elite speed, explosiveness, and physicality are the key selling points here. They combine to give him an excellent special teams floor and very good potential as a big slot and TE eliminator. The 9.96 RAS will and should raise eyebrows, though it should be noted that Ransaw declined to do the COD testing, and his challenges on film tend to be with extra shifty types. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round 4 grade) suggests a potential shift to safety because Ransaw “will have to prove he can stay connected to shifty route-runners… [and overcome his] below-average ‘turn-and-find’ when his back is to the ball.” Tom Mead’s Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade) sees the very high potential but has more concerns about the amount of work required for Ransaw to get there. |
Also considered CB Justin Walley, S Hunter Wohler, NT Cam Jackson, NT Jordan Phillips
Round 6 (#185 overall) – DT Vernon Broughton, Texas (Senior). 6-5, 311 lbs. with enormous 35” arms and 9¾” hands.
Time to double dip in the riches of this very rare class. My last mock included Yahya Black in Round 6 based on his visit to the team. That still works, but if Vernon Broughton is there, I would like him even better. I have seen or heard several scouting profiles that end in a Round 3-4 grades on this young man. But let’s write those off. Even the negative reviews end in a Round 5 grade, and this is Round 6!
Just to be clear, I don’t believe for a second that Broughton would fall this far in any other year. But it isn’t hard to imagine in 2025. That is why I keep coming back for a Round 6 double dip. It’s pure BPA for a prototype that Pittsburgh treasures and has struggled to find for the past several years. Look at the alternatives listed below if you want a deeper explanation.
| DT Vernon Broughton, Texas (Senior). 6-5, 311 lbs. with enormous 35” arms and 9¾” hands. Born July 15, 2001 (23 years old). [Mtg. at Combine] The conclusion to Alex Kozora’s Depot scouting report (Round 5 grade) sets up the discussion perfectly: “Overall, Broughton is a plus run defender with plenty of strength. He’s old school and can two-gap at an above-average level, but he’s a two-down player who lacks the refinement and arguably the athleticism to get after the quarterback.” The key to Broughton’s fans will be that word “arguably.” The young man played in an old-school, 2-gapping, 3-4 defense (the Pittsburgh Okie) that asked him to occupy the OLs in his region in order to set the edge and free up his ILBs. He wasn’t really asked to pass rush, though the stats say he does it well. So how limited will he be when he’s trained and encouraged to do so? It’s pure speculation, but enough to earn a grade worthy of Pittsburgh’s final mid-round pick. This goes to a Steelers Depot interview. Lance Zierlein’s NFL.com scouting profile (Round-5ish grade) has a different view. It describes Broughton as a prospect who needs to add grown-man strength but has the “first-step quickness to penetrate and above-average range as a tackle…an adequate anchor…[and] an instinctive rusher with a diverse plan and [who] is outstanding at causing havoc with his length and footwork. His rush alone creates rotational value as a three-technique or odd-front defensive end.” Kyle Crabbs’ 33rd Team scouting profile (Round 4 grade) agrees that Broughton has a lot of assets, including a decent anchor. “He’s built top-heavy, which can challenge his balance at the point of attack.” Crabbs also sees an unfortunate lack of “explosiveness that would [have] put him over the top as a player.” |
Also considered DTs Yahya Black, Thor Griffith, Tonka Hemingway, Tim Smith, CJ West, Howard Cross, Jared Harrison-Hunte, Junior Tafuna, and Nazir Stackhouse. See what I mean about BPA bargains because of excessive depth?
Round 7 (#229 overall) – CB Jordan Hancock, Ohio St. (Senior). 6-0⅛, 195 lbs.
James Pierre from a bigger school. Hancock’s floor is “marvelous special teams ace.” His ceiling, like Pierre’s, is “who the heck can guess, but he has a long way to go before he gets there.” That’s as good as I hope for this far down in the draft.
| CB/TEAMS Jordan Hancock, Ohio St. (Senior). 6-0⅛, 195 lbs. with 30¾” arms and 8⅝” hands. Born Aug. 12, 2003 (21 years old). Tough, well-trained, but reported to have limited enough COD to put a ceiling on his upside. Absolutely marvelous athletic testing (98th-percentile RAS!) and special teams ability raise the floor. Projects as excellent depth with potential, sort of analogous to a bigger school version of James Pierre when we he hadn’t topped out defensively. |
CONCLUSION
Give me a choice and I will keep George Pickens instead of going through with the trade. But I wouldn’t keep him as a hostage, that’s the scenario we’re looking at, and so we get to something like this. It’s pretty darned good for a second best option.
- Round 1 – DT Derrick Harmon
- [Round 2 – Pre-spent on DK Metcalf]
- Round 3A – TRADE WITH NYJ. WR Jaylin Noel
- Round 3B – QB Tyler Shough
- Round 4 – RB DJ Giddens
- Round 5 – CB/S Caleb Ransaw
- Round 6 – DT Vernon Broughton
- Round 7 – CB/TEAMS Jordan Hancock
