In just four days the 2025 NFL Draft will get underway, mocks drafts will be done and over with, and players will start to learn where their NFL futures begin.
In the meantime, there’s still plenty of time left for speculation and debates. Today, that comes in the form ESPN’s Jordan Reid and his final seven-round mock draft for all 257 picks across the NFL Draft.
Within Reid’s seven-round mock draft, the Steelers swing big on a quarterback and add some explosive weapons throughout the rest of the draft while also addressing their secondary.
At No. 21 overall, Reid has the Steelers selecting Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart with whom they’ve been heavily connected throughout the pre-draft process. With his selection of Dart, Reid has the Steelers passing on the likes of South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori, Georgia S Malaki Starks, Michigan DL Kenneth Grant, and Texas A&M EDGE Shemar Stewart.
“The Aaron Rodgers waiting game shouldn’t keep the Steelers from drafting a QB here. With receivers DK Metcalf and George Pickens, Pittsburgh should pursue a young QB who can consistently deliver the ball downfield,” Reid writes. “Dart’s 80 completions on throws of 20-plus yards were the second-most in the FBS over the past three seasons.
“Learning behind Rodgers would be the ideal outcome for Dart, since he needs time to transition to the NFL from Lane Kiffin’s QB-friendly system.”
The Steelers met with Dart at the Senior Bowl, had a formal meeting with him at the Combine, and then brought him in for an official pre-draft visit.
He’s been compared to Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and is a guy who has improved year after year at the collegiate level. But there are concerns — and rightfully so — about Dart coming from an RPO-heavy scheme from Ole Miss.
Dart will need time to sit and develop. Ideally, that’s behind Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh, but the Steelers are still waiting for a decision there.
After landing Dart at No. 21, Reid has the Steelers beefing up the trenches with the selection of Oregon defensive lineman Jamaree Caldwell at No. 83 overall in the third round.
“Caldwell is a nimble mover for his size and would fit in well with the Steelers’ two-gap scheme due to his ability to stack and shed,” Reid writes.
Caldwell is another Steelers pre-draft visitor who brings great size and power to the table. Caldwell measured in at 6021, 332 pounds and projects as a nose tackle in the Steelers’ scheme, one who can stop the run and eat up space.
During the 2024 season, Caldwell recorded 29 tackles and five tackles for loss. He didn’t record a sack and was charged with seven missed tackles by Pro Football Focus on the season.
In a scouting report for Steelers Depot, Jim Hester compared Caldwell to former Green Bay Packers defensive lineman B.J. Raji.
Reid has the Steelers landing Texas running back Jaydon Blue at No. 123 overall in the fourth round and Penn State safety Jaylen Reed at No. 156 in the fifth round.
Blue is a pre-draft visitor who brings great speed and explosiveness at the running back position. Blue clocked a 4.38 40-yard dash and a 10’3″ broad jump. He put up impressive testing numbers from that aspect, and he was productive in 2024 for the Longhorns, recording 134 carries for 730 yards and 8 rushing touchdowns, along with 42 receptions for 368 yards and 6 receiving scores.
But he doesn’t exactly match the size that the Steelers historically like at the position.
The Steelers have done quite a bit of work on the safety position this offseason, too, and Reed is a guy who has flown under the radar some in the class.
Reed quietly was a second-team All-Big Ten safety in 2024 and was a two-year starter for the Nittany Lions. During the 2024 season, he recorded 98 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, three interceptions and six passes defensed as the Nittany Lions made a run to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
In a scouting report for Steelers Depot, Alex Kozora compared Reed to veteran NFL safety Tony Jefferson.
Late in the mock draft from Reid, he paired the Steelers with Arkansas wide receiver Andrew Armstrong in the sixth round at No. 185 overall and then closed out the draft with Iowa defensive back Jermari Harris at No. 229 overall in the seventh round.
Armstrong is a sleeper in the receiver class. He’s a big, physical presence who was quite productive at Arkansas, hauling in 78 receptions for 1,140 yards and one touchdown to lead the SEC. In a scouting report for Steelers Depot, Kozora compared Armstrong to veteran NFL wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.
As for Harris, he measured in at 6004, 191 pounds and recorded a 10’10” broad jump and a 37-inch vertical. He had three interceptions during the 2024 season at Iowa, returning one for an interception.
Top to bottom, here’s how Reid’s draft class for the Steelers looks like in his final seven-round mock draft:
- Round 1, Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
- Round 3, Jamaree Caldwell, DL, Oregon
- Round 4, Jaydon Blue, RB, Texas
- Round 5, Jaylen Reed, S, Penn State
- Round 6, Andrew Armstrong, WR, Arkansas
- Round 7, Jermari Harris, CB, Iowa
