The Pittsburgh Steelers addressed their needs well during the 2025 NFL Draft, coming away with two defensive linemen (Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black) and a running back in Kaleb Johnson. They also took advantage of value, bringing in EDGE Jack Sawyer and filling out the roster with potential special team contributors in the seventh round by drafting LB Carson Bruener and CB Donte Kent. Appearing on The Fan Morning Show on 93.7 The Fan this morning, former NFL general manager Doug Whaley praised the Steelers’ draft haul and the way they attacked their weaknesses.
“They saw their deficiency, and especially Mike Tomlin and the running game, and they wanted to beef up their defense. They knew that they had the highest-paid defense that did not perform like the highest-paid defense, especially in crunch time. So they’re saying, this is what we have to do. We have to beef up that defense and not get seduced and go for the sexy pick, which would’ve been a quarterback,” Whaley said. “So for me. I think they hit it out of the park. It’s not sexy and it’s not, ‘Oh, we gotta score points.’ No, it’s what they’re all about. So true, Yinzer, Steelers fans should be happy.”
Pittsburgh opted to pass on a quarterback until the sixth round, as it clearly wasn’t in love with the class and some of its pre-draft quarterback interest was likely a smoke screen. They wound up with a player in Harmon who reportedly was a top-10 player in the class for a lot of teams if not for injury concerns due to tears in his labrum and rotator cuff. They also added a running back in Johnson who’s a perfect fit for their offense with their first two picks.
They were also able to double up on the defensive line with Black in the fifth round, and drafting Sawyer in the fourth should improve Pittsburgh’s run defense as one his best traits is setting the edge against the run. The Steelers worked on finding guys who could help stop the run and help them run the football, two areas that have been key to Pittsburgh’s identity over the years. They struggled too many times in doing both last season, and Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan recognized that and made an effort to improve through the draft.
While the Steelers did wait until the sixth round to take a quarterback in Will Howard, he’s a solid developmental piece and the Steelers didn’t take a swing on a quarterback in a class they didn’t love. It was a smart move to not force it at quarterback, and the Steelers got a lot of pieces that should be able to help them now and in the future while they can potentially look for their franchise quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft.
