Where does Shedeur Sanders rank on the Steelers’ Big Board?
What are the chances of the Steelers actually drafting QB Shedeur Sanders? Regardless of where one stands on this topic, we won’t have much longer to wait. The 2025 NFL Draft is this week, the first round falling on Thursday night. By the end of that night, we will, in all likelihood, know the answer.
I have no doubt that the Steelers rank Shedeur Sanders among their top 21 prospects, but how high? Every team will have a different-looking board, skewed toward philosophy, priority, and need. In other words, the Steelers could have numerous players ranked in their top 21 available to them when they select.
The way Pittsburgh does its board, basically, is it simulates a one-team mock draft up to its own first-round pick. In this case, they write down, in order, the top 21 players they would draft, from Cam Ward and on. The board factors in positional value and need, so wherever Shedeur Sanders ranks is where the Steelers view him relative to the class.
This is why, barring phone calls about trades, they always seem to “run to the podium”. They already took all of the thinking out of the process and know exactly who they want. Who they want, anyway, from who is still available. Do the Steelers have Ward, Sanders, and Jaxson Dart in the top three spots on their board? I highly, highly doubt that.
But is it possible that the Steelers have Shedeur Sanders ranked higher than Walter Nolen, Kenneth Grant, and Derrick Harmon? Perhaps, provided that they genuinely like him that much. I think that consensus also plays a part in this, as well. Mike Tomlin might pound the table for him, but he is not the universal decision maker. His voice undoubtedly carries the most weight, but it’s not quite a dictatorship. It’s more like a shareholders meeting, and he has 49-percent stake in the company.
The good news is we should know soon, or at least whether we know or not won’t be relevant. The Steelers will or will not have a shot at Shedeur Sanders, and they will or will not draft him. If he’s on the board and they still take a defensive lineman, that will tell us all we need to know.
The Steelers’ 2024 season has come to its predictably inauspicious end, with yet another one-and-done postseason for HC Mike Tomlin. The offense faltered, and the defense matched it blow for blow, leading to a 21-0 first-half deficit.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is the quarterback question. There are other major decisions to make, as well, such as what to do with George Pickens. Do you sign him to an extension, try to trade him, or let him play out his rookie contract?
The Steelers started the 2024 season 10-3, with Mike Tomlin in the Coach of the Year conversation. Wash, rinse, and repeat, and we have another late-season collapse. This may be the worst yet, a four-game losing streak presaging a one-and-done playoff “run”. Welcome to Steelers football.
