Going into the 2025 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers had several positions that they needed to address. Overall, it feels like they hit everything as well as possible. They took two defensive linemen, a running back, and a quarterback. They even added an edge rusher, a linebacker, and a cornerback/punt returner as well. Despite the haul, CBS Sports analyst and Steelers fan Ryan Wilson didn’t love Pittsburgh’s draft class, listing it among his worst.
“The last one I’ll mention here, my Pittsburgh Steelers,” Wilson said after the draft on his podcast, With the First Pick. “We’re living in a world where Will Howard saved this draft for me. I’ve come around on Derrick Harmon. If he’s healthy, I’m fine with that.
“I think I talked myself into a quarterback at 21, and Harmon was a little lower for me than [Walter] Nolen and Kenneth Grant. Kaleb Johnson, I don’t love, but if he’s 45-percent of Le’Veon Bell, okay. Let’s try to make that work. So many faster backs in this class, but fair enough, you need someone to bounce off Jaylen Warren.”
Wilson doesn’t have much love for the Steelers’ first two picks. However, it doesn’t seem like he dislikes their selection of Harmon as much as he initially did. It’s understandable why some Steelers fans might not have loved that pick at the time. Quarterback looked like their biggest need. However, looking at how the dominoes fell at that position, addressing the defensive line was the right call.
Johnson might not be the fastest running back in the world, but Mike Tomlin didn’t seem concerned about his speed. There are plenty of examples of Johnson breaking off huge runs in college. Once he gets a full head of steam, he’s tough to stop.
Wilson didn’t dislike every pick the Steelers made, although there still wasn’t a lot that he loved.
“Jack Sawyer, I’m a huge Jack Sawyer fan. I don’t care about the measurables not being there, I think he’s gonna be a rotational guy along with [Nick] Herbig. Yahya Black, 35-inch arms, he did not play up to the physical traits that you see getting off the bus. I like Will Howard a little bit more here. Carson Bruener, hometown pick, Mark Bruener’s son, University of Washington. He’ll be a special teams guy.”
Sawyer is an interesting player, especially for the Steelers. Edge rusher isn’t a huge need for them, and Sawyer isn’t a great athlete. He’s got short arms, too, so his upside as a pass rusher might be limited. However, he is a decent run defender, and he made several big plays in college. Those are two qualities the Steelers would’ve loved to have down the stretch last year.
Black is also a solid run defender that leaves a lot to be desired as a pass rusher. Too often, the Steelers got gashed on the ground in 2024. Drafting Black, along with Sawyer and Harmon, show that they’re committed to changing that.
Howard is the pick that Wilson endorsed the most. That’s fair because he could have decent upside for a sixth-round pick. Last year, Howard helped Ohio State win the National Championship Game, playing his best football. While he might not ever be a franchise quarterback, taking a chance on him isn’t a bad idea.
Bruener’s father is a former Steelers tight end and current scout for the team, but Tomlin stated that wasn’t the reason they drafted him. They like what he is as a player. While he might only be a quality special teams player, that’s still extremely valuable.
It doesn’t seem like Wilson has a strong opinion on Donte Kent, the Steelers’ other seventh-round pick. Ultimately, he did give their draft class a B- grade, but it still doesn’t sound like he loved what they did. There’s no telling if he’s right or wrong yet. We’ll see in a few years if the Steelers had more hits than misses in this draft.
