Despite a playoff appearance in January, the Pittsburgh Steelers' current rebuilding state leaves them in an undesirable position of limbo. With the 21st pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Steelers are just out of reach of the top prospects of the draft, making it difficult to pin down reasonable targets.
The uncertainty of teams ahead of them forces general managers in the mid-to-late first round into a rigorous preparation process. As they look to revamp their middling roster, the Steelers have plans in mind but cannot be certain any of them will be available by the time they are on the clock.
Ahead of his fourth year with the team, general manager Omar Khan is deep into the most challenging offseason of his career. Khan kickstarted the process by trading for star wideout DK Metcalf but is still without a quarterback, the biggest piece of his team. The team opted not to re-sign either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields in free agency, allowing it to explore other options. Fans are typically in favor of change, but not without an established sense of direction.
With several potential courses to take, the Steelers are one of the biggest wild cards of the 2025 NFL Draft. Their unpredictability can be a double-edged sword, but their clear roster needs make a couple of targets rise above the rest.
Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) drops back to pass against the Duke Blue Devils in the second quarter during the Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium
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Regardless of what happens with the Aaron Rodgers saga, the Steelers need to leave the 2025 NFL Draft with a quarterback. Jaxson Dart, who continues to rise up draft boards, has turned himself into a late first-round pick during the pre-draft process.
As a senior, Dart threw for 4.279 yards, 29 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2024. His numbers improved across the board each year of his college career. He might lack the upside to match Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, but his impressive game film late in the year can rival any high-level rookie prospect within the last decade.
At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, Dart has the ideal physique of a franchise quarterback. His underrated mobility and athleticism are far better than many give him credit for. He would certainly be a project, but one that would be worth the Steelers' given the position they are currently in.
Unfortunately for the Steelers, Dart's rise has been so prominent that it might have pushed him out of their range. Some are predicting the Ole Miss quarterback will be taken before Pittsburgh makes its selection at No. 21. Regardless, Dart needs to be at the top of Khan's list of draft targets.
RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton (RB09) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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By losing Najee Harris to the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency, the Steelers opened up a gaping hole in their backfield. Jaylen Warren remains on the roster, but the 5-foot-8 career backup has a frame far too small for that of an every-down NFL starter. Pittsburgh already tried and failed to increase Warren's role on multiple occasions.
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If North Carolina's Omarion Hampton is still available at 21, Khan has to take a shot on him. With all the backfield attention ahead of the draft on Ashton Jeanty, Hampton has seemingly flown under the radar. But with 3,164 rushing yards over the past two seasons, he has all the tools necessary to be an immediate game-changer on any roster.
As one of the most physical running backs in college football, Hampton will fill the void that Harris left behind. While Harris lacks the speed and burst to develop into a truly elite running back with the Steelers, he excelled as a physical inside runner. Hampton, a virtual tackle-breaking machine, should immediately take that role.
Without much acceleration and mediocre vision, Hampton could remind Khan too much of Harris to be worth the first-round investment. Still, if he is available late in the round, the Steelers have to view him as a priority draft target.
DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan
Michigan defensive lineman Kenneth Grant celebrates a sack on Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. during the College Football Playoff national championship game against Washington at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024.
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Defensive line has never been an issue for Pittsburgh, but it might become an area it needs to address soon. While Cameron Heyward is coming off a vintage eight-sack season in 2024, he celebrates his 36th birthday in May. A drop-off in production has to be expected sooner than later.
In defensive coordinator Teryl Austin's 3-4 base system, the Steelers can ill afford to lose Heyward's inside pressure up front. T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig wreak havoc on the edges, but Heyward is literally and figuratively the central piece to the front seven. Adding a solid defensive tackle in the 2025 NFL Draft might not excite fans the way a quarterback would, but it would be a savvy long-term move.
Several interior linemen are touted among the incoming class, but Michigan's Kenneth Grant has the most value of the players projected to fall near pick No. 21. Grant is coming off an All-American campaign that saw him notch three sacks and bat five passes.
Grant is not the same prospect that his Michigan teammate Mason Graham is, but his athleticism is off the charts for a 339-pound nose tackle. A clip of him chasing down Penn State running back Kaytron Allen went viral during the pre-draft process. Strength and run-stopping ability will limit him out of the gates, but Grant should immediately be a threat in pass-rushing sets.