Abate: Steelers 2025 Mock Draft 2.0 - First-Round Trade Back Sets Up Incredible Haul

The Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of needs to address throughout the 2025 offseason. It's expected that General Manager Omar Khan will use free agency, the trade market, and the 2025 NFL Draft to bolster the roster. The organization needs a more talented group overall, specifically on the offensive side of the ball. The front office's and coaching staff's hands will be full in the coming months.

Mock drafts will be ever-present in the lives of Steelers fans until late April. A lot is subject to change regarding prospects and their draft projections, but as the offseason officially gets underway, it's time to dive into another one from Steeler Nation. It immediately begins with a heck of a trade with the Green Bay Packers.

1.) Round One - 23rd Overall - Kenneth Grant - DL - University of Michigan

Green Bay was desperate to move two spots to select an edger rusher and, in the process, gave up the 23rd overall, 159th overall (fifth round) and a third-rounder in 2026. It was a no-brainer for Khan, and the Steelers still ended up getting Kenneth Grant out of the University of Michigan. Standing at 6'3" and 340 pounds, Grant is a massive run-stuffing body in the middle. 

Pittsburgh's inability to consistently stop the run was highlighted towards the end of the 2024 campaign, and while Grant is not going to get to the quarterback all that often, he provides a wall near the line of scrimmage that is hard for running backs to break through. He started 33 total games for the Wolverines and is exactly what the Steelers need on the defensive interior.

2.) Round Two - 51st Overall - Jayden Higgins - WR - Iowa State University

The first important position of need to check off the list early was defensive line. Just as important, but on the offensive side, is wide receiver. Jayden Higgins out of Iowa State was there for just two seasons, but is ready for the big stage. He hauled in 140 catches for 2,166 yards and 15 touchdowns partially thanks to his 6'4" frame.

Higgins is quick to break off the line of scrimmage and, despite his tall stature, can operate on the outside or inside. His versatility would be welcomed in the Steel City, and selecting him in the second round is just the beginning for the Steelers and Khan in this draft.

3.) Round Three - 85th Overall - Tre Harris - WR - Ole Miss

If the Steelers want to send a message to the fan base, the proper thing to do would be to invest on the offensive side of the ball every chance they get. Pittsburgh needs to get more physical at the wide receiver position, hence the decision to draft Higgins in the second round. With Tre Harris available in the third, it made sense to double-up at the position in order to solidify a questionable spot on the roster.

Harris is a physical, 6'3" wideout that absolutely could be a second-rounder when it is all said and done, but there was no reason for him to slip further in this scenario. A combination of a free agent signing, George Pickens, and the two draftees could completely revamp the group for Pittsburgh.

4.) Round Four - 121st Overall - Joshua Farmer - DL - Florida State University

There's no reason to get cute in the first few rounds of the draft for Pittsburgh. Back in the first round, the trade made sense with the Packers, but it has been all business since. Standing at almost 6'3" and weighing in over 310 pounds, Joshua Farmer from Florida State is another big-bodied lineman with long arms. 

He has the ability to fortify any defensive front, which is something that the Steelers need. Building in the trenches has been a goal for Khan since he was promoted in 2022, and fans shouldn't expect that trend to stop anytime soon.

5.) Round Five - 159th Overall (Via Packers) - Trevor Etienne - RB - University of Georgia

Head Coach Mike Tomlin loves himself any kind of NFL lineage. Trevor Etienne is looking to follow in his brother Travis Etienne's footsteps. Trevor isn't as highly-touted a prospect as Travis, but Pittsburgh has a need and will likely address the running back position in the mid-to-late rounds of the draft, especially if Najee Harris does not re-sign with the organization.

Trevor was a touchdown machine in college for the University of Georgia, finding the end zone 23 times on the ground and once through the air. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry in college and possesses a nice jolt of quickness and above average vision. He will absolutely be a name to keep an eye on when it comes to the Steelers' pre-draft process.

6.) Round Five - 162nd Overall - Quinn Ewers - QB - University of Texas

Back in 2023, some envisioned that University of Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers would be picked very early in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. That reality has diminished, but Pittsburgh could be looking to take a chance on a signal-caller come late April. Ewers is an ideal size as he stands at 6'2" and roughly 210 pounds. 

He may not be projecting as the franchise-caliber quarterback that he once was, but he's worth a shot, and the pick is made possible because of getting a fifth-rounder from Green Bay back in round one.

Steelers Address Other Positions Of Need With Three Seventh-Round Picks

It's an unfortunate reality in the NFL that seventh-round picks don't always end up making the 53-man roster. Pittsburgh is currently expected to have three in 2025, making it a rather interesting situation. Some other areas that will likely be addressed in the 2025 offseason include offensive line, safety and tight end. For the last of the three, it's no guarantee that Connor Heyward is back with the Steelers for another season.

For the team's last three selections in this mock draft, the decisions made resulted in taking Hunter Wohler, a safety out of the University of Wisconsin, Timothy McKay, an interior offensive line from North Carolina State and Moliki Matavao, a 6'6" tight end coming from UCLA.

What do you think of the mock draft above? Let us know in the comments below!

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