Abate: Steelers 2025 Mock Draft 3.0 - Trade Back Sets Pittsburgh Up For Huge Quarterback Move In 2026

The Pittsburgh Steelers will have a starting quarterback for the 2025 season at some point. With all due respect to Mason Rudolph, the offense will most likely be in a better position to score consistently with a veteran such as Aaron Rodgers at the helm. No one is quite sure when the 41-year-old will make his decision, but the hope is that it happens before the 2025 NFL Draft. The class isn't that deep at the signal-caller position anyway, but if Rodgers commits to playing in the Steel City beforehand, it could allow for a more strategic first round for General Manager Omar Khan.

Mock drafts are running rampant this time of year. Although it's hard to know which direction the Steelers will go until all Top 30 visits occur, the initial stages of free agency have pretty much wrapped up and the needs for Pittsburgh are quite easy to notice. Additionally, the team doesn't have a second-round pick and could get extremely creative to pick up a selection. In this third mock draft, Khan makes an aggressive move to trade out of the first round with the future in mind.

1.) Round Two - 38th Overall - Darius Alexander - DL - University of Toledo

The New England Patriots were absolutely desperate to jump back into the first round, so Khan took the call. In return for the 21st and 83rd overall picks, the Steelers landed the 38th and 69th overall selections in 2025, as well as second and third-round picks in 2026. Luckily, a 6'4", over 300-pound defensive lineman was still available in Darius Alexander.

The defender has fantastic strength on the interior with the ability to disrupt the opposing offense's run and passing games. That's exactly the type of player that the Steelers need right now. He is a bit older, as he will be 25 when the 2025 regular season gets underway, but some may look at that as a positive. He is a bit more molded and considered NFL-ready, something else that Pittsburgh needs with whomever is likely the first defensive lineman selected by the organization.

One of the biggest reasons for going along with this trade was the future draft capital. Pittsburgh is already expected to earn some compensatory selections in 2026, and with some more day two picks here from the Patriots, Khan would have the option to make a huge move up in the first round to draft the team's potential franchise quarterback of the future in 2026.

2.) Round Three - 69th Overall - Dylan Sampson - RB - University of Tennessee

Not all of the Top 30 visits have commenced, but it has been reported that University of Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson has received some interest from Pittsburgh. He went on an official visit to the team's facility and history says that the franchise often will draft players that end up going on a Top 30 to the Steel City. He is certainly a name to keep an eye on as the Steelers look to replace Najee Harris.

Sampson had an incredible collegiate career, which included a monster final season in 2024. He carried the ball 258 times for 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns. He is a bit smaller at 5'8", but has great speed. He also has reliable vision, something that seemed to hurt Harris during his career with the Steelers. Sampson could absolutely be in the black and gold come May.

3.) Round Four - 123rd Overall - JJ Pegues - DL - Ole Miss

There is going to be a trend in most Steelers mock drafts and that's the knowledge of the aforementioned Top 30 visits. JJ Pegues out of Ole Miss was in the Steel City in early March and has an interesting background. He is extremely athletic; he even used to be a tight end. However, Pegues then transitioned to play on the defensive side of the ball. He is expected to go early on the third day of the draft, making this selection a no brainer.

Pegues will take a little bit of time to adjust to the NFL, but it's a good thing that Pittsburgh was able to land Alexander in the second round after the trade back. Regardless of a trade or not, fans should not be surprised if the Steelers end up drafting two defensive linemen in the 2025 NFL Draft. Given the current state of the position, it just might make sense.

4.) Round Five - 156th Overall - Kyle Williams - WR - Washington State

The DK Metcalf trade was a shocker in the NFL world, especially because of the massive contract extension he was given by the Steelers. That deal, however, likely means George Pickens will be on his way out sooner rather than later. It shouldn't come as a surprise if the organization decides to take a low-risk, high-reward prospect at some point in the draft.

Kyle Williams out of Washington State is a versatile wide receiver that could develop into a very solid pass-catcher at the professional level. He hauled in 70 catches for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2024. His potential was too good to pass on this late in the draft, as many expect him to be taken late on day two or early on the third day, but a pick like this could hint at what Pickens' future holds.

Steelers Add Depth At A Couple Of Light Positions

Pittsburgh has a couple of starting offensive tackles, as well as reliable players to work in at safety on defense, but the team still could target the positions late in the draft. In this case, Emery Jones Jr., a tackle out of Louisiana State University, was available in the sixth round, and the organization could use some depth on the outside of the line on offense.

As far as the safety position goes, the final pick of the draft for the Steelers was Craig Woodson out of California. He has great ball skills and would have plenty of time to develop, as the franchise already has three starting-caliber safeties on the roster.

What are your thoughts on the third mock draft? Let us know in the comments below!

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