Watch: Steelers Show Exclusive Interest In Top Running Back Draft Prospect Ashton Jeanty

The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to be a lock to draft a defensive lineman in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The current depth chart is not extremely reliable aside from veteran captain Cameron Heyward. While this seems like the easy decision, there's no telling what General Manager Omar Khan and Head Coach Mike Tomlin might want to do if the right prospect at a different position falls a little in round one. One spot to watch is running back, as the franchise will currently be working with Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell and Cordarrelle Patterson. The draft class is extremely deep at the position.

The overall top ball-carrier in the 2025 class is Boise State's Ashton Jeanty. The Heisman Trophy Finalist carried the ball a whopping 374 times and ran for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2024. He is expected to be selected in the top half of the first round, but some footage circulating on the internet will make Steelers fans wonder if there is significant interest coming from Pittsburgh.

Running backs coach Eddie Faulkner attended Boise State's Pro Day and was working out with Jeanty one-on-one as scouts and individuals stood around the two watching.

This is an interesting development because of a recent Steelers first-round decision. In 2021, the team selected Najee Harris in the first round and his career in the Steel City was consistent, but not spectacular. If Jeanty, for some reason, falls down the board and out of the Top 10, it would be interesting to see if the Steelers could potentially try to make a move up.

Pittsburgh trusts Warren, but his fumbling woes, combined with Gainwell's too, could mean that the team wants a legitimate third option aside from Patterson. A draftee will compete for carries immediately, especially if the other ball-carriers aren't consistent.

Jeanty is only 5'9", but is an absolute bruiser. He weighs in well over 200 pounds and has the burst in his game that Pittsburgh desperately needs to have in the offense. The defensive line is a crucial position to get right in this draft and without a second-round pick, it just might not make enough sense to move up to select the Boise State product.

It will be a completely different discussion, however, if Jeanty simply falls into the late-teens. Khan and Tomlin might be tempted to make a move, especially if the offense is going to continue focusing on running the ball and utilizing the play-action pass game. Faulkner deliberately took some time to coach Jeanty up, which is notable. He may have done so because he knows he will never have the chance, or, because, the Steelers' brass has significant interest in the running back. 

Steelers Likely Do Not Have Running Back Of The Future On Current Roster

With all due respect to the undrafted Warren, Pittsburgh is going to invest in a running back as some point in the 2025 NFL Draft. The position is a big deal in the Steel City, and it hasn't been up to par in recent years, despite Harris' four consecutive years with 1,000 yards or more on the ground. Jeanty would be a mesmerizing prospect to have in the locker room, but the team probably won't get the chance to even consider trying to draft him.

Do you think that the Steelers should think about drafting a ball-carrier in the first round again? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation