Steelers Could Have Massive Problem With Baltimore Ravens Brewing For First Round Of 2025 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers currently hold the 21st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and have more needs than one. A lot of the chatter has been around either a first-round quarterback or running back, but neither is arguably what the team needs most. The defensive line is aging and/or mostly unproven, besides Cameron Heyward. There are some stout prospects at the position that are coming out of college, but the cream of the crop centers around roughly four first-round-caliber players. Mason Graham will likely go extremely early, while Derrick Harmon, Walter Nolen and Kenneth Grant will all be on Omar Khan's radar.

While the team could attempt to find a steal in the mid-to-later rounds, the likelihood of Pittsburgh going defensive line in the first round remains high. The only one out of the top four to attend an official Top 30 visit in the Steel City was Harmon, so he is certainly a key name to watch out for. Unfortunately for the Steelers, a division rival may have the capital to jump ahead of them to steal a specific interior defender.

Eric DeCosta, the general manager for the Baltimore Ravens, spoke to the media on Tuesday for an annual pre-draft press conference. He was asked about the plethora of selections that he currently posses (11 to be exact) and if he envisions using all of them. He was quick to mention the idea of trading, which could spark some speculation.

"We have 11 picks, and I've always looked at draft picks as currency," DeCosta said. "You can either use that on a player, you can trade up, you can trade back [and] you can trade for future picks in future years. I think we're fortunate to be in this position."

Baltimore is currently slated to have the 27th overall pick in the first round, which is only six behind the Steelers. With that much capital to play around with, DeCosta could steal Pittsburgh's dream defensive line prospect quite easily with a move up the board. This would present an upsetting reality that a top target for the Steelers would be playing for the Ravens for the foreseeable future.

DeCosta also got into discussing the defensive line class for the 2025 NFL Draft. He noted that it is a deep one, and hinted that he looks forward to adding to that room during the big weekend. The retirement of Michael Pierce has the general manager thinking of the position, as he was asked about the big man hanging up his cleats.

"Well, I think it's certainly a priority, and I think you're right," DeCosta said. "This is a fairly deep defensive line class. We've always been a team that wants to be big and strong and powerful on both sides of the line, [and] both sides of the ball. So, I think there's an opportunity for us to get better on the defensive line for sure."

All of the recent words from DeCosta are very telling. He acknowledged the amount of draft capital that he has at his disposal, while also commenting on the depth of the defensive line group. This is all following the retirement of a crucial part to the Ravens' defense. Connecting all of those dots has to make one believe that Baltimore would be ecstatic to jump up the board to grab the Steelers' dream prospect.

Steelers Would Loathe Losing Top Defensive Lineman To Ravens

The NFL is a business and anything can happen. Baltimore has picks to play with and Pittsburgh does not. Both teams could use some help on the defensive interior, which makes the situation even more intriguing as the draft inches closer. It would be extremely unfortunate if the Ravens got into the Top 20 and select a lineman that ends up being a perennial All-Pro.

Do you think that the Ravens could intentionally jump the Steelers in the first round to steal a defensive lineman? Let us know in the comments below!

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