Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers are ready for the 2025 NFL Draft. There have been countless rumors surrounding the organization, and the updates from Aaron Rodgers on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday only made things more mysterious. The franchise desperately needs help on the defensive interior, but a team can't win in the modern NFL without a formidable quarterback. While Rodgers could still come to the Steel City to play, it's possible that a decision is made to draft a signal-caller in the hopes of finding the future. On the contrary, the defensive line and running back spots need help too.
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Steelers former Vice President of Football Operations and current General Manager Omar Khan smiles while on the field in Pittsburgh, PA.
General Manager Omar Khan has yet to draft a position other than the offensive line in the first round while in charge. That is expected to change in 2025, but it is up in the air as to which position he will target. There's also the possibility that the organization trades back to get a little bit more draft capital. Fans are anxiously awaiting for the franchise to be on the clock.
On ESPN's morning show, Get Up, analyst and insider Dan Graziano discussed the Steelers on Friday. He suggested that the expectation is for there to be a potential franchise-caliber signal-caller available at 21.
"Having the 21st pick in this year's draft, where six quarterbacks are not going to go in the first 12 picks, you know you're going to be able to get somebody," Graziano said. "You have your list of candidates."
There will definitely be a quarterback available in Round 1 that Khan and co. will have a chance to select, but many think that the defensive line may take precedent. Graziano disagreed and remained focused on the most important position in football.
"I think the Steelers know that they need to address this for the long-term at some point. [They] don't have a second-round pick; traded it for DK Metcalf. In the first round, I think they're a solid bet to take a quarterback. It may be a matter of them sitting tight and seeing which one falls to them because trading up is going to be so difficult. They don't have as much draft capital as others."
The draft capital is a concern for a trade-up, as the team would most likely have to give up one or multiple picks in 2026 to make a significant jump up on the board. Waiting and taking one of the guys the front office and coaching staff like could be the proper move. Overall, the growing sentiment is that the Steelers will go quarterback in Round 1, especially because of the Rodgers saga continuing.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan (left) and Head Coach Mike Tomlin (right) sit in the franchise's draft room as they anxiously watch the board in 2023.
If Pittsburgh elects against taking a quarterback early, it will pretty much be Mason Rudolph's job to lose unless Rodgers commits to playing in the Steel City. This will lead to more speculation about the future of the position for an organization that has had no legitimate answer since the 2022 campaign began. It is not a sustainable form of business in today's NFL to have questions under center each and every offseason.
This has what has led many to believe that the Steelers will draft a quarterback in the first round, and Graziano tends to believe that it is a solid bet to assume that it will occur. On the other hand, the franchise is often unpredictable and could surprise everyone on April 24th.
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Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (#2) makes a throw during 2022 training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Steelers Can't Play With Fire Forever When It Comes To Quarterback
It's quite remarkable that Pittsburgh has remained .500 or better since 2022 with no consistent play from any signal-caller. Rudolph arguably had the best stretch of anyone towards the end of the 2023 campaign. More questions will continue to arise until the organization figures out how to have a consistent voice in the huddle. Until then, the franchise will continue to hear about it from the fan base.
Do you think that the Steelers are a "solid bet" to select a quarterback with the 21st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft? Let us know in the comments below!
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