The Pittsburgh Steelers have a pivotal event coming up with the 2025 NFL Draft being right around the corner. The organization probably has a good idea of what it is going to be doing, but, to the public eye, the Steelers are a complete wild card. Plenty of positions are a possibility for the Steelers with the 21st overall pick, including a potential franchise quarterback. Pittsburgh may have to trade up to find that, but the organization could also avoid picking on the first night altogether by trading back to gain additional draft capital.
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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.
The Steelers could do a lot of things in the first of the 2025 NFL Draft. Shedeur Sanders or Jaxson Dart could fall to the organization, and there is the possibility that either player could begin to slide down the board and Pittsburgh could trade up for them. It remains unclear what will happen, but team insider Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette does not believe the team will be making it a priority to trade back, which he made clear during a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show.
"A lot of people want to think they want to get that number two pick back, I'm not saying they won't, but I can tell you that they are not sitting here thinking 'We need to get that number two pick back.'" Dulac said. "They are content to look at DK Metcalf as their second round draft pick, because that's what they gave up to get them."
Pittsburgh stunned most of its fan base right before free agency began when the organization acquired DK Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks. In exchange, the Steelers gave up their second-round selection, which is absolutely worth it for a player like Metcalf. The wide receiver will be able to make an impact immediately, which is more than any player Pittsburgh could have selected in the second round could do.
AP
Pittsburgh Steelers new wide receiver DK Metcalf looks on during his time with the Seattle Seahawks.
Metcalf is a high-impact player that Pittsburgh was lucky enough to bring into the fold, but the team could use the second round selection it gave up. With the needs the Steelers have at quarterback, running back, cornerback, and along the defensive line, three picks within the first two days of the event would be nice. However, the trade did a fill a need at wide receiver that the Steelers have been trying to address for well over a year.
The draft board could still fall Pittsburgh's way. The event is extremely unpredictable, and anything could happen. Many fans thought Pittsburgh would be looking to trade back based off of who the team spent time with during the 2025 offseason. The franchise hosted tons of pre-draft visits with players who are thought to be second-round picks, which made it seem like General Manager Omar Khan would be looking to explore moving back in the draft.
Steelers.com
Pittsburgh Steelers Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick celebrates after a late-game interception against the Los Angeles Rams on November 10, 2019.
Steelers Have Seen Great Payoff From Trading Premium Picks In The Past
Prior to the Metcalf deal, the last time the Steelers traded a premium draft pick for a player was in 2019 when the organization acquired Minkah Fitzpatrick. The safety immediately turned into an All-Pro player, which made Steelers fans unbothered when their team didn't have a selection in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Fitzpatrick hasn't made a ton of splash plays over the last two years, but he is still considered one of the better safeties in the league.
The same could be true about Metcalf. He has been an All-Pro before, and he might be able to return to that form in Pittsburgh. The only issue is the quarterback situation, but with Metcalf and George Pickens anybody should be able to deliver that duo the football.
What do you think the Steelers will do on draft night? Let us know in the comments below!
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