Steelers Caught In A Wild Mix With New York Giants In Round One Of 2025 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers were one of the many NFL franchises that had fans on the edge of their seats during the 2025 NFL Draft. Pittsburgh had an obvious and glaring need of help on the defensive line, but still, the Steelers were in need of a quarterback entering the draft. As many were fooled and shocked by Shedeur Sanders drastically falling down the draft board, the Steelers decided to grab Derrick Harmon with the 21st overall pick, despite some chatter circulating that the Steelers were interested in trading back in the first round.

Along with the Steelers, the New York Giants were one of the few other NFL franchises that were also in need of a quarterback. How early or late they would select a quarterback was uncertain, due to the additions of Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. 

Ultimately, General Manger Joe Schoen and the Giants traded up at the 25th overall pick with the Houston Texans to select Jaxson Dart. The Giants recently revealed footage of what took place inside their building as they worked to trade up for Dart late in Round 1. 

Schoen stated that he and the Giants were receiving calls from every team from pick number 18 and on because of their desire to take a quarterback. In the footage, Schoen mentions both the Steelers and Denver Broncos, who had the 20th overall pick. 

"Pittsburgh's a quarterback-needy team but they're looking to move back, too," Schoen said in the Giants' draft room. 

The Steelers were never going to trade back with Harmon left on the draft board, unfortunately for Schoen and the Giants. The same can be said about Texas star cornerback Jahdae Barron, who the Broncos scooped up with the 20th overall pick. After the draft, the Schoen addressed that specific aspect. 

"It can definitely become stressful from that standpoint because you get into the 20s and now all of the sudden there's players that general managers didn't think were going to be there. So they go from, 'Hey, we want to move back, there's not going to be anyone we like,' to,'nah, we're not going to take your deal because we're going to take our player.'"

Schoen is likely referring to a trade that almost happened between either the Broncos (20th pick), Steelers (21st pick), or the Los Angeles Chargers with the 22nd pick. Schoen also says in the footage that he was willing to offer the Steelers the "same deal" they were going to offer another team.

"All week, he said he would do this deal, and how he's backing out on us," Schoen said in the video on draft night. "But the Steelers aren't going to trade with Cleveland."

The Cleveland Browns also needed a quarterback after bolstering their defensive line with the fifth overall pick. Whether or not the Steelers were the team the Giants almost had a trade set up with is unproven, but it's certainly possible considering not many thought Harmon would be available at the 21st spot. 

Ultimately, both the Steelers and Giants found their quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Giants are hoping Dart is their next franchise quarterback, while the Steelers took Will Howard late as a hopeful pick in the sixth round. 

Steelers Loaded With 2026 Draft Picks

The Steelers are set with 12 draft picks for the 2026 NFL Draft, a draft in which the quarterback class should be significantly better than the 2025 class with Dart and Sanders. If the Steelers find themselves having a late first rounder once again next year, then they will have plenty of capital to move up the board like the Giants did this year. 

What do you make of the Giants' recent footage of inside their draft room on draft night? Do you think the Steelers initially were ready to make a trade with them? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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