The Pittsburgh Steelers moved around the board a bit over the three days of the 2025 NFL draft, but ultimately walked out with seven new players to add to their roster.
After finishing in second place in the AFC North last year and falling to the division champion Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round, the Steelers were hoping to find impact players to give them a better chance to compete.
Some of the new draft picks, including Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson and Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer, could end up doing just that.
There are still many who are concerned about the state of Pittsburgh's quarterback room after waiting until the sixth round to address the most important position in professional sports by drafting Ohio State's Will Howard.
Just how much did this draft impact the opinions of NFL experts regarding the Steelers this year? Let's take a look.
NFL power rankings 2025
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: 19 (-2)
Iyer: "The Steelers get docked for not getting a potential starting QB, but they did get their new power back, Kaleb Johnson, and a disruptive starting defensive tackle, Derrick Harmon."
Eric Edholm, NFL.com: 17 (-2)
Edholm: "The Steelers were a fascinating study from a quarterback perspective. I thought there was a case to be made to take one either at No. 21 overall or in their third-round spot, but Pittsburgh clearly knew more than we did about the situation. Gradually, like breadcrumbs, signs that a union with Aaron Rodgers could be imminent trickled out as the draft progressed on, relieving some of the pressure while Shedeur Sanders (who had been connected to Pittsburgh) kept sliding. After Sanders was picked by Cleveland, the Steelers eventually took Will Howard (another QB connected to them throughout the pre-draft process) in Round 6, and all was right in the world again. The Steelers' draft class, independent of any QB decisions, struck a lot of positive chords with me. DT Derrick Harmon and RB Kaleb Johnson were central-casting picks, and edge Jack Sawyer fits into that, too, even as he joins a loaded position group and likely can't play a lot in space. The Steelers did what they do, and they did it well. Now we'll see if the Rodgers (or another veteran QB) path works out."
Nate Davis, USA TODAY: 16 (+9)
Davis: "Despite an ongoing offseason of uncertainty, no one should suggest switching out Russell Wilson for Aaron Rodgers – assuming he ever signs a contract – is a lateral move at quarterback. Forward lateral? Maybe. But if the Steelers truly hope to punctuate another 9-8 season with a long-awaited postseason win, the most important components could be third-round RB Kaleb Johnson and a young offensive line that needs to fully coalesce."
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: 19 (-6)
Prisco: "As it is now, Mason Rudolph is their starting quarterback. Oh, boy. They better hope Aaron Rodgers wants to play."
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