Approaching the 2025 NFL Draft, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on anywhere from Rounds 1 through 7. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital and their fit with the Steelers.
Defensive line, running back, quarterback, wide receiver… you know the drill when it comes to Steelers targets in the 2025 NFL Draft. But what if the team decides to select an offensive lineman? West Virginia’s Wyatt Milum would be the name to watch.
Position: Offensive tackle
Class: Senior
Size: 6’6, 313 pounds
Age: 23
Projected draft round: 3-4
Stats via Sports Reference
The first game I watched of Milum’s was his matchup against Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter — you know, the freakishly athletic, consensus top-three pick. While Milum unfortunately didn’t play the entire second half due to cramping up during the game’s lengthy, weather-delayed halftime, the first two quarters gave me a great idea of who he is as a player.
For one, yeah, he’ll probably need to kick inside to guard at the next level. Milum lumbers a bit off the line, and limited lateral quickness with sub-33-inch arms might make the switch non-negotiable.
But he held up well against Carter.
On a lot of plays, Milum survived on pure effort fending off Carter’s speed rush. The Penn State star eventually cleanly won a rep on a vicious inside move, but for the most part Milum was able to do just enough to shove him around the arc (Milum is No. 74 in all clips — left tackle).
Another thing that stood out is that Milum’s anchor is just as elite as Carter’s explosiveness. Milum stonewalls bull rushes and repeatedly wins against hand fighting when he’s able to effectively mirror. Once he clamps on, defenders have a tough time disengaging.
Milum is fun to watch in the run game. He’s at his best down blocking on power runs. He easily seals off lanes with his immense effort and strength — put him on a double team and it’s a near-guarantee the running back will have a massive hole to run though.
He can also handle the play-side defensive end on zone runs with his leg drive and impressive latch.
Milum’s demeanor is my favorite part of his game. As can be seen in the Carter clips, his effort is off the charts. But he can also be straight-up mean as a blocker. Some of my favorite easter eggs when watching Milum’s games were when he’d pancake a defender for no reason on the other side of the play.
Milum comes with some concerns in pass protection, especially when he’s left on an island. He can handle power rushes and hand-fighting well with his play strength and heavy hands, but speed is a constant problem. He’s occasionally slow out of his stance, and he often has to lunge to keep up with quicker defenders. A rough Senior Bowl amplified those worries.
His initial hand-usage could land high at times as well, opening the door for hands to the face penalties at the NFL level.
However, Milum shows more upside when moving forward. He doesn’t possess high-end athleticism, but he recorded a solid 8.08 RAS (for a tackle!) and routinely makes plays as a second-level blocker and puller.
I liked this instance of football IQ, as well:
Liked this avoidance of an illegal man downfield penalty, though. And I'm sure the DB appreciated not having Milum barreling downfield. pic.twitter.com/202yPbFUkQ
— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) April 4, 2025
Assuming Milum kicks in to guard in the NFL, he has enough athleticism to succeed in any scheme and the strength to hold up against NFL defensive linemen. His effort and toughness will be a great addition to most offensive lines. And although his arm length is well below NFL offensive tackle minimums, that added versatility is still attractive if he’s needed there in a pinch. He was pretty good on the outside in college — PFF credits him with no sacks allowed in over 1,155 pass-blocking snaps at left tackle during his time at WVU.
However, it is worth noting that while Milum has experience at both tackle spots, he played just one snap at guard his entire college career. He has what it takes to make the switch, but there might be some growing pains.
Wyatt Milum strengths
Incredibly high-effort player; nasty mentality
Impressive leg drive and anchor
Excellent functional strength and grip; rushers have a tough time disengaging
Adequate movement skills in the run game
Weaknesses
Below-average arm length for a tackle
Bit of a lumbering mover in pass protection; will likely need to switch to guard in the NFL
A lot of lunging when blocking up the arc
Initial strike often lands high, a potential penalty issue
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com
Tough, strong and assignment-oriented, Milum possesses the frame and mentality of an NFL player. It’s hard to get excited about his prospects as a tackle due to his shorter arms, but there is no reason to believe Milum can’t bump inside to guard and offer tackle depth in a pinch. He plays with heavy hands in pass protection and has ideal instincts to sniff out twists and stop them in their tracks. He’s hard to bull-rush or push around in the running game but he will slip and slide off sustain blocks at times due to a narrowing base. His physical profile, play strength and football intelligence could have him ready as an early starter for gap-scheme teams.
Kyle Crabbs of The 33rd Team
Milum projects most favorably at the NFL level as a conversion to guard. His lack of foot speed and length can be better protected on the interior, where he’ll have bumpers to keep him playing in closer quarters. I would generally perceive him to be a run-scheme diverse talent but an inside zone team could get the most out of his initial power and sufficient lateral mobility. Consider Milum a potential starting guard with emergency tackle flexibility
Jacob Infante of Pro Football Network
Strengths: Showcases good footwork in pass protection, maintaining a wide base and demonstrating ideal body control as he redirects laterally. … Times his jabs well, both in pass protection and as a run blocker, and places them precisely. … Does a good job of rolling his hips through contact to seal off defenders in the run game. … Weaknesses: Has a higher center of gravity, which can make it tougher for him to generate proper knee bend and stay as the lower man. … Uneven weight distribution can make balance an issue for him sometimes, particularly while he’s blocking on the move. … Pad-level issues can be amplified by his narrowing his base at the point of attack, particularly as a run blocker.
Was Milum’s pre-draft local visit with the Steelers a sign of real interest, or just a courtesy check-in with a nearby prospect? (The latter can absolutely happen — Pitt kicker Ben Sauls is pretty good but he’s not a priority for a BTSC scouting report as, you know, Chris Boswell exists). Milum, interestingly, is the Steelers’ only visit so far on the offensive line, and his draft stock is high enough that he’s unlikely to be a Day 3 flier.
The Pittsburgh O-line is undeniably a work in progress, with both tackles and right guard Mason McCormick young, unproven starters and left guard Isaac Seumalo a 2026 free agent who’s on the wrong side of 30. Paired with the unit’s subpar performance last year, and sure, it’s not unreasonable for the team to look for an upgrade even if bigger needs exist elsewhere.
Beyond that, Milum checks two interesting boxes I mentioned in an earlier Read & React column — the Steelers have selected a local visit in each of their last four drafts, and positions where the team meets with only one or two players tends to mean an increased interest in those specific names. In short, don’t count Milum out of Pittsburgh’s draft plans.
But what about his team fit? As Ryan Parish pointed out in that same Read & React column, Milum fits the Steelers’ desire to play bully ball to a tee, and he possesses the guard/tackle versatility Pittsburgh covets up front. Add that he’s a local prospect and a former teammate of center Zach Frazier, and Milum to the Steelers makes too much sense.
The question then becomes: The Steelers have spent a lot of resources on the offensive line over the past two seasons. How early would you be willing to draft a player like Milum, who might not even start Year 1?
TL;DR: Milum is a physical, experienced offensive tackle whose limited agility in pass protection and short arms will likely require a switch to guard in the NFL. He’s a technically-sound, nasty presence in the run game and a strong anchor as a pass-blocker.
What are your thoughts on West Virginia offensive lineman Wyatt Milum? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!
