The Pittsburgh Steelers head into the 2025 NFL Draft with several glaring needs, including quarterback, running back and defensive line — far more glaring needs than it felt like Pittsburgh had last year approaching the draft. But alas, under GM Omar Khan, there have been some solid values identified in the later rounds of the draft that have paid off as immediate contributors.
Can Khan continue the course with this 2025 draft class? If they can’t, this is what it might look like with a look at the projected Steelers depth chart for the coming season.
Editor’s note: These are my projections for the Pittsburgh Steelers depth chart in the 2025 season and mine alone. They do not reflect the opinions of the rest of Behind The Steel Curtain’s writing staff, nor am I claiming any “insider” information regarding the team’s current depth chart projection.
Steelers pre-draft depth chart: Offense
Position
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3
Position
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3
QB
Mason Rudolph
Skylar Thompson
RB
Jaylen Warren
Kenneth Gainwell
Cordarrelle Patterson
WR
George Pickens
Roman Wilson
WR
D.K. Metcalf
Scotty Miller
WR
Calvin Austin
Ben Skowronek
TE
Pat Freiermuth
Darnell Washington
Connor Heyward
Left tackle
Broderick Jones
Dylan Cook
Left guard
Isaac Seumalo
Spencer Anderson
Center
Zach Frazier
Ryan McCollum
Right guard
Mason McCormick
Max Scharping
Right tackle
Troy Fautanu
Dylan Cook
Steelers offense takeaways (23)
Quarterback is bleak. Duh. I mean, we all knew this. The Steelers have done plenty of work in terms of evaluating quarterbacks in this class, but there’s a lack of top-tier talent that feels especially glaring just a year out from a stunning 2024 draft class. The Steelers could truly be looking at Mason Rudolph as their top available option to start this upcoming season. The good news is that, at least for now, he’d be working with two high-end boundary receivers should Rudolph actually wind up behind center.
If the Steelers do, in fact, trade WR George Pickens, it feels like the team has made up very little ground at the position since the 2024 season. Fox insider Jordan Schultz reported ahead of the draft that the Steelers were fielding calls for WR George Pickens currently heading into the final year of his rookie contract after some ups and downs through his first two seasons. There’s no doubt that Pickens and Metcalf have similar ball skills along the perimeter (though, as HC Mike Tomlin points out, their difference in frame is significant), but if the Steelers elected to move on, the room would look… pretty much just as it did last season. If the intent is to trade Pickens for a mid-round pick, it seems like there’s a low likelihood the team can recoup the loss — at least, in this 2025 NFL Draft class, where there’s some depth but a lack of wealth in terms of top-tier talent at wideout.
The offensive line looks as good as it has in years. The Steelers should consider investing in depth along the offensive line in this draft, but as far as the starting unit goes, this group looks like a top-12 unit in the league. Rookies Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick played as well as anyone could have hoped as rookies, allowing a combined three sacks (33 total pressures) in a combined 1,047 pass protection opportunities, per PFF. For reference, Dan Moore Jr. allowed 12 sacks and 41 pressures on his own in 588 pass blocking opportunities. Pair that with Broderick Jones sliding back to left tackle — his native position — as well as a healthy Troy Fautanu at right tackle and the veteran presence of Isaac Seumalo at left guard, and suddenly, things are looking up in the offensive trenches.
Running back will obviously be prioritized. In case the Steelers allocating nine of their 30 official pre-draft visits on running backs didn’t indicate intent to draft one fairly early, one look at the depth chart certainly should. Tomlin stated he feels “comfortable” with Jaylen Warren’s ability to handle an RB1 workload, but even if that’s the case for 2025, he’s on a one-year deal, will turn 27 in November and has never handled more than 15 carries in a game.
Second-year WR Roman Wilson again projects outside the starting lineup. It’s difficult to say how Wilson’s rookie campaign would have played out if he hadn’t suffered an ankle injury during training camp. However, there’s no doubt that his absence during a crucial part of the offseason program likely set him back a bit in terms of his grip on the offense. As Tomlin says, it’s difficult to jump on a moving train. Coming out of Michigan, Wilson offered a lot as a route runner, and though a bit undersized, he’s an explosive, tough athlete who shouldn’t be written off as a contributor despite his disappointing rookie campaign.
Steelers pre-draft depth chart: Defense
Position
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3
Player 4
Position
Player 1
Player 2
Player 3
Player 4
DT
Cam Heyward
DeMarvin Leal
Isaiahh Loudermilk
Logan Lee
NT
Keeanu Benton
Montravius Adams
DE
Dean Lowry
Isiahh Loudermilk
LOLB
T.J. Watt
Jeremiah Moon
ROLB
Alex Highsmith
Nick Herbig
Jeremiah Moon
ILB
Patrick Queen
Payton Wilson
Cole Holcomb
Mark Robinson
SS
DeShon Elliott
Ryan Watts
FS
Minkah Fitzpatrick
Juan Thornhill
Miles Killebrew
CB
Joey Porter Jr.
James Pierre
CB
Darius Slay
Cory Trice Jr.
NCB
Beanie Bishop
Brandin Echols
Steelers defense takeaways (26)
Defensive line depth is just as concerning as you’d guess. There’s a good reason the Steelers have been favored on FanDuel Sportsbook to select a defensive lineman with the team’s first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft (currently +155). That reason is the lack of depth on the interior defensive line behind an aging Cameron Heyward (turning 36 in May), while also considering the offseason release of veteran Larry Ogunjobi (now with the Buffalo Bills). 2023 second-round pick Keeanu Benton has shown plenty of flashes, exhibiting his high ceiling, but one injury could send this interior defensive line into a tailspin for 2025.
It’s not too early to start looking toward the future at cornerback. The Steelers signed 34-year-old veteran cornerback Darius Slay to a one-year contract this offseason, but it still feels crucial to get ahead of that need with some depth at outside corner. Cory Trice Jr. averaged 8.1 snaps per reception allowed in his first full season (a team low) with the third-lowest passer rating in coverage (90.3), but a lengthy injury history should have Pittsburgh preparing an insurance policy along the boundary to secure the future.
Linebacker continues to feel like a sweet spot. Whether you’re evaluating depth at outside or inside linebacker, it feels like a luxury at this point. The depth that Nick Herbig adds behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith offers a ton of upside, as does Payton Wilson and a presumably healthy Cole Holcomb working behind Patrick Queen. Losing Elandon Roberts in free agency doesn’t feel great, but if Holcomb can return to form, getting him back in 2025 on a restructured deal will likely ease that blow.
Steelers pre-draft depth chart: Special teams 2025
Position
Starter
Position
Starter
LS
Christian Kuntz
Kicker
Chris Boswell
Punter/holter
Cameron Johnston
Punt returner
Calvin Austin III
Kick returner
Kenneth Gainwell
Steelers special teams takeaways (3)
New Steelers RB Kenneth Gainwell projects to step into the role of kick returner in 2025. The black and gold signed Gainwell for some depth at running back this offseason, coming off a successful 2024 campaign as the primary kick returner for the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Gainwell ranked sixth in the league with 18 returns last season, averaging 25.3 yards per return to RB/KR Cordarrelle Patterson’s 21.8.
Cameron Johnston re-gains his role as the starting punter once healthy. The Steelers signed Johnston to a three-year, $9 million contract ahead of the 2024 season, but unfortunately, a gnarly knee injury in Week 1 ended his debut season with the black and gold prematurely. Veteran Corliss Waitman performed admirably in his absence, but this is Johnston’s job to resume once cleared from injury, with a yards per punt average of 47.3 which ranks sixth among active punters in the league.
What do you think about this iteration of the Steelers' depth chart? Is there anything you’d change?
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