Mock Draft Monday: The Steelers add a rising cornerback with their top pick
The Pittsburgh Steelers are moving through the 2025 offseason. With free agency continuing to shape next season’s roster, it will be followed by the NFL draft in April. The Steelers still have the opportunity to add some free agent acquisitions before making their first draft selection. With the NFL combine behind us, player pro days will also shape the team’s big boards before the draft.
When talking about mock drafts or NFL free agency, one first has to first identify the team’s main needs for the offseason. As the Steelers navigate free agency, there are some who would like to see the Steelers go with either cornerback or defensive line with their first-round pick. Others feel wide receiver, running back, or even quarterback could still be on top of the list. With plenty of chances for the Steelers to continue to shape their roster prior to April, their goal is usually to get into position to draft the best player available rather than target a specific position. When it comes to what position the team will select with their first pick, it is certainly up for debate.
In a recent seven-round mock draft by ProFootballNetwork.com, they have the Steelers addressing the cornerback position this season before anything else. With the Steelers having a need at corner ahead of free agency, this need has dropped by most familiar with the Stelers after adding two players in free agency. Since the Steelers could go in any number of directions with their first selection, it is important to look at all the possibilities presented by various mock draft outlets.
Check out the Steelers 21st pick:
21. Pittsburgh Steelers | Maxwell Hairston | CB | Kentucky | JR |
Being early in the draft process, there may be some players most fans are not familiar with. If this is the case, here is a breakdown of Maxwell Hairston according to bleacherreport.com (from January of 2025):
Maxwell Hairston
- HEIGHT: 5’11”
- WEIGHT: 183
- HAND: 8¾”
- ARM: 31″
- WINGSPAN: 76⅝”
- 40-YARD DASH: 4.28
- VERTICAL: 39.5″
- BROAD: 10’9″
POSITIVES
— Long arms and a good size frame to play at all levels. Shows well as a blitzer.
— Press defender who likes to get his hands on and ride receivers downfield.
— Shows great vision and awareness in zone coverage. Plays the quarterback’s eyes while feeling threats.
— Opportunistic player who looks to capitalize on tipped or overthrown passes.
NEGATIVES
— Not a burner. He can get stretched vertically at times.
— Inconsistent footwork can lead to wasted steps out of breaks and lacks an elite burst.
— Poor eye discipline in coverage. Eyes in the backfield can pull him out of position.
— Lacks consistent physicality in tackling, especially in the open field.
2024 STATISTICS
— 7 Games, 19 Tackles, 1 TFL, 1 Sack, 1 INT, 4 PBU, 2 FF
NOTES
— Games Started: 20
— 3-Star recruit in the 2021 class, per 247Sports
— 2024 Second-Team All-SEC
— 2024 Shoulder injury that kept him out weeks 5-10
— 2023 Second-Team All-SEC
OVERALL
Maxwell Hairston is a long and rangy cornerback prospect with a well-built frame for the position at 6’1″ and 186 pounds. Known for his ball skills and high turnover rate, Hairston has shown the ability to capitalize on opportunities and plays with good instincts. His size and awareness make him an intriguing option for NFL teams seeking a cornerback who can contribute in multiple coverage schemes.
Hairston excels in press coverage, where his long arms allow him to get hands on receivers and disrupt routes early. He’s adept at riding receivers downfield and staying in phase when given a cushion. His vision and awareness highlight his zone coverage abilities, as he does a great job of reading the quarterback’s eyes while tracking threats. Hairston is opportunistic, often looking to capitalize on tipped or overthrown passes. However, his speed is only above average, and faster receivers can stretch him vertically. His footwork can also be inconsistent at times, leading to wasted steps out of breaks and limiting his burst in tight coverage.
Though he’s more than a willing tackler, Hairston’s physicality in tackling is inconsistent, particularly in the open field. While he’s capable of blitzing and contributing against the run, his tackling leaves much to be desired, and he tends to shy away from contact at times. His lack of physicality when tackling could limit his effectiveness in specific defensive schemes that require corners to play a more aggressive role against the run.
Maxwell Hairston projects as a day two pick with the potential to develop into a high-level contributor in the NFL. His combination of length, press coverage skills, and zone awareness makes him an intriguing option for teams that play a lot of zone or press-man coverage. However, his inconsistent footwork and tackling ability will need refinement at the next level. With proper development, Hairston could become a solid starting cornerback in the NFL.
GRADE: 7.8 (Potential Impact Player — 2nd Round)
OVERALL RANK: 33
POSITION RANK: CB5
PRO COMPARISON: Rasul Douglas
For all you who are preparing yourself for the draft, what do you think of the selection? Would you be on board with the Steelers taking Maxwell Hairston with their first pick? Or do you feel there is a better player at this position, a different one who may still be available, or that Hairston will not make it to the 21st pick? Personally, I don’t see the Steelers as the team to jump the gun on drafting Hairston in the first round after having a good combine. Before Indianapolis, Hairston was believed to be either a late second round pick or early third round pick but now he has started to creep up boards. But in most places, he’s still at the beginning of the second round or maybe sneaking into the very end of the first round. You have to look very hard to find a mock draft that has Hairston going at 21 or better. I think if the Steelers take a position in the first round other than a defensive tackle, it’s probably going to be a player they had ranked higher and they didn’t expect him to be there. That doesn’t appear to be the case with Hairston. I don’t think this matches how the Steelers would operate, but looking at all seven picks this mock has the Steelers taking I would place a heavy wager that none of them will be selected by the Steelers.
No way will a corner be the first rd. pick with the absolutely glaring hole at defensive tackle. If the DL is all picked over by pick 21 and a top OT falls to them, much like Fantanu last yr, I think Kahn and Weidle will again choose to bolster the OL.
The turd in the punch bowl would be if Rodgers doesn’t sign. Tomlinson has fallen in love with Jalen Milroe (ugh!) and we will see a slight trade down and he would be the selection.
For those of us pining for Jaxon Dart, he’ll be long gone by pick 21.
Spell check sucks.
I would not say CB is off the board for the Steelers in RD 1, but it would be because somebody was ranked much higher that fell to them. That’s not the case here.
Over the last few days I’ve come to grips that how the Steelers view DL and how the fans look at it are not the same. The Steelers know they rarely have more than two on the field during the game and are content with Heyward and Benton. I still think it’s wise to take DT with their first round pick for the times they need three and to join the rotation ahead of Heyward aging out. But it’s not the glaring hole that fans make it to be and it won’t be forced.
As for Jaxon Dart at 21, that would be a reach. Please let someone else reach for him before the Steelers even have a chance to do it, leaving somebody else to be available. There’s just not enough value there to reach for a position over value of a player.
I wouldn’t read too much into a Tomlin / Milroe infatuation. Remember when everyone thought he loved Malik Willis, and he was gonna be the pick? I know I sure did.
The Steelers had Heyward and Benton last year and got absolutely rolled in the playoffs by the Ravens. And Cam, as great as he was last year is definitely due for some age related decline, as well as fewer snaps played.
If now is not the time to add a stud to the defensive line, then when? If they wait until the 3rd or 4th rd. the true difference makers will be gone. If they solidify the DL, the pass rush will improve and if the pass rush improves so will the coverage ability of the secondary.
As for Jaxson Dart, with the lack of true headliners in this QB class he will most likely be drafted well before most think at this point in time. Still a few weeks to go and everyone has their own take on what will happen. Makes for good discussions!
a true Pittsburgh Steelers fan, everybody is forgetting about CB Cory Trice jr. he needs a shot at the CB position and drafting CB Maxwell Hairston Jr. from Kentucky is O.K. also