Mock Draft Monday: The Steelers add a safety 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 are winding down as teams look to set their 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 one-round mock draft by profootballnetwork.com, they have the Steelers addressing the safety this season before anything else. Even with the Steelers having a potential need at the position, many in the national media do not have the Steelers going in this direction as this mock even mentioned the Steelers should go quarterback. 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 | Nick Emmanwori | S | South Carolina | JR |

Despite being late 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 Nick Emmanwori according to bleacherreport.com (from January of 2025):

Nick Emmanwori

• HEIGHT: 6’3″
• WEIGHT: 227

POSITIVES

— Rare size and movement combination for safety position. Looks closer to a modern day linebacker than safety.

— Run-first defender who plays strong in the box. Triggers very quickly downhill, filling running lanes.

— Very strong tackler who fronts up ballcarriers when he can, giving up minimal extra yardage at the point of attack.

— Quick feet in coverage with good transitions. Shows the ability to play as a two-high safety. Above average range and ball skills.

— Due to his physicality and size, he does well covering tight ends combined with the athletic ability in space to cover running backs.

NEGATIVES

— Narrowed vision at times. He doesn’t always see the full play and can be slow to react.

— Lacks true range to be a centerfield safety.

— Rigid and choppy backpedal that looks more like a shuffle slide. Struggles to swivel his hips, opening like a swinging gate.

— Can panic at times when working downfield leading to him getting handsy and tug to maintain position.

2024 STATISTICS

— 12 Games 83 Tackles, 3 TFL, 4 INT, 6 PBU, 2 TD

NOTES

— Born Feb. 7, 2004

— Games Started: 35

— 3-Star recruit in the 2022 class, per 247Sports

— 2022 SEC All-Freshman Team

OVERALL

Nick Emmanwori is a physically imposing safety prospect with a rare blend of size and movement skills for the position. At 6’3″ and 227 pounds, Emmanwori plays like a modern hybrid linebacker-safety, excelling in run support and physical matchups. His size, physicality, and athletic ability make him an intriguing prospect for teams looking for a versatile defender.

Emmanwori shows good quickness and transitions for his size, allowing him to function as a two-high safety, though he lacks the range to cover the entire field in deeper zones. His size and physicality make him particularly effective against tight ends and running backs, where his athletic ability in space is evident. However, his backpedal is rigid and lacks fluidity, often leading to issues with swiveling his hips and maintaining positioning against more agile receivers. When defending downfield, Emmanwori can panic and become handsy, leading to potential penalties in the NFL.

Emmanwori’s strength is in run defense, where he triggers quickly downhill and maintains good leverage while tracking ball-carriers. His ability to sort through traffic and consistently fill running lanes makes him a standout box defender. He is also a powerful tackler who regularly limits yards after contact by meeting ball-carriers head-on. Despite his strengths, Emmanwori’s narrowed vision can lead to missed plays, and he sometimes struggles to adjust his angles on the edge, allowing ball-carriers to escape contain.

Nick Emmanwori projects as an early-round pick with the potential to become a highly versatile defender, particularly in run-heavy defensive schemes or as a hybrid safety-linebacker. His size and physicality make him a perfect fit for matchups against tight ends and in-the-box play, though he will need to develop better coverage skills and range to maximize his potential at the next level.

GRADE: 7.9 (Potential Impact Player — 2nd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 28

POSITION RANK: S3

PRO COMPARISON: Divine Deablo

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 Nick Emmanwori 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 Emmanwori will not make it to the 21st pick? Personally, I would be fine if this is the direction the Steelers decided to go with their first pick in the draft. To me, Emmanwori sounds like a player that could actually bring what the Steelers thought Terrell Edmonds was capable of in 2018. Of course it would all depend on how the draft played out as to whether or not he is their best option at 21, but looking for things after the fact I would not be upset to see him in black and gold.