Scouting The Mock: A look at the latest Steelers 2025 mock drafts, Part 1

For fans who love the NFL Draft or consider themselves part of the draft community, making mock drafts and analyzing the “experts’” editions is a yearly tradition. We dive into these projections, hoping to get a glimpse of which players might hear their names called for the Pittsburgh Steelers come draft day. While these mocks are fun, they are often far from reality—especially this early in the offseason. Still, they remain one of the most enjoyable aspects of the long NFL offseason.

However, mock drafts can also be polarizing. Some picks make perfect sense, while others leave you wondering why you just wasted your time reading them. That’s where this series comes in. Each week, we’ll break down various mock drafts—both from draft analysts and the broader draft community—grading them based on how well they objectively address the Steelers’ needs. To cap it off, we’ll also review a fully automated mock draft, just to see how a computer simulation envisions the Steelers’ future.

Lets dive into some mock drafts…

Mock 1:

“Steelers 7-round NFL mock draft adds Russell Wilson replacement, help for George Pickens” – Bryce Lazenby/The Sporting News

• R1 Pick 21: WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
• R2 Pick 52: QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama
• R3 Pick 83: CB Cobee Bryant, Kansas
• R4 Pick 122: OT Anthony Belton, NC State
• R5 Pick 163: DT Ty Robinson, Nebraska 
• R7 Pick 225: OL Gus Hartwig, Purdue
• R7 Pick 238: EDGE Jah Joyner, Minnesota
• R7 Pick 247: RB Ja’Quinden Jackson, Arkansas 

Summary:

The draft starts off strong with perhaps the most popular first-round selection for the Steelers—Emeka Egbuka. The high-character, high-floor wide receiver would provide a much-needed stabilizing presence in the position room. However, things begin to unravel from there.

Taking Jalen Milroe in the second round is a significant risk. While he possesses all the physical tools, his college tape suggests he is far from being NFL-ready. In the third round, selecting Kansas cornerback Cobee Bryant addresses the need for more depth at the position. Though he primarily played on the outside in college, his smaller frame could push him into a slot role at the next level.

Cobee Bryant has been absolutely SHUTDOWN at the East West Shrine Bowl practices.

Bryant has reportedly “turned the heads” of several NFL GM’s and scouts with his performance.

And is reportedly “quickly climbing up draft boards” with his recent practices.

Many NFL scouts… pic.twitter.com/k19IpWb9B8

— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) January 27, 2025

On Day 3, using two more picks on offensive linemen feels somewhat redundant given the heavy investment already made in that group. Meanwhile, waiting until the fifth round to address the defensive line with Ty Robinson out of Nebraska seems too late for a team in desperate need of game-changing youth in the trenches.

Jah Joyner would add solid depth as a fourth outside rusher with his twitchy athleticism off the edge, and taking Ja’Quinden Jackson provides another body to a running back room that, depending on offseason moves, might only have Jaylen Warren as an established option.

Grade: C+

Mock 2:

This mock was a CPU simulation on the NFL Mock Draft Data base

R1 Pick 21: WR Luther Burden III, Missouri
R2 Pick 52: DT Darius Alexander, Toledo
R3 Pick 83: RB Kaleb Johnson, Iowa
R4 Pick 122: CB Cobee Bryant, Kansas
R5 Pick 163: Edge/DL Saivion Jones, LSU
R7 Pick 225: OL Marcus Wehr, Montana State
R7 Pick 238: OL Xavier Truss, Georgia
R7 Pick 247: TE Bryson Nesbit, North Carolina

Just like the previous mock, this one starts out strong but with a different wide receiver—Luther Burden out of Missouri. Burden entered the year as a projected top-five pick due to his unique blend of speed and size, making him a nightmare after the catch—a skill set the Steelers currently lack. The former five-star recruit would instantly change how teams defend the Steelers’ offense with his ability to play both inside and outside.

In the second round, the Steelers make a much earlier investment in the defensive line, selecting Darius Alexander, who provides a ready-made piece to work alongside Keeanu Benton and Cameron Heyward on the interior. His draft stock has been on the rise since the Senior Bowl in Mobile, and you can bet the Steelers have kept a close eye on the MAC talent.

They finish Day Two with a bang by selecting highly touted Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, who has been described as a perfect fit for the outside zone scheme the Steelers are implementing under Arthur Smith. On Day Three, they pick up a familiar face, as Cobee Bryant is once again selected, bringing his ball-hawk abilities to the Steelers secondary.

Savion Jones becomes the first double dip in this draft, providing the Steelers with a toolsy but raw defensive end at 6’6″ and 280 lbs. He would be brought in to compete with DeMarvin Leal for the tweener spot on the defensive line.

In the seventh round, this mock once again opts to double dip on the offensive line, adding Marcus Wehr and Xavier Truss to provide depth across both guard and tackle spots. The draft is then completed with the selection of Bryson Nesbit, who adds another weapon to an offense that relies heavily on multiple tight end sets.

Grade: A (Its tough to give out anything higher without free agency)

These two drafts were quite different, with the second one providing more immediate solutions to the Steelers’ roster needs as things stand today. Of course, free agency could drastically shift the team’s priorities, impacting how these mocks are perceived. But sitting here in mid-February, if the Steelers could land a haul like the one in the second mock, I think many fans would be optimistic about the direction of the team.

What do you think? Am I being too harsh on the first mock and too high on the second? How do you feel about the value throughout the rounds?