The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the 2025 NFL Draft on April 24 with six picks over the three-day event and needs at defensive tackle, running back and, yes, quarterback, among other positions.
With Shedeur Sanders still on the board at No. 21, Pittsburgh passed and instead beefed up its defensive line with defensive tackle Derrick Harmon. After a long wait before their next pick, the Steelers passed again on Sanders at No. 83, taking Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson.
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The Steelers again declined to take a QB at No. 123, opting for Ohio State edge rusher Jack Sawyer. In Round 5, Pittsburgh traded down from No. 156 to No. 164, picking up an additional seventh-round pick from the Chiefs. After the trade-back, the Steelers added another D-lineman in Iowa’s Yahya Black.
In Round 6, Pittsburgh finally grabbed a quarterback, taking Ohio State’s Will Howard at No. 185.
The Steelers used the first (No. 226) of two picks in the final round on a player with familial ties, Washington linebacker Carson Bruener, son of former Pittsburgh first-round tight end and current Steelers scout Mark Bruener. Pittsburgh then wrapped up its draft class with Central Michigan cornerback Donte Kent at No. 229.
Round 1
No. 21: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
How he fits
This took guts, but Pittsburgh made the right move. The Steelers took the best player available to fortify their defense, which was exploited in a playoff loss to Baltimore. Harmon will step right in next to Cameron Heyward and become a stout run defender. It wasn’t easy for the Steelers to pass up a quarterback — which they desperately need — but they didn’t reach. That’s why they always have winning seasons.
Harmon (6-foot-4 1/2, 313 pounds) began his career at Michigan State, then transferred to Oregon last season. He was a second-team All-American after putting up five sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss. With massive arms (34 3/8 inches) and wingspan (83 3/4) combined with a 4.95 40 time, Harmon blends every type of physical trait required to play defensive tackle at an elite level. — Scott Dochterman
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A one-year starter at Oregon, Harmon lined up primarily over the B-gap in defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi’s multiple fronts. He flashed promise at Michigan State before transferring to Eugene and producing his breakout season in 2024, when he led all FBS interior defensive linemen with 55 pressures (12 more than the next-closest DT).
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A player who can win in different ways, Harmon forces blockers to attack air with his lateral explosiveness or uses strong, crafty hands to swat away the reach of blockers as he bursts through gaps to close on the ball carrier. Though he led FBS interior linemen in pressures, he also led the position in missed tackles (12) — even the smallest improvements in his backfield finishing ability would have resulted in double-digit sacks. Overall, Harmon is a highly active and disruptive big man who consistently finds ways to gain freedom from blocks as a penetrating pass rusher and run stuffer. He projects as a scheme-diverse NFL starter, anywhere from one- to five-tech.
Mike DeFabo’s analysis
Grade: A
Round 3
No. 83: Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa
How he fits
Well, no Shedeur Sanders here for the Steelers. But Pittsburgh got an even better player in Johnson. After two inconsistent seasons, Johnson (6-1, 224) became a consensus first-team All-American last year after rushing for 1,537 yards and a school-record 22 touchdowns at Iowa. Johnson produced 21 runs of 20-plus yards, which is tied for the most among power-conference running backs over the last six seasons. He did that with the nation’s 130th-ranked offense, too. — Dochterman
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A one-year starter at Iowa, Johnson was the focal point of offensive coordinator Tim Lester’s run-heavy, zone-blocking scheme (62.5 percent of Iowa’s snaps in 2024 used multiple tight ends, No. 2 in the FBS). He exploded onto the NFL radar with a prolific 2024 season and set single-season Iowa records for total touchdowns (23), rushing touchdowns (21) and total points scored (138). He also became just the third player in school history to eclipse 1,500 rushing yards in a season. Despite consistently facing stacked boxes (Iowa ranked 130th out of 133 FBS teams in passing offense in 2024), Johnson shined on outside zone.
He is at his best when he can quickly read and set up his blocks and anticipate backside/frontside lanes to find yardage that isn’t there (No. 2 in the FBS with 21 carries of 20 yards or more in 2024). He tends to run upright, giving defenders a large target, but has the build and determination to be a bruiser as a forward-leaning, north-south runner. Overall, Johnson isn’t a dynamic make-you-miss athlete, but he is a patient and powerful one-cut runner with the instinctive vision to crease the defense using run angles and foot quickness. His play style is reminiscent of DeMarco Murray with a three-down skill set to thrive in a zone-based NFL scheme.
Mike DeFabo’s analysis
Jake Ciely’s fantasy analysis
He’s a better version of Tyler Allgeier for me, so add the best of Jordan Howard, and you have a good idea what Johnson can bring. Johnson has plenty of power and fight, but he’s a bit limited as a receiver. It’s the Steelers, though, and Johnson steps right into the Najee Harris void, keeping Jaylen Warren in his timeshare role. That makes Johnson an RB2 and keeps Warren as an RB3 with upside for more, depending on the matchup and game script. Johnson is also worth a late-first-round dynasty pick.
Grade: A+
Round 4
No. 123: Jack Sawyer, edge, Ohio State
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A two-year starter at Ohio State, Sawyer was an edge defender in former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ four-man front. An Ohio kid who grew up to be a Buckeyes captain, his number of pressures created increased from 22 to 37 to 64 over the past three seasons, respectively, and he will forever be remembered in the program for his 83-yard scoop-and-score strip-sack against Texas in the 2024 College Football Playoff.
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Sawyer is strong at the point of attack, with the instincts and effort to consistently factor into the play. Though his hands are powerful, they aren’t overly skilled, and his body stiffness leaves him a step slow to shed or unlock counter measures once locked up. Overall, Sawyer often plays one-dimensionally as a pass rusher and lacks ideal suddenness or length for an edge player, but his activity level and the strength in his hands make him an every-down factor. Similar in ways to George Karlaftis, he has the competitive play personality that NFL coaches will welcome as part of their rotation.
Mike DeFabo’s analysis
Round 5
No. 164 (from Lions via Browns, Eagles and Chiefs): Yahya Black, DT, Iowa
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A two-year starter at Iowa, Black played both one- and three-technique defensive tackle in defensive coordinator Phil Parker’s four-man front. His stats won’t jump off the page, but Black was a star in the Hawkeyes’ scheme, because of his ability to command blocking attention. Doing so freed up the linebackers, specifically Jay Higgins, who had 295 combined tackles over the past two seasons.
A stout run defender, Black has outstanding size and uses his big-man balance to occupy space or hold the point. With his length and the strength in his hands, he can snatch/toss blockers but doesn’t offer much as a pass rusher beyond a basic bull. Overall, Black looks every bit the part of a “do your job” defender who clogs run lanes and does the dirty work, although he will need to improve his disruptive skills to be a three-down player. He offers the scheme versatility to become a role player in any system.
Round 6
No. 185 (from Bears via Seahawks): Will Howard, QB, Ohio State
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A one-year starter at Ohio State, Howard was a terrific fit in former offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s RPO-based scheme with a ton of creativity in both the run and pass games. It isn’t easy arriving at a top program and becoming the clear leader in a short period of time, but Howard was able to do that in Columbus after spending four promising years at Kansas State. Despite several bumps during the regular season, he led the Buckeyes to the 2024 national championship and played his best in the four-game playoff stretch (75.2 percent completions, 287.5 passing yards per game, 8-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio).
A well-built athlete, Howard sets up quickly and throws well enough to all levels, doing some of his best work on designed rollouts and waggles to move his launch point. His aggressiveness as a passer will bite him at times, especially when he locks onto his preferred read — his ability to quickly get deeper into progressions will be crucial at the next level. Overall, Howard has a couple plays on each tape that make evaluators question if his decision-making and placement are consistent enough for him to be an NFL starter. But he has the physical requirements, intelligence and mental resiliency to stick as a backup and potential spot-starter.
Mike DeFabo’s analysis
Round 7
No. 226 (from Falcons via Eagles): Carson Bruener, LB, Washington
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A one-year starter at Washington, Bruener was the Mike linebacker in former defensive coordinator Steve Belichick’s versatile front seven. The son of a 14-year NFL veteran (and current NFL scout), he bounced around the depth chart (under three different head coaches) but found ways to be productive, regardless of his role. He had a career year in 2024 as one of only two Power 4 defenders with at least 104 tackles and three interceptions.
Bruener diagnoses quickly to drop into passing zones or trigger without wasting steps to hit gaps with purpose and control. Trusting his vision helps him play fast, although his average twitch and play strength will be tougher to overcome against NFL athletes. Overall, Bruener will be limited by middling agility and play violence, but his production represents an ability to always be around the football. He projects as an NFL backup with the speed and mentality of a core special-teamer.
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No. 229: Donte Kent, CB, Central Michigan
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A three-star recruit, Kent compiled almost as many passes defended (47) as starts (48) over the past five seasons. As a senior, he added punt return duties to his resume and averaged 13.6 yards per return, including a 68-yard touchdown.
Playing a lot of Cover 2, Kent skillfully uses his eyes to pick up on route clues and drive on throws. His aggressiveness can get him in trouble at times, but he shows the make-up speed on tape to recover. Despite getting his hands on a lot of footballs, he was able to convert only two passes into turnovers. Overall, Kent is an above-average tackler for the position (at least 50 tackles each of the past four years) with NFL-quality speed, processing and special teams value.
(Photo of Derrick Harmon: Dylan Buell / Getty Images)
