Steelers Draft Picks 2025: Full List Grades Analysis

The 2025 NFL Draft gave the Pittsburgh Steelers seven new players to develop, but the story behind those picks is about more than just names on a board. With a first-round defensive tackle leading the way and two later-round Ohio State products closing out the class, the Steelers made moves that immediately drew grades ranging from solid to standout. Here’s a round-by-round breakdown of what Pittsburgh selected, how analysts scored it, and what it means for the roster ahead.

Total Picks: 7 ·
Round 1 Selection: No. 21 Derrick Harmon DT Oregon ·
Round 3 Selection: No. 83 Kaleb Johnson RB Iowa ·
Round 4 Selection: No. 123 Jack Sawyer EDGE Ohio State ·
Draft Dates: April 24–28 2025

The table below summarizes key parameters of the Steelers’ 2025 draft class, including round, pick number, and player position.

What pick do the Steelers have in the draft 2025?

The Steelers held the No. 21 overall pick in the first round and used it on Derrick Harmon, a defensive tackle from Oregon. That selection filled a glaring need on the interior defensive line, a position Mike Tomlin said required “extreme urgency” to address.

Round 1 No. 21

Harmon arrives as the 21st pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, bringing 257 defensive tackles selected before him across the draft’s history. According to ESPN’s draft coverage, the Oregon product immediately steps into a Steelers defense that ranked below expectations against the run in 2024. Harmon posted solid numbers at Oregon, though his pre-draft metrics placed him as a developmental prospect rather than a finished product.

Round 3 No. 83

The Steelers then turned to the running back position in Round 3, selecting Kaleb Johnson from Iowa with the 83rd pick. Johnson brings a north-south running style that fits the physical identity Pittsburgh has leaned on under Tomlin. DK Pittsburgh Sports awarded the pick an A+ grade, noting Johnson’s contact balance and vision as immediate NFL-ready traits.

Round 4 No. 123

Jack Sawyer, an EDGE rusher from Ohio State, went 123rd overall in Round 4. While Mel Kiper ranked Sawyer 90th on his big board, the Steelers grabbed him at 123—a value selection by most analyst measures. Sawyer finished his Ohio State career with a 15.9% pressure rate, eighth-best in the nation among edge defenders.

Who have the Steelers drafted?

The full 2025 draft class spans seven selections, with the Steelers targeting defense early and quarterback late. Here’s the complete picture across all rounds.

Full 2025 Draft Class List

• Round 1: Derrick Harmon – DT – Oregon – No. 21
• Round 3: Kaleb Johnson – RB – Iowa – No. 83
• Round 4: Jack Sawyer – EDGE – Ohio State – No. 123
• Round 5: Yahya Black – DT/NT – Iowa – No. 164
• Round 6: Will Howard – QB – Ohio State – No. 185
• Round 7: Carson Bruener – LB – Washington – No. 226
• Round 7: Donte Kent – CB – Central Michigan/Western Michigan – No. 229

Player Profiles and Colleges

The geographic profile of the class leans heavily on the Midwest. Three picks came from Big Ten schools, with Iowa alone supplying both Kaleb Johnson and Yahya Black. Ohio State contributed two selections, while Washington and Central Michigan/Western Michigan filled out the back half of the class. The lack of a second-round pick—traded away for DK Metcalf—shrank the Steelers’ haul but didn’t eliminate its impact.

A look at the Steelers 2025 Draft Class

Analysts divided on the class overall. ESPN’s Matt Miller issued only 14 true first-round grades across the entire 2025 class, placing Harmon in solid company without elite distinction. Meanwhile, DK Pittsburgh Sports graded the overall class at A-, citing strong value in the middle rounds.

Overall Grades

Two grading systems produced notably different assessments of the Steelers’ work. Mel Kiper gave the class a B-, noting that the grade would fluctuate based on whether Aaron Rodgers signs and whether Will Howard develops into a viable backup. DK Pittsburgh Sports countered with an A-, pointing to Yahya Black’s and Jack Sawyer’s positions relative to their Kiper big board rankings as evidence of roster-building steals.

Key Fits and Analysis

Harmon’s fit along the interior defensive line stands out as the most immediate need answered. The Steelers surrendered rushing yards at an alarming rate late in the 2024 season, and Harmon provides the two-gap size the scheme demands. Behind him, Johnson’s selection gives the offense a complement to Najee Harris without forcing an early-day-two commitment to the position.

How many draft picks do the Steelers have left?

Heading into Day 3 of the draft, the Steelers held four remaining selections after using their first three picks. The absence of a second-round pick—gone in the DK Metcalf trade—reduced the total pool entering the final day to rounds four through seven.

Picks Entering Day 3

The Steelers entered Saturday with four picks: one in Round 4, one in Round 5, one in Round 6, and two in Round 7. The DK Metcalf deal cost them their second-rounder but brought immediate offensive help, leaving the front office to balance depth at positions of need with the limited capital available.

Round-by-Round Tracker

After selecting Harmon on Thursday and Johnson on Friday, Pittsburgh worked through the following picks: Sawyer in Round 4 addressed EDGE depth; a trade-down in Round 5 netted Yahya Black and an extra seventh-rounder; Howard in Round 6 added quarterback depth for the future; Bruener and Kent rounded out the class on Day 3 with linebacker and cornerback picks respectively.

Steelers draft picks 2025 grade

The question of how the class grades