Predicting Steelers' Early 2025 NFL Draft Big Board
The Pittsburgh Steelers' 2024 season is vital for the team's long-term sustainability on offense.
Russell Wilson and Justin Fields entered in the latest quarterback carousel moves that the team hopes will springboard it further up the AFC hierarchy.
But there is a worst-case scenario looming over the Steelers in which Wilson and Fields are not effective and a quarterback hunt occurs in the 2025 NFL draft.
Even at their worst, the Steelers probably will not be anywhere close to the No. 1 overall pick because Mike Tomlin always gets the best out of his teams.
A selection somewhere between No. 11 and No. 15 seems more likely. That could be enough to land a new quarterback to start immediately in 2025, or to sit behind Wilson if Fields does not impress as the backup.
Quinn Ewers
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The quarterback class in any year can be impossible to predict.
Texas' Quinn Ewers should be in the top tier of draft prospects, but that could always change with a few months of play.
Georgia's Carson Beck and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders currently project as the top two quarterbacks in the 2025 class. That would likely keep the Steelers away from them because of their likely draft positioning.
Ewers could be available in the middle of the first round, as ESPN.com's Jordan Reid predicted in his early 2025 mock draft.
Texas' step into the SEC should help Ewers' development because he will face NFL-caliber defenders for most of the season.
How Ewers adapts to the improved set of improvements could be vital to his NFL draft stock, and if he thrives, the Steelers could be heavily linked with him if their quarterback situation does not work out.
Drew Allar
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A year ago, Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix were not viewed as anything close to first-round picks.
Solid senior seasons and the quarterback needs across the NFL made them each top-12 picks.
Drew Allar could go on a similar rise up draft boards with an impressive second season as Penn State's starting quarterback.
Allar threw for 2,631 yards and 25 touchdowns last season, but most importantly, he was only picked off on two occasions.
The low turnover rate could intrigue a handful of NFL teams, including the Steelers, if that remains the same during his junior campaign in the Big Ten.
Colston Loveland
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Pat Freiermuth is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2025.
The Steelers tried to fill their depth behind him last offseason with Darnell Washington, but he barely contributed to the offense in 2024.
Freiermuth's potential exit combined with a lackluster second year from Washington could turn the Steelers in the direction of Michigan's Colston Loveland.
Loveland averaged over 14 yards per catch in each of his first two collegiate seasons. He had 649 receiving yards and four touchdowns last season.
Michigan's run-heavy base makes it hard for wide receivers and tight ends to put up eye-popping numbers, but Loveland made an impact in almost every game last season.
He could take a big step forward in his development in 2024, and if that occurs, he could be on first-round radars next April.
Pittsburgh could always re-sign Freiermuth, but if it does not, Loveland will be on their draft board next offseason.
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