Winners and Losers for the Steelers after the 2025 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers have wrapped up their 2025 NFL Draft, and don’t think there isn’t a ripple effect already going on once every pick was made. In other words, when a draft pick is selected, there are players/personnel who benefit (winners) and those who don’t (losers). So, it’s time to see who were the winners and losers after the Steelers selected 7 new players in the latest draft.

For clarification, calling someone a loser doesn’t mean they are in any way lesser, but they just didn’t benefit from the selection. With that out of the way, let’s get to the winners and losers…

Winners

All Drafted Players

I can never stress this enough, but drafted players deserve their flowers. I don’t care if they were a 1st Round pick, or a late 7th Round selection. You got drafted in the NFL, and no one will ever be able to take that away from them. Haters will say, “You were just a 6th or 7th Round pick!” but those same people likely stopped playing the game around high school. Whether these players make the 2025 active roster, or even last their entire rookie contracts, they will always have the moment when their name was called during the NFL Draft. Congratulations to all seven Steelers drafted players! Let their journey begin…

Karl Dunbar

Dunbar has coached the defensive line for a very long time, and you could see in the past few seasons the talent along the defensive front just wasn’t the same. When I think about it, it hasn’t been the same since Stephon Tuitt stepped away from the game and retired. Well, Dunbar has some new talent, and an infusion of youth, within his position room. Time for Dunbar to get the defensive line back to where it was, and a top tier unit not just in the AFC North, but in the NFL.

EDGE Depth

There were a lot of fans who didn’t like the 4th Round selection of Jack Sawyer out of Ohio State, but the more I think about the pick, the more it makes sense. The Steelers have long gone into a season with 3-4 outside linebackers, but truly it is a three player rotation. Last season, it was T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, and Jeremiah Moon in an emergency situation. This year, if Sawyer pans out, and that is a big if, the Steelers could have a good back up tandem behind Watt and Highsmith. In fact, if Herbig plays Watt’s primary role, Sawyer seems built to be more like Highsmith. Allowing Watt and Highsmith to not be over-extended, in terms of minutes played, could be just what the defense needs to keep their best pass rushers fresh at the end of games.

Arthur Smith

Arthur Smith spent his first year at offensive coordinator trying to put lipstick on the proverbial pig. He was trying to scheme an offense for two vastly different quarterbacks, without a receiver outside of George Pickens, and a running back who doesn’t thrive in the zone system he likes to deploy. Well, after the draft Smith got his running back in Kaleb Johnson, and it should help round out the offense. Throw in the acquisition of DK Metcalf with Pickens and the offensive coordinator should be grinning from ear-to-ear.

Pressure on Teryl Austin

Some might not view this as a positive, but for the fans I feel this is a win-win situation. The Steelers had a defense heavy draft, and have added much needed depth at key positions on the defensive side of the ball. In doing this, it won’t provide defensive coordinator Teryl Austin a crutch if the defense faulters in key situations this season. Some, including myself, thought Austin was on the hot seat after 2024, and it’s time to put up a quality product in 2025. How is it a win-win situation? If Austin’s defense fails, he very well could be replaced as the coordinator. Some might call that a win. If he succeeds, and the defense is a top unit in the league, that too is a win.

Omar Khan and Company

Unlike two years ago when Khan traded up in Round 1 to get his guy, he remained patient throughout this draft, and even traded back in the 5th Round, and was still able to get a player he coveted. Some call it patience, while others would call it luck. Either way, solid picks were made and that’s all that matters. In my opinion, you can stack another solid draft on Khan’s growing resume.

Losers

Jaylen Warren

How is Jaylen Warren on the loser list you ask? With the team letting Najee Harris walk in free agency, and placing a 2nd Round tender on Warren, you’d think Warren would feel as if he would finally get a chance to prove his worth. Finally get a chance to carry the load and not just be a change-of-pace back. What did the Steelers do? Draft a running back who is known to carry a heavy workload with their second pick, a 3rd Round selection. Warren will still have a large role in the offense, and will probably get the majority of carries to start the 2025 season, but it had to be a gut punch to see the team take a Day 2 running back.

Montravius Adams

What stinks for Adams is he was on the loser list before he was released by the team. When the team double dipped along the defensive line, the writing was on the wall for Adams’ future in Pittsburgh. The release on Monday might have been his representation asking for his release to find a new home where he can compete for a job, and I would hope his agent did just that. The Steelers granted him that wish, but it doesn’t mean it didn’t still sting for the veteran defensive lineman.

Offensive Line Depth

Throughout the 3 days of the draft, I thought for sure the Steelers were going to add to the offensive line. I know what many people are saying regarding the draft capital which has been dumped into the offense line over the past few drafts, but the depth along the line is very concerning to me. If Isaac Seumalo or Mason McCormick don’t live up to the billing, who will the team turn to in a pinch? I know no NFL team has a perfect roster, but I was hoping for a late round selection on a guard to help add to the interior depth, which I feel is lacking.

What do you think of the list? Would you make any changes? Let us know in the comment section below, and be sure to check out my Wednesday episode of “Let’s Ride” for a more detailed breakdown of the above lists in the player below: