Steelers pre-NFL Draft visit clues: 11 takeaways about the possible draft plans

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The Pittsburgh Steelers checked another important box in the pre-draft process this week, as they hosted their final round of 30 prospect visits.

The Steelers usually draft several players from this group, so we’ve been tracking the visiting prospects each day. (You can find the full list and scouting reports on each player right here.) Now that the full list is known, it’s time to zoom out and examine what we’ve learned.

Did the first-round pick visit?

Let’s start with the top prospects. Omar Khan has made two first-round picks since he was promoted to general manager. Both visited Pittsburgh before the draft — offensive tackles Broderick Jones in 2023 and Troy Fautanu in 2024.

If Khan continues that trend — which also tracks with the Steelers’ tendencies before Khan’s tenure as GM — and selects a visitor in the first round, these are the five with a top-32 ranking from our draft expert Dane Brugler:

• Texas A&M edge Shemar Stewart (No. 9)
• Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden (15)
• Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (16)
• South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori (17)
• North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton (29)

Three quarterbacks who could plausibly go in Round 1 also visited: Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders (No. 34), Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart (49) and Louisville’s Tyler Shough (50).

Notable first-round omissions

When I looked at the first-round prospects who visited, my first question was: What about defensive tackles Kenneth Grant (Michigan) and Walter Nolen (Ole Miss)?

It’s clear to anyone who follows the team that the defensive line is a priority. Stewart and Harmon would each make a ton of sense, but if both are off the board when the Steelers are on the clock at No. 21, Grant (ranked 25th) would be Brugler’s next-highest-graded defensive lineman.

Khan and coach Mike Tomlin skipped Grant’s pro day to meet with Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh. But assistant GM Andy Weidl, who sets the draft board, was in attendance. That’s significant because his evaluation holds a lot of weight. For that reason, even though Grant didn’t visit, my sense is he is still one of the most likely first-round options. Meanwhile, Nolen, ranked 31st and DT4, could be another candidate in the first round.

Time will tell whether the Steelers are trying to better mask their intentions this year or if they really are thinking about going another direction in Round 1.

Outliers create question marks

The other big thing that jumped out from the top prospects was Emmanwori. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound South Carolina product is not only Brugler’s top player at his position, but he’s also the only safety who visited. Two years ago, Darnell Washington was the only tight end who visited, and the Steelers drafted him.

Emmanwori is a freakish talent well worth a first-round pick, but the Steelers already have Minkah Fitzpatrick signed through 2026 and found a gem in free agency with DeShon Elliott last year. If the Steelers draft a safety this early, they’d need to completely lean into their three-safety packages (big nickel and three-safety dime) to justify the decision. Or perhaps it would set the stage for a Fitzpatrick trade.

For what it’s worth, the Steelers also attended pro days of several other safeties, including Brugler’s second- and third-ranked safeties, Georgia’s Malaki Starks and Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts.

Similarly, the Steelers need to start thinking about life after George Pickens, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal. If Golden — one of only four wideouts who visited and the only likely first-rounder — is available at No. 21, would they give Rodgers (or Mason Rudolph) all these weapons and go for it all, or could it afford them the flexibility to pivot from Pickens at the draft? Remember: The Steelers aren’t the only ones who have a say in this. Pickens could hold out or “hold in” and create a circus in the offseason, training camp and beyond.

RBs, DTs are obvious priorities

Now that we’ve looked at the first round, it’s time to dig into the meat and potatoes. The two most glaring holes on the Steelers’ roster are at defensive tackle and running back. Not surprisingly, both of those position groups led the way among visitors. The Steelers hosted nine running backs and seven defensive tackles, in addition to two bigger defensive ends (Stewart and SMU’s Elijah Roberts) who have played on the edge but could bump inside.

Don’t rule out Round 1 RB, but the sweet spot? Rounds 2-4

Tomlin called the running back class “uniquely deep.” Pittsburgh got a closer look at almost every option.

By Brugler’s rankings, Pittsburgh hosted RB2 (Hampton), RB3 (Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson), RB4 (Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson), RB6 (Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson), RB8 (UCF’s RJ Harvey), RB10 (Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten), RB13 (Kansas State’s DJ Giddens), RB14 (Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon II) and RB21 (Texas’ Jaydon Blue). Additionally, Tomlin and Khan attended pro days for at least two others in the top 10: RB5 (Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins) and RB9 (Georgia’s Trevor Etienne).

The fact the Steelers hosted Hampton suggests that an offense that ran the ball fourth most in 2024 could be looking for a lead back as high as the first round. But it would seem the sweet spot is at the end of Day 2 or early on Day 3. Johnson, Henderson, Sampson, Harvey, Tuten and Giddens all have grades touching the second or third round, per Brugler. Later in the draft, Gordon II and Blue have fourth- and fifth-round grades, respectively.

A DT early, late or both?

Most see the highest-rated prospect the Steelers hosted, Stewart, as an edge rusher. But he played everything from three- to seven-technique in Texas A&M’s four-man front. If a player of this caliber is still available, the Steelers could find a way to use a versatile 6-5, 267-pound athlete. Likewise, Harmon would continue the trend of retooling in the trenches and could address a glaring hole up front.

The Steelers hosted several other D-linemen: Toledo’s Darius Alexander (DT7, second- to third-round grade), Florida State’s Joshua Farmer (DT10, third), Oregon’s Jamaree Caldwell (DT18, fourth), Ole Miss’ JJ Pegues (DT22, fourth-fifth), Iowa’s Yahya Black (DT25, fifth) and SMU’s Jared Harrison-Hunte (DT27, fifth-sixth). Roberts (fourth), like Stewart, is an edge rusher who has the versatility to move inside.

Look at all those fourth- and fifth-round grades. Even if Pittsburgh lands a starter in Round 1, don’t count out a double dip at a position the Steelers want to turn into a strength.

Evaluating every option at QB

In addition to hosting QB2 Sanders, QB3 Dart and QB4 Shough, the Steelers also welcomed QB7, Syracuse’s Kyle McCord. But that doesn’t mean these are the only quarterbacks they are considering. Khan and Tomlin attended pro days for Brugler’s QB5 (Alabama’s Jalen Milroe), QB6 (Texas’ Quinn Ewers), QB8 (Ohio State’s Will Howard) and QB10 (Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard).

As the Rodgers saga drags on, maybe the Steelers will feel the pressure to take a big swing on a QB early. My sense is it’s more likely they’ll try to find a developmental prospect in the middle rounds such as Ewers, McCord, Howard or Leonard.

DB options early and late

Though Emmanwori was the only (non-local) safety to visit, he wasn’t the only defensive back. The Steelers also hosted a pair of second-round options in cornerbacks Trey Amos of Ole Miss and Azareye’h Thomas of Florida State. If the Steelers trade back from No. 21 or recoup a second-round pick in a trade, or if either player falls to the third round, maybe that position is in play.

The other DB visitor was Brugler’s lowest-rated non-local visitor, Minnesota cornerback Justin Walley, who has a sixth-round grade. Though he’s only 5-10, he brings four years of starting experience. He also played with a partially torn MCL in his right knee in 2024, which might have been part of the reason the Steelers wanted a closer look. Or maybe they have their eye on an experienced player who might fall due to his size on Day 3.

A new CP at WR?

By adding DK Metcalf, the Steelers effectively spent a second-round pick on the position a couple of months early. So in some ways, the need at wideout has diminished. Still, the Steelers hosted four receivers. In addition to Golden, they also welcomed a pair of Iowa State receivers expected to go in the second round: Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins.

The other receiver they hosted, TCU’s Savion Williams (third- to fourth-round grade), would be an ideal scheme fit. With the versatility to line up in the backfield and out wide, Williams has drawn comparisons to Cordarrelle Patterson. We know Arthur Smith loves him some CP, so this could be the move, especially if the TCU product slips to the fourth round.

Why the second-round prospects?

Speaking of all those second-round picks, the Steelers hosted about 10-12 players with grades touching the second round. Are they simply doing their research with the hope that one of these players falls to Round 3? Or does Khan have a trade — whether down from Round 1 or up from Round 3 — up his sleeve?

A possible UDFA from the local visits

It’s hard to glean too much from local visitors because sometimes the Steelers are just doing their Southside neighbors a favor. For example, I’d be shocked if they draft kicker Ben Sauls, who makes much more sense for Baltimore given the Ravens’ uncertainty at the position and Sauls’ experience kicking in Acrisure Stadium.

But I have my eye on Donovan McMillon. He’s a 6-2 safety who impressed at his pro day by running a 4.44 40-yard dash, putting up 21 bench press reps and recording a 35-inch vertical. Brugler rated him as an undrafted free agent. A safety body type who was a tackling machine at Pitt and grew up in McMurray, Pa., McMillon would make a lot of sense on special teams. The other local visitors were Pitt TE Gavin Bartholomew (sixth-round grade) and West Virginia guard Wyatt Milum (third-fourth).

(Photos of Shemar Stewart, left, and Nick Emmanwori: Tim Warner / Getty Images, Kevin Jairaj / Imagn Images)

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