The following is an excerpt from Warren Sharp's 2025 Football Preview book. In addition to Warren's deep, detailed write-up on all 32 NFL teams, each chapter features page after page of full-color charts, stats, and heatmaps as well as draft class analysis from Ryan McCrystal. Click here for a full FREE chapter from the 2025 Football Preview.
With 2025 NFL training camps on the horizon, we’re starting to understand how 2025 NFL draft classes will impact each roster this season.
Let's look at the Pittsburgh Steelers, breaking down the most likely instant-impact rookies from each class, while also providing some insight into why certain early picks may not see the field.
Who are the Pittsburgh Steelers rookies?
- Derrick Harmon (DL, Oregon)
- Kaleb Johnson (RB, Iowa)
- Jack Sawyer (EDGE, Ohio State)
- Yahya Black (DL, Iowa)
- Will Howard (QB, Ohio State)
- Carson Bruener (LB, Washington)
- Donte Kent (CB, Central Michigan)
Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Class Grade:
The Pittsburgh Steelers received an A draft grade from Sharp Football.
Which Steelers Rookies Will Make An Impact?
This draft may not have produced a more perfect player/team fit than Derrick Harmon (first round) and the Steelers.
Harmon has remarkably similar traits to 36-year-old Cam Heyward, who has two years remaining on his contract.
Oregon also relied heavily on a three-man front like the Steelers, with Harmon primarily lining up in a four-tech position, just like Heyward in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh used a three-man front 62% of the time last year, and Harmon and Heyward should be the defensive ends in that formation.
When the Steelers shift to a four-man front, which typically happens when the team is anticipating the run, Harmon could stay on the interior, or he might shift to the edge to give the Steelers a stronger presence in that role.
That versatility, much like Heyward, is what will make Harmon valuable in the Steelers defense.
Kaleb Johnson (third round) brings a similar skill set to the table as Najee Harris, who was lost to free agency 一 and at a more appropriate price tag than the first-round pick once spent on Harris.
The 224-pound Johnson is capable of being a physical between-the-tackles runner but has a tendency to bounce everything to the outside in search of big plays. In 2024, 67% of his carries went outside the tackles, a counterintuitive rate for a runner of his size.
Johnson has the ability to make some big plays, but that style turned him into a boom-or-bust type of ball carrier.
When accounting for the direction of the run and defenders in the box, Johnson gained 30% more yards than expected, the third-best rate among Power Four running backs.
However, Johnson was also stuffed at or behind the line of scrimmage 8% more often than expected, which ranked 61st.
Jack Sawyer (fourth round) lacks ideal length and athleticism, but the Steelers are betting on his track record of production to give a boost to their pass rush.
When quarterbacks took a traditional dropback of three or more steps, Sawyer generated a 23% pressure rate last year, ranked third in the Big Ten.
T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith are entrenched as starters, but the depth desperately needed an upgrade.
On passing downs (a dropback probability of 80% or higher), the Steelers generated a 39% pressure rate with both Watt and Highsmith on the field, but just 29% when at least one of them was off the field last year.
Yahya Black (fifth round) will serve as the backup nose tackle behind Keeanu Benton, who has two years remaining on his contract.
Pittsburgh seems to understand the lessened value of nose tackles in this era of football and did well to wait until the fifth round to snag Black. He has a good chance to develop into a starter down the road when his rookie contract presents a cheaper option than re-signing Benton.
Black may even push for snaps immediately on early downs, as his strength as a run defender could prove to be an upgrade sooner rather than later.
Pittsburgh deserves credit for learning from the Kenny Pickett mistake and waiting to trade Will Howard (sixth round).
The gap between Howard and someone the Steelers might have considered in the first round, such as Jaxson Dart, is dramatically smaller than the risk associated with those two selections.
Howard struggled as a passer in Kansas State’s old school run-oriented offense early in his career, but he made massive strides as a passer under Ryan Day and Chip Kelly at Ohio State.
It’s easy to assume his production was the result of a historically strong receiving corps, but there’s evidence Howard played a key role as well.
Based on route adjusted data, Howard’s on-target rate was 13% above expected last year, the second-best rate among Power Four quarterbacks.
It would be foolish to assume a sixth-round quarterback is a future starter, but Howard definitely has the traits of someone who could make that leap.
Carson Bruener (seventh round) was drafted for his special teams production. He spent five years at Washington, but only one as a starting linebacker.
Bruener played on every special teams unit except the offensive field goal team and should have a roster spot due to that versatility.
Donte Kent (seventh round) is an undersized cornerback who will compete for a roster spot as a backup and likely fits best as a nickel corner.
Although he’s unlikely to win a starting job, he should participate in an open competition in training, as Beanie Bishop Jr. did not do enough as a rookie to guarantee a return to that job.
The Steelers didn’t make a huge splash in this draft, but that’s exactly why they should be praised for their approach. It would have been easy to reach for a quarterback, or even another offensive weapon, in the first round, but Omar Khan remained patient.
This class won’t immediately turn things around for the Steelers, but, even with depleted resources due to the DK Metcalf trade, Pittsburgh found ways to upgrade multiple units and still added a talented developmental quarterback at low cost.
This analysis continues in the 2025 Football Preview
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