The Steelers faced a pivotal decision with their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Sitting at 21st overall, the team had the chance to select Shedeur Sanders, a quarterback who’d been widely connected to quarterback-needy teams ahead of the draft.
Despite Sanders’ arm strength and the buzz around his NFL readiness, Pittsburgh shifted focus to their defensive front. They went with Derrick Harmon, a defensive tackle out of Oregon.
Source: Derrick Harmon has emerged as the “clear favorite” to be the Steelers 1st round pick. Quote: “he’s the total package.” Art Rooney II has been very vocal about Steelers addressing d-line. Something that didn’t happen in free agency. Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/KduIfelAip
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) April 16, 2025
This move didn’t exactly blindside folks paying close attention. Ownership, especially Art Rooney II, had been pretty vocal about the need to reinforce the defensive line—something they hadn’t really tackled in free agency.
That conviction clearly carried some serious weight during the selection process.
| Pick | Team | Selection | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | New York Giants | Abdul Carter | Linebacker |
| 21 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Derrick Harmon | Defensive Tackle |
| 25 | New York Giants | Jaxson Dart | Quarterback |
Other teams with quarterback needs, like the New York Giants, also passed on Sanders. Instead, Jaxson Dart ended up being the next quarterback off the board at pick 25, which pushed Sanders even further down than most expected.
Key factors influencing these draft outcomes included:
- Defensive priorities: Some franchises, like Pittsburgh, put a premium on rebuilding the defensive line.
- Owner influence: Sometimes, ownership just steps in and makes the call; this draft was another one of those times.
- Immediate vs. developmental needs: There were questions about whether Sanders could start right away or if he was more of a long-term project.
Despite all the anticipation, Sanders was still undrafted after Round 1. The Steelers, with no pick until the third round (No. 83 overall), sent a pretty clear message: filling immediate roster gaps—especially on the defensive line—mattered more to them than grabbing a developmental quarterback.
The fact that several teams let Sanders slide says a lot about how quickly draft boards and priorities can shift. It’s a reminder that the NFL draft is anything but predictable—potential, positional urgency, and those behind-the-scenes dynamics all have a way of shaking things up.
A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
