Sneaky Position The Steelers Could Draft In First Round Revealed

The Pittsburgh Steelers, particularly with Omar Khan running the show as the general manager, have put a strong emphasis on the offensive line. Khan has drafted five linemen for the offense in his two years since being promoted to be the head of the front office, and a case could be made that at least four of them have the chance to create something special in Pittsburgh. With the draft coming up in just a few weeks, the Steelers could potentially surprise fans by adding to the line yet again in round one, rather than taking one of the other much needed positions like defensive line. 

In 2023, Khan and the Steelers selected Broderick Jones and Spencer Anderson in the first and seventh rounds. Pittsburgh then entered the 2024 offseason needing both another tackle and starting center for the future. 

Among Jones, the Steelers already had their starting guards for the season in James Daniels and Isaac Seumalo. Regardless, Khan and the Steelers made a somewhat surprising move by drafting Mason McCormick, a fourth-round guard, after already taking Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier in the first two rounds. 

Brian Batko and Chris Carter from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette discussed this as Batko revealed his sneaky choice for which position the Steelers could target in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft other than defensive line, wide receiver, running back or quarterback. Because of the way McCormick was so quickly inserted into the starting lineup due to the injuries of Daniels and Seumalo early in the 2024 season, Batko believes the Steelers could attack offensive guard in round one. 

"I guess a more sneakier one, for me, Chris, would be guard, and I'll tell you why," Batko said to Carter. "First of all, they sort of surprised us by thinking ahead on the interior offensive line last year when they not only took Zach Frazier in the second round, but I don't know about you, but I think shocked a lot of people going guard in the fourth round with their first pick of day three of Mason McCormick. Their foresight ended up being pretty wise because James Daniels goes down and boom you insert the rookie who was also a sixth-year guy and pretty polished and ready to play right away."

Seumalo is on the final year of his contract with the Steelers in 2025, which likely points to it being his last in Pittsburgh as he is set to turn 32 years old in October. While a 31 turning into a 32-year-old veteran could be something that would benefit the young minds on the offensive line, the Steelers have a chance to create a front five that have each been drafted since 2023. 

Batko believes if the Steelers were to select a guard in the first round of the upcoming draft, that they would eventually be able to replace either Seumalo or McCormick, if McCormick takes a step back in his second season. 

"Isaac Seumalo - also aging at this point, last year of his deal. I think his play tailed off a little bit last season. Pro Bowl selection, if we want to call it that notwithstanding, but I don't think he was as good as he was the year before. So, could the Steelers look at a guy like Alabama's Tyler Booker? As you know, a three-year player for the Tide, he's really young, I think he's still only 20. He could sit for a year behind Isaac Seumalo. He could potentially even replace Mason McCormick if they're not as sold on his work in 2024 as we might be."

Batko and Carter's top prospects at guard that they listed included Tyler Booker from Alabama and Tate Ratledge out of Georgia.

Steelers Would Completely Shock Fans If They Draft Offensive Lineman In First Round Of The 2025 NFL Draft 

While taking a guard to replace Seumalo may be a logical move, Pittsburgh has other desperate needs around the roster to improve upon, including defensive tackle, running back and quarterback. 

Pittsburgh has tons of uncertainty at each of those positions, as it is unsure of who will end up as the team's starting quarterback and running back. The majority of Steelers insiders expect the franchise to attack the defensive line in the first few rounds of the draft, but almost no one has mentioned the guard position.