PFF: Steelers’ ‘Worst-Case State of affairs’ In Draft Is Not Touchdown RB By Spherical 4

After dropping workhorse working again Najee Harris within the offseason to the Los Angeles Chargers as a free agent, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a big want on the working again place getting into the 2025 NFL Draft.

Whereas Kenneth Gainwell was added in free company to shore up some depth and add some explosiveness to the backfield, the Steelers nonetheless want that workhorse working again who can deal with a heavy workload and spherical out the room. 

To the Steelers’ credit score, they’ve executed loads of work on the working again place to this point within the pre-draft course of. In complete, the Steelers introduced in 9 working backs for official pre-draft visits. They vary from first-round guys (UNC’s Omarion Hampton) to Day 3 guys (Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon II).

For Professional Soccer Focus’ Bradley Locker, with the quantity of labor the Steelers have executed on the RB place to this point within the pre-draft course of, the worst-case state of affairs for the Black and Gold could be failing to draft a working again by Spherical 4 later this week within the 2025 NFL Draft.

“The Steelers executed one of many extra sudden splash strikes of this offseason by touchdown D.Okay. Metcalf, which assuages the workforce’s long-standing seek for a dynamic receiver subsequent to the spectacular George Pickens. Defensive position arguably has grow to be Pittsburgh’s greatest want, however working again can’t be ignored, both,” Locker writes relating to the Steelers and the worst-case state of affairs. “Najee Harris is now not a Steeler, and Jaylen Warren (68.3 PFF dashing grade) has confirmed viable as a backup — however not a clear-cut starter. In the meantime, new signing Kenneth Gainwell hasn’t even reached a 53.5 PFF dashing grade since 2022.

“Pittsburgh merely can’t go into 2025 with solely Warren and Gainwell, needing not less than a complementary again who can push for early-down work. Which means normal supervisor Omar Khan ought to completely take a again no later than the fourth spherical.”

There is no such thing as a state of affairs wherein the Steelers go into the 2025 season with simply Warren, Gainwell, and veteran Cordarrelle Patterson at working again, not with the quantity of labor the Steelers have executed on the category forward of the 2025 NFL Draft.

They’re going to draft a working again; it simply relies on the place. 

A primary-round working again like Hampton or Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson can’t be dominated out in terms of the Steelers and the curiosity they’ve proven. It might be a bit wealthy to splurge on a working again within the first spherical with a number of the different holes on the roster, however including a high-end expertise on the RB place could possibly be precisely what the offense wants.

Then there are names like Kansas State’s DJ Giddens, UCF’s RJ Harvey, Texas’ Jaydon Blue, Virginia Tech’s Brayshul Tuten, and extra that make sense beginning within the Spherical 3 vary for the Steelers.

Giving the Steelers two picks to work with earlier than setting a boundary for the place to draft a RB earlier than appears a bit unfair, particularly in an amazing working again class with spectacular depth and expertise. Touchdown a working again at No. 123 general within the fourth spherical wouldn’t be a failure for the Steelers.

Actually, it is perhaps the very best allocation of draft capital, relying on how issues break on the board. On the very least, the Steelers have three skilled working backs on the roster to reduce the load for a rookie earlier on, ought to they resolve to attend on the place.