The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the 2025 NFL Draft with several different directions they could go in the first round. While they have a long list of needs, their top three needs are wide receiver, cornerback, and defensive tackle. It would be a surprise if Pittsburgh didn’t address one of those three positions with their 21st overall pick. On the defensive side of the ball, there are numerous potential Steelers first-round draft targets.
Pittsburgh Steelers First-Round Defensive Draft Targets
DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
Pittsburgh hasn’t made it a secret that they are supremely interested in this year’s class of defensive tackles. At the Senior Bowl, Omar Khan and especially Mike Tomlin have made themselves very familiar with the defensive line prospects. One player they have shown extra attention to is Walter Nolen out of Ole Miss.
Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin and DC Teryl Austin watching defensive linemen again to start the second practice.
Potential first round pick Walter Nolen one of the players to watch. pic.twitter.com/28kagQjFki
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) January 28, 2025
Anyone who watched the Steelers over the last month of the season could quickly conclude the team needs to beef up their run defense. While they have a solid defensive front, they are really missing a big, run-stuffing nose tackle to clog up blockers in the middle of the defense. While Nolen isn’t the biggest defensive tackle in this class at 6’3″, 305 pounds, he has great play strength and has done his best work against the run.
Nolen is one of the top Steelers draft targets because he is already an NFL-ready player, but his ceiling is through the roof. As a rookie, he would mostly contribute against the run, while Cameron Heyward and Keeanu Benton would handle most of the pass-rushing duties. But Nolen has the athletic potential to develop into a productive pass rusher, too. Learning from a future Hall-of-Famer like Heyward would serve Nolen well in his development.
CB Shavon Revel Jr., Eastern Carolina
At 6’3″ with long arms, it’s easy to see why Shavon Revel Jr. is considered one of the top cornerbacks in the 2025 class. His strengths in press man coverage would make Revel a great fit in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are looking for a lockdown corner to start opposite of Joey Porter Jr. Revel and Porter are similar players – long, strongest in man coverage, and physical but sometimes too handsy. Pairing these young cornerbacks together, and hopefully coaching all the penalties out of them, would set Pittsburgh’s secondary up for a strong future.
The biggest question surrounding Revel is whether or not he will be available for Pittsburgh at 21. If he is, it’s easy to envision them making the pick. After Travis Hunter and Will Johnson, though, it seems to be anyone’s guess as to who will be the third cornerback selected. Revel is certainly in that conversation.
DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan
Much of the same thought process applied to Walter Nolen can be applied to Kenneth Grant. Pittsburgh needs a run stopper, and there aren’t many in this draft class better than Grant. Weighing 340 pounds, Grant is bigger than Nolen and a more pro-ready nose tackle. With his great strength, Grant would be ready to step in right away and make a difference in the run game.
Where Grant and Nolen are different is that Grant might not have as high of a ceiling as a pass-rusher. But with his athletic traits and the right coaching, Grant could become productive in that aspect of the game, too. Like Revel, it is far from a guarantee that Grant will be available when the Steelers make their pick. After Grant’s teammate Mason Graham, there is no clear-cut number two defensive tackle. Grant is in the discussion, though, and he probably won’t be available at 21 if he’s the second defensive lineman off the board.
CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
The second cornerback on this list of Steelers draft targets, Morrison may have a higher ceiling than Revel. Morrison is a better athlete than Revel with his elite straight-line speed. He is also a very smart player, which is always a good trait to have as college prospects transition to the NFL. Morrison is good in run support, too, another trait that typically translates well from college to the pros. All of these factors put Morrison strongly in play for the Steelers at 21.
There are two potential drawbacks for Morrison, though. The first is that he is not as strong in press man coverage as Revel. Pittsburgh plays predominantly man-to-man, so Morrison would need to improve in that area to be a good fit in Pittsburgh. The other drawback is a concerning injury history. Morrison only played six games for the Fighting Irish this season before suffering a hip injury that ultimately required surgery. His medical exams leading up to the draft will be very important for his draft stock.
Main Image: Vasha Hunt – USA Today Sports
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