Steelers take a swing on risky QB, punt on last year's WR pick in latest 2025 NFL mock draft
It's never too early to prepare for the future. And while the Pittsburgh Steelers are firmly entrenched in making a playoff run, the draft is fast approaching. In his latest mock draft for A to Z Sports, NFL Draft Analyst A.J. Schulte gave the Steelers three picks that are sure to turn heads: 25. Pittsburgh […]
It's never too early to prepare for the future.
And while the Pittsburgh Steelers are firmly entrenched in making a playoff run, the draft is fast approaching.
In his latest mock draft for A to Z Sports, NFL Draft Analyst A.J. Schulte gave the Steelers three picks that are sure to turn heads:
25. Pittsburgh Steelers: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
I just discussed how poor the Commanders' cornerbacks have been this season and the Steelers' room isn't far behind them. Time to upgrade the talent there.
Hairston missed most of 2024 with an injury, but multiple scouts I spoke to said they preferred him over teammate Andru Phillips last season and it's easy to see why. He's incredibly fluid and possesses great length and twitch. Pair that with elite ball skills (third in the country in interceptions in 2023) and it's no surprise Hairston is in first-round conversations even with the injury.
-Schulte
58. Pittsburgh Steelers: Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami (FL)
Restrepo would immediately become the Steelers' second-best option at WR, potentially making rookie Roman Wilson a third or fourth option, if that given his disappearance in 2024.
He may not be a pure vertical element, but Restrepo's skillset pairs tremendously with George Pickens as a middle-of-the-field merchant who can move the chains when needed.
89. Pittsburgh Steelers: Carson Beck, QB, Georgia
It's a fall far from grace for Beck, who before the season started was the favorite to be the first overall pick in April. But after a touch of regression, Beck suffered a season-ending UCL injury in the SEC championship, clouding his future as a prospect and leading to a third-round selection from Schulte.
Sources close to Beck and Georgia tell A to Z Sports that while Carson Beck's UCL is "intact" it is also separated from the bone which will almost certainly require some kind of surgery.This all but surely means that Carson Beck is out not only for the quarterfinal matchup against Notre Dame, but also quite likely for the entirety of the College Football Playoff, all star games like the Shrine Bowl or Senior Bowl, and perhaps all of the NFL Draft preparation process in terms of physical participation should he choose to declare this spring.
– Travis May, A to Z Sports College Football Managing Editor
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