As the Pittsburgh Steelers prepared for the 2025 season, we looked back at several key moments from the previous offseason. One of the most important came during the 2025 NFL Draft, when Pittsburgh finalized its rookie class with several selections on the final day of the event.
The Steelers wrapped up their draft by adding a pair of national champions along with several late-round defensive contributors to round out the roster.
The Pittsburgh #Steelers select Ohio State LB Jack Sawyer in the #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Zo14BrYFNL
โ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐น ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐จ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ (@steelcityundrgr) April 26, 2025
One of the most notable selections came in the fourth round when Pittsburgh drafted edge rusher Jack Sawyer out of Ohio State with the 123rd overall pick. Sawyer finished his Buckeyes career appearing in 53 games, recording 138 tackles, 20 sacks, and 25.5 tackles for loss while establishing himself as a physical edge defender capable of setting the edge against the run.
Sawyer joined fellow Ohio State national champion Will Howard, whom the Steelers selected in the sixth round with the 185th overall pick. The quarterback transferred to the Buckeyes for his final collegiate season after beginning his career at Kansas State and helped lead Ohio State to the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship. Howard completed 73 percent of his passes during that championship season, throwing for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns while earning Offensive MVP honors in both the Cotton Bowl and the national title game.
The Steelers continued to emphasize defense later in the draft. In the fifth round, they selected Iowa defensive lineman Yahya Black, a massive presence along the interior of the defensive line. Black started 27 games during his career with the Hawkeyes and was known for his ability to clog running lanes and occupy multiple blockers in Iowaโs defensive front. During his final season in 2024, he recorded 34 tackles and seven tackles for loss while helping anchor one of the Big Tenโs toughest run defenses.
Pittsburgh closed out the draft with two seventh-round selections. Washington linebacker Carson Bruener added depth to the middle of the defense after finishing his collegiate career as a productive defender for the Huskies. Bruener appeared in more than 50 games at Washington, contributing both as a starter and key special teams player while showcasing strong instincts and tackling ability at the linebacker position.
The Steelers used their final pick on Central Michigan cornerback Donte Kent, a versatile defensive back who provided both coverage ability and special teams value during his time with the Chippewas. Kent started multiple seasons at cornerback and finished his college career with several interceptions and pass breakups while also contributing as a punt returner.
Those selections completed a seven-player class for the Steelers that also included earlier picks such as Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon and Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson. The group reflected Pittsburghโs emphasis on reinforcing the defense while also adding developmental depth at quarterback behind the teamโs veteran options.
Stay tuned as we revisit another key moment from last season in next weekโs Recall.