The Pittsburgh Steelers were not expecting the possibility of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders being available to them when they started their preparation for the 2025 NFL Draft, but now that it seems possible that he could be on the board when Pittsburgh picks at No. 21 overall, the Steelers are keenly interested.
According to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Steelers have begun to take the idea of drafting Sanders seriously later in the process, which explains them bringing him into Pittsburgh for an extensive pre-draft visit but not scheduling their own trip to Boulder for the Colorado pro day.
The Steelers original plan in the first round was to focus on defensive line, and Sanders could be a wild card. With the Steelers having just two quarterbacks under contract, and no second-round pick, it’ll be a long wait to add a signal caller if they pass on quarterback in the first round. Sanders is the top prize that’s even potentially available to the Steelers at No. 21.
But don’t expect them to trade up to get him. That same lack of a second-round draft pick would also likely preclude such a move, with the Steelers already historically thin in terms of draft capital.
According to Schefter, most teams see the floor for Sanders as the Steelers at pick No. 21, meaning if he’s there, the Steelers will likely take him.
Sanders also made mention of the elephant in the room when it comes to the Colorado quarterback: teams have to know that they’re drafting his famous father in addition to the promising prodigy.
The specter of Deion Sanders looking over their shoulder might scare off a coach in a less secure position, but it almost certainly won’t bother Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, making Sanders and ideal fit both ways.
