“I’m open to anything and attached to nothing,” Aaron Rodgers recently mused, leaving the NFL world spinning like a wayward spiral in a snowstorm. Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, Mike Tomlin—the man who’s coached the Steelers longer than some fans have been on planet Earth—isn’t waiting around for Rodgers to drop a Zen koan or a commitment.
With $31.4M in cap space burning a hole in his pocket and a defense that’s been leakier than a rookie’s knee brace, Tomlin’s cooking up a draft strategy that’s part chess move, part survival instinct. Let’s just say he’s got a plan, and it’s dripping with that signature Steel City grit.
Tomlin’s whole ethos—“Defense wins championships”—is practically carved into Acrisure Stadium’s walls. From Mean Joe Greene’s Steel Curtain days to Troy Polamalu’s hair-flip theatrics, Pittsburgh’s identity is grit and grind. Now imagine Rodgers swaggering in with his helmet underarm, expecting a rosy welcome. Tomlin’s response? Draft picks who’ll make even a Hall of Famer think twice about stepping on the wrong hash mark.
Culture matters. In Pittsburgh, fans bleed black and gold, chanting “Here we go!” like a mantra. They don’t care how pretty the offense is if the D can’t hold a three‑and‑out. That’s why, in quarter one of Tomlin’s plan, he bets heavily on studs who eat blockers and spit them out. The next three picks aren’t flashy; they’re fundamental—guys who’ll bury QBs in the mud and force punts.
Sure, Rodgers would give you a chance to chase rings, but we’ve seen vets come in and slow down the youth movement. This time, the blueprint flips: build the fortress first, then figure out the keys to the castle. Tomlin’s playing 4D chess while others are stuck on checkers.
If Rodgers’ free agency saga were an anime, it’d be Attack on Titan—everyone’s waiting for the colossal twist, but the scouts are already screaming, “The wall won’t protect itself!” Enter Tomlin, who’s stacking his draft board like he’s building a human fortress. Three of Pittsburgh’s first five picks? Defense. Because while Rodgers contemplates his nirvana, Tomlin’s out here recruiting warriors who’d make the “Steel Curtain” blush.
Tomlin’s potential 7 picks: The Yinzer symphony?
Round 1: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
A true dual-threat signal‑caller, Shedeur Sanders dazzled in 2024 with 4,134 yds, 37 TDs, and a 168.2 passer rating on 353/477 (74.0%) comp/att. His career resume—14,340 yds, 134 TDs and a 70.2% comp% —earned him Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. He broke Colorado records for single‑season passing yds (4,134), comp% (74.0%), and TDs (37), plus a single‑game high of 510 yds.
Beyond the numbers, he’s a born leader—“Pressure? I am the pressure,” he declared—and boasts a $6.5 M NIL valuation that turns merch into must‑haves. Slide him into pick 21, and Pittsburgh gets a poised, NFL‑ready QB who can step in if Aaron Rodgers rides off into the sunset.
Round 3: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
At 6’5”, 310 lbs, Derrick Harmon is a wrecking ball who logged 10.5 TFL, 5 sacks, and 55 total pressures in 2024, earning an 83.9 PFF grade—13th among FBS interior D‑linemen. “I’ve got a dog in me,” he explained, and his gritty motor reshapes run lanes and collapses pockets. In Tomlin’s blueprint, he’s the muscle in the middle: a chaos agent who demands double teams and frees up blitzers to harass QBs.
Round 4: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
A route‑running virtuoso, Emeka Egbuka hauled in 81 recs for 1,011 yds and 10 TDs in 2024, boasting a 12.5 yds per catch average. His smooth separation and reliable hands make him the ultimate safety valve in a play‑action‑heavy attack. Off the field, his $977 K NIL valuation proves he’s a marketing magnet. Slide him into the slot or outside, and he’ll give any rookie QB a security blanket and spark the home crowd.
Round 5: Alfred Collins, DT, Texas
A true mountain at 6’6”, 320 lbs, Alfred Collins recorded 27 defensive stops and batted six passes last season, earning the third‑best run‑defense grade among SEC tackles. “Do what I gotta do,” he summed up, and his gap‑eating prowess demands blockers, frees linebackers, and keeps Pittsburgh’s ground game rock‑solid. He’s the stout anchor who turns opponents’ rush lanes into brick walls.
Round 6: Damien Martinez, RB, Miami
Fresh legs and big‑play burst define Damien Martinez—1,002 rush yds and 10 TDs on 6.3 ypc in 2024, with a 75‑yd long run. His three straight 100‑yd games in 2023 showcased home‑run ability, while 17 recs for 204 yds reveal check‑down threat. In smoke‑and‑mirror two‑back sets, he’ll spell Najee Harris and keep defenses honest with explosive change‑of‑pace.
Round 7a: Jonas Sanker, S, Virginia
Quiet but ferocious, Jonas Sanker racked up 98 tkl (66 solo) and First‑Team All‑ACC honors in both 2023 and 2024. A special‑teams ace with sure‑tackle DNA, he patrols the back end with roam‑and‑recover instincts. Tomlin’s safety room gets a Swiss Army knife—zone drops, edge blitzes, and locker‑room leadership.
Round 7b: Jalen Travis, OT, Iowa State
Towering at 6’8” and 340 lbs, Jalen Travis logged 850 snaps in 2024—475 in pass pro, 374 in the run game—and his 5.14 40‑yd speed on that frame screams athletic freak. His length, initial quickness, and anchor strength project as a future left tackle. Whether protecting a rookie QB or a veteran, he’s the bookend you need to shield the blind side.
Jaydon Blue: From Dollar Menu NIL Deals to Steelers’ hidden gem
Picture this: A freshman Jaydon Blue in 2022, grinding through 9 games with just 33 rushing yards—stats so humble they’d make a Naruto side character look like main-event material. Fast-forward to 2024, and Blue’s rocking a 1,098 all-purpose yard glow-up, snagging 6 receiving TDs like he’s playing Madden on rookie mode. “I’m not just a RB—I’m a cheat code,” —probably Jaydon Blue, if he tweeted more.
While his NIL hustle—
-13 social posts,
-$35 appearances,
-$32 autographs—reads like a Groupon for stardom, the Pittsburgh Steelers are eyeing him like a late-round heist in cleats.
Tomlin’s got a type:
-Gritty
-Versatile
-Cheaper than a Primanti Bros. sandwich.
Blue’s 5.4 yards per carry and WR-esque hands? That’s the Yinzer fairy tale—a kid who went from benchwarmer to 1,161 career rushing yards faster than you can say “Renegade.” And with the recent visit to the Steelers, fans are keeping their fingers crossed. If the Steelers draft him, he won’t just fill gaps; He’ll be the plot twist.
Tomlin’s draft isn’t just about filling holes—it’s a love letter to Steelers tradition. By snagging Harmon and Collins, he’s resurrecting the “Steel Curtain” ethos: Dominate the trenches, and the rest is confetti. Meanwhile, Sanders and Egbuka? They’re the fireworks—flashy, fearless, and built for YouTube montages set to Eminem tracks.
Rodgers might still be sipping ayahuasca tea somewhere, but in Pittsburgh, the future’s already written in Terrible Towels and touchdown spikes. As Tomlin would say, “The standard is the standard.” And this draft? It’s a standard wrapped in black-and-gold confetti.
Mic drop. Play “Renegade.”
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