The Pittsburgh Steelers will be sure to prioritize upgrading their defensive front during the 2025 offseason, with the depth behind veteran star Cam Heyward being a major concern. Keeanu Benton didn't have the ground-breaking second season that many had hoped for, and Larry Ogunjobi was unable to impact the defense in a positive way consistently as one of the starting linemen. The 2025 draft class is loaded with defensive linemen, which could signal the Steelers taking one, or even multiple, elite defenders up front early in this year's draft.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers President Art Rooney II and General Manager Omar Khan stand on the field prior to a professional football game in 2024.
As Ray Fittipaldo with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote, the Steelers haven't drafted a defensive tackle in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2001 when they selected Casey Hampton. 2025 could certainly be the first time since then they decide to take an interior defensive lineman with their first round draft pick, considering the amount of talent that will be on the board at the position.
Last year at this time, I had potential starter grades on 12 DT's. This year I have 24 of them. Ridiculous amount of depth at the position in this draft class.
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) February 11, 2025
With defensive line being such a glaring issue after the finishing stretch of the 2024 season, Steelers' insiders, like Fittipaldo, are beginning to find players who could become studs in black and gold behind Heyward. On Friday, Fittipaldo wrote on a specific prospect that Omar Khan and Andy Weidl could have serious interest in.
"Michigan's Kenneth Grant, all 6-feet-3 and 340 pounds of him, is one of the many defensive linemen the Steelers will be scouting in Indianapolis this week at the [NFL Combine]. He can play nose tackle, but he also showed versatility by being able to align everywhere on Michigan's front."
Kenneth Grant, junior out of the University of Michigan, collected three sacks and defended five passes, along with 32 total tackles in his third season with the Blue and Maize. Though Grant's numbers aren't standout, he holds uncommon athleticism for his size and is expected to run under five seconds in the 40-yard dash.
Fittipaldo recalls when Weidl, Pittsburgh's assistant general manager, was at the head of the Philadelphia Eagles' draft when they selected Jordan Davis, who's emerging into a star now. Fittipaldo believes Weidl's past approaches could influence the Steelers' early draft choices in 2025.
Kenneth Grant via X (@KennyGrant78)
The Pittsburgh Steelers will have Michigan Wolverines' DT Kenneth Grant on their radar during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.
Along with Grant, some of the best defensive linemen entering the draft include Mason Graham, Walter Nolen, Derrick Harmon, and Shemar Stewart. The Steelers have many routes to choose from up front, but their critical decisions at the other needed positions like wideout and running back will affect that.
Steelers' Approach Of Attacking Wide Receiver Need Could Determine How Early They Draft A Defensive Lineman
With the linemen up front being the biggest concern on the defensive side of the football, one of the Steelers' biggest concerns, aside from quarterback, is wide receiver. George Pickens' future is very much in the air, and there's not much left behind him either on the current depth chart. Whether the Steelers decide to attack the receiver market through the draft or prioritize free agency will ultimately determine how early they want to draft help for the defense.
If the Steelers sign a high-end wide receiver to pair with Pickens, then Pittsburgh likely won't waste their first round pick on another wideout. However, if Pittsburgh fails to acquire a high-end veteran receiver, much like the 2024 offseason, then the Black and Gold will likely be spending either their first or second round pick on a pass-catcher.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers' Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan speaking on the sidelines inside Acrisure Stadium in 2024.
How do you think the Khan and the Steelers will attack the 2025 NFL Draft? Would an addition to the defensive front like Grant be significant, or should the front office focus on adding talent to one of the league's weakest receiving groups? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
#SteelerNation
