Pittsburgh leans into physicality during draft

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the NFL draft with a very real need at quarterback. They left it much the same way, save for taking a late-round flyer on former Ohio State star Will Howard. And while that decision sent a very public flare to free agent Aaron Rodgers that he can show up whenever he likes, it also allowed the Steelers to put together a draft class they believe is heavy on toughness, something they uncharacteristically lacked during a five-game skid to end the 2024 season. "We wanted to retool physicality in all areas," head coach Mike Tomlin said. Pittsburgh added 650ish pounds along the defensive line in first-rounder Derrick Harmon and fifth-rounder Yahya Black. In the third round they picked up running back Kaleb Johnson, hoping he can add an explosive element to a running game that Najee Harris, for all his durability, didn't. In the fourth they grabbed Ohio State outside linebacker Jack Sawyer, who may not need long to carve out a niche in the rotation behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. "You'll realize these guys have Steelers DNA," general manager Omar Khan said. That includes wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, who served as a stand-in for Pittsburgh's second-round selection after the Steelers sent that pick to Seattle in exchange for the two-time Pro Bowler, whom they quickly signed to a five-year extension. Rather than generate headlines as it did three years ago when it reached for quarterback Kenny Pickett in a marriage of convenience that lasted all of 24 starts, Pittsburgh opted for a more pragmatic path as it tries to find its way out of its current purgatory of being frequently good but never great. It's nearing a decade since the Steelers have won a postseason game. Their 2025 draft class may not get them over that particular hump in the short term, but could lay the foundation for what the team might look like whenever Pittsburgh finds a quarterback it's ready to settle down with. Heavy heart for Harmon Harmon pointed to his mother Tiffany Saine, as his guiding light and described his journey to the NFL as one they walked together. Shortly after he realized his dream when the Steelers selected him with the 21st overall pick, Harmon had to say goodbye to Saine, who died late Thursday night after years of fighting various health battles, including multiple brain surgeries. The 21-year-old Harmon called one of the best moments of his life "bittersweet." He won't lack for people to lean on at home or at work. He'll join a defensive line room that includes Heyward, the last defensive lineman taken in the first round by Pittsburgh 14 years ago. All Heyward has done is build a potentially Hall of Fame worthy resume (seven Pro Bowls, four All-Pro nods) while becoming a pillar in the community (2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year). "That was my thought process after the call, that I was able to pick Cam's brain, be under his wing," Harmon said. "That could be my vet now, and I can really learn from him, because he's been doing this forever, since I was a baby. So (there) wouldn't be no other way I wanted really." Where there's a Will The Steelers opted not to use one of their early picks on a quarterback, waiting until the 185th selection to grab Howard, who led Ohio State to the national title in January. The Philadelphia-area native admitted the wait to hear his name called was agonizing before realizing "it's not about when, it's where." He's joins a group that — for now — includes Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson, who was a teammate of Howard's when both were at Kansas State in 2020 and 2021. Howard arrives coming off the best football of his career during Ohio State's four-game sprint through the CFP when he completed 75% of his passes and threw for eight touchdowns against two picks. "He stepped into that role and took advantage of that opportunity on the biggest stage in college football," Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said of Howard. "Sometimes it's the mental part that wears guys down. Certainly he proved that he has that part of his game." Counting on Kaleb The Steelers let Harris, a four-year starter, walk in free agency. They believe they've found perhaps a more dynamic version in the 6-foot-1, 225-pound Johnson, who scored in each of Iowa's 12 games last season without fumbling once. Smith has stressed that Pittsburgh's offense needs to be more explosive whomever is under center. Johnson had more than 20 runs of 20 yards or more last season with the Hawkeyes and will probably be fresher with the Steelers, where he will pair with Jaylen Warren. What's next Harmon, Howard, Johnson, Black and Sawyer as well seventh-rounders Carson Bruener (linebacker and son of former Steelers tight end Mark Bruener) and cornerback Donte Kent from Central Michigan will report for rookie minicamp early next month. The veterans will join them when organized team activities begin in late May. That group will likely still include wide receiver George Pickens, who the team opted to hold onto as he prepares to enter the final year of his rookie contract. Whether Rodgers will be in the fold by then is anybody's guess. Tomlin has made it a point to keep any sense of a deadline vague and considering Rodgers has few other options at this point — as do the Steelers — it seems more a matter of when Rodgers will come to Pittsburgh, and not if. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl