Omar Khan has long been clear about his draft philosophy: trading back is only an option if it doesn’t cost him a player he covets. He executed that approach in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, turning a move down into a clear win with Darnell Washington and Nick Herbig. Now, according to Adam Schefter, the Pittsburgh Steelers are at least open to doing it again in the first round.
“They have other needs that I would not expect the pick at 21 to be quarterback, though they will also be open to moving back in the draft in the first round,” Schefter said Wednesday via ESPN’s Get Up.
With roughly 12-14 true first-round grades in this class, the talent pool evens off after the top half of Day 1. If certain players are off the board, Pittsburgh could be in the market for a trade back. That would of course require a partner willing to trade up, which may be difficult to come by in this class.
Here are the two most realistic scenarios for the Steelers to move back. All signs point to a run on offensive tackles with a massive drop-off after the top seven prospects. Either a team could be willing to move up to secure a tackle before the Philadelphia Eagles select, or that run could push wide receivers down the board.
Much has been said about the lack of consensus on the top receivers after Carnell Tate and Jordyn Tyson. If Makai Lemon is still there at No. 21, could a team make an offer the Steelers can’t refuse to move up? The same could be said about Denzel Boston, KC Concepcion, or even Omar Cooper Jr.
But with the Steelers also needing a tackle and receiver, would they risk moving back and missing out on the premier talents at the position? According to Khan’s logic, they would only do that if they are confident in landing a player they like. If the trade scenario is to move back four spots, they have to have at least five players they would be okay with drafting.
What would the Steelers be after in a trade-back scenario? While most teams are after Day 2 picks, the Steelers already have five of them. Getting another second-round pick would be nice, but Pittsburgh isn’t going to make the 12 selections it already has, let alone an extra one or two that would come via trade. More likely the move would be to acquire 2027 draft capital for a potentially historic draft class.
Any Day 1 or Day 2 picks in the 2027 draft would be a huge win for the Steelers as they continue to position themselves for a potential quarterback of the future.