The Pittsburgh Steelers’ late-season defensive collapse may have fallen on their inability to stop the run, but arguably, the weakest positional unit on defense was the cornerback room.

Outside of CB Joey Porter Jr., who also struggled with penalties in 2024, the Steelers lacked a true lockdown CB2. In an era where teams are passing the ball more than ever, finding two elite CBs has never been more important—and that’s exactly what the Steel City accomplished in the NFL’s latest mock draft.

NFL Draft analyst Eric Edholm projected that the Steelers would land Michigan CB Will Johnson with the 21st overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Edholm supported this decision with the following statement:

“I don’t believe Johnson is the top-10 lock some seem to think he is, with the big corner facing injury and speed questions ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine, but his skill set could bolster Pittsburgh’s secondary.”

If the Pittsburgh Steelers manage to land Johnson, opposing quarterbacks would have a tough time finding open receivers, as the Michigan CB would form an incredible duo with Porter.