The Pittsburgh Steelers finished their 2025 NFL Draft focusing on the defensive side of the ball. Five of the seven Steelers' picks were on defense, excluding former Hawkeye running back Kaleb Johnsonand former Ohio State quarterback Will Howard.
Draft experts were split on the Steelers' draft picks, but NFL.com gave them a B-minus grade.
The Steelers loved defensive players in this draft and were bullish on multiple former Hawkeyes. Kaleb Johnson (third round, No. 83 overall), Yahya Black (sixth round, No. 164 overall), and Sebastian Castro (free agent signing) joined the Steelers organization.
All three were vital to the Hawkeyes' 2024-2025 success. Johnson was a consensus All-American selection, rushing for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns and carrying the Iowa offense.
Black was an anchor on the Iowa defensive line, racking up 34 total tackles (seven for loss), one sack, and two pass breakups, en route to earning an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection.
Castro was a defensive staple at the "Cash" position, tallying 45 tackles (three for loss), one interception, and one forced fumble en route to earning a Second Team All-Big Ten selection.
On Monday, the Steelers organization revealed the numbers for the two Hawkeyes who were part of their 2025 draft class (excluding Castro, a free agent signing who is not guaranteed to make the squad).
Rookie numbers are in 🙌
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) May 5, 2025
📝: https://t.co/JINO1fSrOI pic.twitter.com/SowBVTKnlH
Johnson will wear No. 20 (was No. 2 with Iowa) and Black will wear No. 78 (was No. 94 with Iowa).
The former Hawkeyes aim to carve out significant roles on their new teams, and make an impact at the NFL level.