Steelers pre-draft visit tracker: A rising QB, converted DT and WVU OL first to visit

New York Times

07-03-2025

Every NFL team is permitted to host 30 players at their practice facility during the pre-draft process. Local athletes can also visit without counting against that total. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, that would include prospects from Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia, along with any who grew up in the Pittsburgh area.
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These visits often give us clues about which players or positions the Steelers will be targeting. In 2023, for example, the team's top four draft picks (Broderick Jones, Joey Porter Jr., Keeanu Benton and Darnell Washington) all visited before the draft. Last year, Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier, Payton Wilson, Mason McCormick, Logan Lee and Beanie Bishop visited.
In the weeks leading up to the draft, we'll be tracking all of the visitors here. At the end of the process, we'll break down what we learned.
Visit: March 6
A four-star prospect out of Chandler, Ariz., the 6-foot-5, 224-pound Shough began a long and winding college football journey at Oregon in 2018. After backing up Justin Herbert for two years, Shough ascended into the starting role in 2020. He completed 63.5 percent of his passes for 1,559 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions to lead the Ducks to the PAC-12 championship game.
He transferred to Texas Tech in 2021, where injury concerns emerged. First, Shough broke his collarbone in 2021. Then in 2022, he sustained another shoulder injury in the season opener. The bad luck continued in Shough's sixth year of eligibility in 2023, when the QB broke his fibula four games into the season.
For the second time in his career, Shough transferred ahead of the 2024. He landed at Louisville, where he worked alongside QB whisperer/head coach Jeff Brohm. The marriage was a perfect fit, as Shough led the Cardinals to an 8-4 record in a pass-happy offense, racking up 3,195 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Shough is already 25, but he has several high-end physical traits. He has a prototypical frame, good mobility and one of the strongest arms in this year's class. In many of his highlights, his ball placement and anticipation stand out, especially against zone coverages.
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The Athletic's draft analyst Dane Brugler ranked Shough 59th in his most recent top 100. It will be fascinating to see where Shough is picked. He's been rising up draft boards after strong showings at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine. He would make the most sense for the Steelers as a late Day 2, early Day 3 gamble.
Visit: March 6
Dating back to his high school days in Oxford, Miss., Pegues has been a freakish athlete, including when he posted a 4.79 40-yard dash and 34-inch vertical at 280 pounds at The Opening, a premier high school scouting event. However, tapping into that athleticism has been a process. Pegues began his college career as a tight end at Auburn. After his true freshman season in 2020, he transitioned to the defensive line in 2021.
That process continued at Ole Miss, where Pegues ascended into a starting role in 2023 and 2024, filling out his frame to 320 pounds. He'd likely fit the mold in Pittsburgh as a 3-4 defensive end or a rotational rusher in sub packages.
As you'd expect with a player who made a late position change, Pegues is not a finished product. That's reflected in Brugler's evaluation, as he did not land in the top 100. However, given his frame and athletic makeup, Pegues would be an interesting developmental piece if he's available at the end of Day 2 or early on Day 3.
Visit: March 6
The Steelers already went into their backyard to address their offensive line once, when they took Zach Frazier in the second round of the 2024 draft. Perhaps they will target his teammate this year. Milum, a 6-6, 315-pound athlete, began his collegiate career at right tackle before transitioning to the left side. He was part of a steady offensive line that led the way for the nation's fifth-ranked rushing attack in 2023 (222.7 yards per game) and 27th-ranked rushing attack in 2024 (185.9).
Though most of Milum's experience in college was at tackle, many believe he'd benefit from a move inside to guard. He'd be a possibility on Day 3 as a developmental piece with some positional flexibility in case of emergency.
(Photo of Tyler Shough: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)