Oregon Ducks Receiver Traeshon Holden NFL Draft Projection: Pittsburgh Steelers Target?

With the 2025 NFL Draft on the horizon, Oregon Ducks wide receiver Traeshon Holden is generating buzz as one of the most promising prospects in Oregon's draft class. One possible destination for Holden? The Pittsburgh Steelers.

Feb 28, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon wideout Traeshon Holden (WO19) answers questions at a press conference during the 2025 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephanie Amador Blondet-Imagn Images | Stephanie Amador Blondet-Imagn Images

EUGENE– With day one of the 2025 NFL Draft is only weeks away. Although multiple Oregon Ducks anticipate hearing their names called during this year’s NFL Draft, one player has drastically boosted his draft stock and proven that his athletic ceiling is much higher than many anticipated straight out of college. 

Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Traeshon Holden (1) celebrates after a touchdown in the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2025 Rose Bowl college football quarterfinal game at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Oregon receiver Traeshon Holden was not the Oregon Ducks’ top target on offense, but he could certainly become a leading wide receiver in the NFL. 

Through his pre-draft process, Holden’s athleticism was on full display as multiple clips of his route running, catching ability, and overall athleticism caught the attention of the public and NFL scouts. Reel Analytics rewarded Holden with an IGA (In-Game Athleticism) Score of 90.5. 

Traeshon Holden’s (@Traeski11) athletic ceiling is no longer a projection — it’s verified.

🔥 IGA Score®: 90.5
🚀 Max Speed: 22.1 mph (98th percentile)
📏 Yards of Separation: 4.6 yds (67th percentile)

Physical, polished, and productive. Don’t be surprised if he outperforms his… pic.twitter.com/m0MBPhYBML

— Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) March 28, 2025

The IGA score analyzes game film to provide a numerical value representing an athlete's real-time athletic performance. The score takes into account factors like reaction time, explosiveness, fluidity of motion, and more. 

Holden’s 90.5 IGA score indicates that he performs at a very high percentile compared to his peers and even professionals, further proving his high athletic ceiling. 

According to Reel Analytics, Holden has a max speed of 22.1 mph, placing him in the 98th percentile. Reel Analytics also calculated Holden’s average yards of separation created, which is 4.6 yards, placing him in the 67th percentile. 

Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon wideout Traeshon Holden (WO19) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Holden’s proven ability to play with great speed and explosiveness isn’t the only factor that makes him a breakout candidate for the NFL. His size is also something that cannot be ignored. 

The former Duck stands at 6-3 and weighs 205 pounds. His size and length give him a distinct advantage in contested catches which make him more effective at securing passes through contact and winning 50-50 balls. 

For comparison, the average height of an NFL defensive back is around 5-11 (71.69 inches), according to an analysis by the University of Idaho. 

This size mismatch could give Holden an advantage in red-zone situations, contested catches as well as make him more effective at securing passes through contact. 

Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Traeshon Holden (1) makes a catch against Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Davison Igbinosun (1) in the second half in the 2025 Rose Bowl college football quarterfinal game at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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One team that has shown interest in drafting Holden in the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2024, the Steelers struggled in the passing game. Adding wide receivers to its roster could be a focus for the Steelers in this year's draft,  

At the Shrine Bowl, Holden told Steelers Depot that the Steelers had shown interest in him.

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Holden’s pattern of improvement could make him stand put to Pittsburgh's front office. The former Duck showed improvement each year in college, and 2024 was his best season yet. He set career highs in touches, yards, and yards per catch, finishing with 45 receptions for 718 yards. 

Despite his impressive attributes, there are some concerns surrounding Holden. Holdens combine performance raised questions, as his vertical jump fell in the 26th percentile, 10-yard split in the 33rd percentile, and 20-yard split in the 34th percentile.  

Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Traeshon Holden (1) is ejected for a spitting incident during the second quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Holden has also faced some character concerns as he was ejected from the 2024 Ohio State game for spitting on a cornerback.  

Regardless of any potential concerns, Holden’s consistent improvement, combined with his athleticism, speaks for itself. His ability to perform at a high level and continue developing makes him an interesting option for Pittsburgh as they look to add more weapons to their offense in 2025.