Pittsburgh Steelers Upcoming 2026 Draft Picks (10)
Max Iheanachor will move one of the incumbent tackles to guard. He’s a very talented offensive lineman who doesn’t have much experience. He’s a project of sorts, but he has very high upside and could give the Steelers two upgrades for the price of one. This is a solid pick for the host of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Germie Bernard has great upside, and he should have been taken about 10 spots earlier. This is a great pick for the Steelers, who had nothing at receiver outside of DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. Even better, the Steelers don’t have to deal with a receiver with some major character concerns.
The Steelers needed a quarterback project. Well, Drew Allar is certainly a project. He has great tools, but has no feel for the game. His field vision is awful, and I don’t have much hope for him. There is some upside that can’t be ignored, however.
Daylan Everette has big upside, but is raw. He’s someone I had in Round 4, so this range is fine. It also makes sense for the Steelers to address this position at this spot.
I can’t wait to read Charlie Campbell’s Why the Slide on Gennings Dunker because I expected him to go in the middle portion of Round 2. He’s a nasty run blocker and provides great value, all while filling a need for Pittsburgh.
Kaden Wetjen is a receiver, which is a position the Steelers needed to address. He's a project at the position, however, but he's a dynamic returner, so he'll be able to contribute right away on special teams, making this a decent pick.
Riley Nowakowski has great hands and can make big plays after the catch. However, he's short but blocks well. The Steelers lost Jonnu Smith, so it's not a surprise that they grabbed a tight end. I had Nowakowki in the sixth round.
Gabriel Rubio was a sound tackler in school, but he's slow and raw. I had him as a priority UDFA, but never put him in my mock draft. Adding a defensive lineman makes sense, but the Steelers could have done better.
Robert Spears-Jennings has great speed, and yet he struggles in coverage. The Steelers will have to develop him. He makes sense in the seventh round.
Eli Heidenrich is a strong receiver and a tough run blocker, but isn't a refined route runner. The Steelers listed him as a running back. I imagine they'll use him on special teams, and he'll be a hard worker, of course.
Walt's Mock Selections as of 4/23/2026 - View Current Mock Draft
Round: 1
The Steelers traded for Michael Pittman Jr., but they're still starved for receiver talent. I expect them to upgrade the position unless someone unexpected falls to them. In fact, I could really see them trading up for Makai Lemon. Omar Cooper is a mid-sized receiver who had huge production with Fernando Mendoza. *** OTHER 2026 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: *** 1. Trade Up - The Steelers are strong candidates to trade up for Lemon. 2. K.C. Concepcion/Denzel Boston, WRs - The Steelers have two viable receivers on their roster, so they could stand to add another. Pick change; previously Francis Mauigoa, OT
Round: 2
The Steelers lost Isaac Seumalo in free agency, so they have a big hole to fill in the interior of the offensive line. Emmanuel Pregnon is a well-built guard who played at three different schools. Pick change; previously Jacob Rodriguez, LB
Round: 3
The Steelers still have a lot of work to do concerning their secondary. D'Angelo Ponds has size issues, but was a terrific player in college.
Round: 3
The Steelers had shoddy play from their linebackers last year, so an upgrade is needed. The son of Jeremiah Trotter, Josiah Trotter is strong in run support, but struggles to cover. Pick change; previously Skyler Bell, WR
Round: 3
The Steelers need to find their quarterback of the future. Carson Beck quarterbacked Miami to the national championship, but it felt like the Hurricanes won in spite of him sometimes.
Round: 4
The Steelers lost Jonnu Smith, so they could bring in a tight end in the middle rounds. Marlin Klein has plus speed but was never a big producer at Michigan. Pick change; previously Zakee Wheatley, S
Round: 4
The Steelers could stand to add pass-rushing depth just in case T.J. Watt misses more time. Harold Perkins is a beast who broke on to the scene with 7.5 sacks as a freshman. He's an explosive player with tremendous instincts. Pick change; previously Deven Eastern, DE/DT
Round: 5
Two receivers make sense for the Steelers in this draft, given their lack of depth at the position. Jeff Caldwell is a massive, lengthy receiver with great speed. However, he's a poor route runner who drops lots of passes. Pick change; previously Jam Miller, RB
Round: 6
Here's another receiver for the Steelers, who are very shallow at the position. Kendrick Law is a speedy slot receiver. Go to 2026 NFL Mock Draft by Charlie Campbell Go to 2027 NFL Mock Draft by Walter Cherepinsky
Round: 7
It would be surprising if the Steelers didn't use two picks on cornerbacks. Ephesians Prysock is a tall and lenghty cornerback who can match up with big wide receivers.
Round: 7
Jonnu Smith is gone, so the Steelers may bring in another tight end. John Michael Gyllenborg has a nice blend of size and speed.
Round: 7
Kaleb Johnson was a bust last year, so the Steelers may draft a new young running back. Jam Miller was not impressive last year and appeared to be weighed down by injuries. Pick change; previously Jeff Caldwell, WR
Past Grades and Selections
2025 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
A Derrick Harmon is an extremely athletic and talented defensive lineman. The Steelers were hoping he would fall to them so he could replace Cameron Heyward. He comes with some medical concerns, but the Steelers are OK with his medical, so this selection makes sense. It must be noted that this wasn’t Shedeur Sanders, which is fine because it means that Aaron Rodgers is likely to sign with the team. Pittsburgh is expected to draft a quarterback in Round 4 and perhaps one in 2026 or 2027.
A+ The Steelers addressed their backfield, but not with Shedeur Sanders. They couldn’t risk offending Aaron Rodgers here, however, so they had to go with a running back, given their need at the position. Kaleb Johnson is an excellent running back prospect who should have gone in the second round.
A+ A highly thought-of player falling to Round 4? An investigation is needed. It’s absurd that Jack Sawyer fell this far. He’s not an amazing athlete, but he has a relentless motor. He was obviously insanely productive in school and should do well in Pittsburgh.
B+ I had the Steelers drafting Yahya Black around this spot. It makes sense, as Black is a big run stuffer. He won't produce much as a pass rusher, but he'll have a role with Pittsburgh to help clamp down on Derrick Henry.
B Will Howard had an amazing season for the national champion Buckeyes. He was a clutch thrower who showed good mobility. However, he was one of the worst passers at the combine and doesn't seem like a viable NFL quarterback. Still, he's worth a shot here in the sixth round.
B- Carson Bruener was a borderline draftable prospect. He needs to pack on weight and get stronger for the NFL. He might be a career special-teamer.
C I didn't have Donte Kent on my radar at all. I didn't see anyone have him as a draftable prospect. I assume this is just for special teams.
2024 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
B- The Steelers really need a center. Troy Fautanu is viewed mostly as a right tackle or guard, but he can play center as well. He comes with some major risk, however, as he was flagged medically by some teams. Graham Barton probably would have been the safer pick for Pittsburgh, though Fautanu comes with more upside.
A There aren't that many talented centers in this class, but the Steelers were able to land one of them in the middle of the second round. Zach Frazier is someone I've seen discussed as a possibility late in the opening round, so I definitely like this value. Frazier fits an obvious huge need at center.
A+ The Steelers always knock it out of the park with their day-two receiver picks, and I think they're getting another stud with this selection. Roman Wilson could have gone in the second round, so Wilson provides great value while filling a big need.
B This might be deemed a steal by the media because Payton Wilson is a terrific player who fell because of injuries. However, I suspected Wilson would go in the third round because of those injuries. Wilson has major health problems and may not be able to stay on the field. If he can, however, he could be a great player for Pittsburgh, filling a big position of need.
C- I can't hate on any pick the Steelers use to address their dreadful offensive line. However, this is a reach, as Mason McCormick was considered a sixth- or seventh-round prospect. He has some upside, but is extremely raw.
B The Steelers needed defensive line depth, so it makes sense to add someone like Logan Lee atop Round 6. Lee makes sense in this range, though he projects mostly as a career backup.
B The Steelers had problems in their secondary last year, so adding another defensive back makes sense. Ryan Watts, a versatile defensive back who can play corner and safety, was seen as a sixth-round prospect.
2023 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
A+ Holy s**t, I got a Patriots pick correct! If the site didn't suck tonight, I'd be so happy right now. Christian Gonzalez has fallen because some teams believe he has no toughness. However, he is super talented and fills a big need for New England. Gonzalez could have easily gone No. 7 overall, so I love this pick.
A+ An A+ grade to kick off Round 2. This is amazing value. Joey Porter Jr. was under consideration for the Steelers' No. 17 overall pick had one of the top four offensive linemen not been on the board. Porter fills a huge need, and he should continue his father's great legacy in Pittsburgh.
B+ The Steelers have had issues stopping the run ever since Ryan Shazier suffered a brutal injury. This is not a linebacker pick, but Keeanu Benton will certainly help the team's efforts to stop the rush. Benton is a nose tackle with upside, so I like this pick for Pittsburgh.
C+ Carolina's pass rush was weaker last year because it lost Haason Reddick. D.J. Johnson could help in that regard. He's a raw player, but has very explosive ability. I love the upside, but I don't see why the Panthers needed to trade up for him. He easily could have been available in 13 selections.
B- The Jets get their high-upside tackle, albeit much later than originally planned. Carter Warren needs improvements in his game, but he has the ability to eventually become a starting tackle in the NFL. He could have been obtained a bit later, but at least the Jets traded down.
B+ Jason Taylor was one of the top performers at the combine among the safeties, both in the workout numbers and on-field drills. Thus, I'm shocked he fell this far. The Rams won't complain, as they had to find a replacement for Taylor Rapp. I like this value.
B+ Cory Trice is a tall, lengthy cornerback with upside. However, he has a dubious injury history, which is why he fell to the seventh round. The floor is low, but there is definite upside.
2022 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
D- Grade
I have to wonder if the owners called this one in because they regretted passing on another Pittsburgh quarterback, Dan Marino, back in the early '80s. This makes no sense otherwise. Pickett didn't generate any interest from anyone else in the first round, and he doesn't have the mobility the Steelers want from the position. He'll also have massive fumbling problems with his small hands once the calendar flips to December and January. Yuck.
A- Grade
I have to wonder how Kenny Pickett will have any sort of time in the pocket. Receiver wasn't a big need for the Steelers, but they lost JuJu Smith-Schuster this offseason, so I understand it. Pickens is a top 15-caliber talent, but some major character issues have sunk him. He's a great value here, so I like this pick.
A Grade
Everyone knows the Steelers needed to bolster their offensive line, but they also had to add to their defensive front as well. The Steelers have an old defensive line, so they really needed to get younger there, especially after they were steamrolled each week. I had Leal going to the Steelers in the second round, so I love this value.
A- Grade
I'm surprised Calvin Austin lasted this long, as I've had him in the third round consistently. He's a very small receiver, but he's incredibly fast and explosive. Given the receiving talent already on Pittsburgh's roster, Austin will likely settle in as the return specialist.
B+ Grade
Ja'Tyre Carter is a very athletic offensive lineman with nice upside, so I'm a fan of this pick in the final round. The Bears, once again, have major blocking issues, so perhaps Carter can eventually make his way into the starting lineup.
A+ Grade
Wow, what a steal! I had Kalon Barnes in the fourth round. Leave it to a former Seahawks executive to obtain a high-upside cornerback in the late rounds. Kalon Barnes is extremely fast, so at the very worst, he'll contribute on special teams.
2021 NFL Draft Selections and Grades
D- Grade
I hate this pick. I'm not going to flunk the Steelers because I think Najee Harris will be a good player in the NFL. This grade has almost nothing to do with the player, but rather the position. Running backs grow on trees, so there's no point in taking one in the first round. Seriously, when is the last time a team succeeded because they spent their first-round pick on a running back? I talked to one team ahead of this draft that needed a running back, and they said, "We can just get one in the fifth or sixth round." That is the correct mentality as far as running backs are concerned.
C+ Grade
The Steelers are basically like a beautiful car with no engine. They've added two talented play-makers so far, but their offensive line is garbage, so how is their offense going to function? Pat Freiermuth is a talented tight end who will upgrade Eric Ebron, so I don't hate the pick, but Pittsburgh really needs to address its blocking.
B Grade
I can't criticize this pick too much because the Steelers needed to address their offensive line more than anything. It's nice that Kendrick Green is versatile enough to play guard and center, as both spots are big needs. I had Kendrick Green in the fourth round, so this is only a very slight reach.
A+ Grade
I was critical of the Steelers selecting a tight end over an offensive lineman, but someone should have told me that they would get a second-day prospect toward the end of the fourth round. This is terrific value and potentially fills a huge need.
B+ Grade
The Steelers have a declining defense, so they needed to address every level of it, including the linebacking corps. They're getting a highly athletic player in Buddy Johnson, who has immense upside. He's a bit undersized, which is why he was a fourth-round pick, but I've had him in this range.
A- Grade
Quincy Roche needs to bulk up for the pros, but the talent is there. I had Roche in the fifth round, so I like this value. It's also nice that Roche could fill a need with Bud Dupree gone.
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