9: TE

Another deep position room for the Steelers, all three tight ends (four, if you count Connor Heyward in his TE/FB hybrid role) saw usage in Arthur Smith’s offense throughout the season. Darnell Washington should be at full strength to start next season, which means that this group will be in great shape with Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth returning.There’s plenty of talent in the room, so it’s not likely for the Steelers to invest heavily in the position barring extreme circumstances.

8: RB

Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren formed a productive tandem backfield this season, logging plenty of yardage on the ground and through the air. Pittsburgh will also continue to work on Kaleb Johnson’s development- the second-round rookie faded as Gainwell emerged, but he’s primed to take a leap in year two. Pittsburgh won’t be expected to draft a running back with a high value pick. The only exception to this rule would be an unexpected fall from Notre Dame prospect Jeremiah Love. The otherworldly talent from South Bend would be a worthy exception to the rule if he were to be available when Pittsburgh steps up to the podium.

7: EDGE

Edge is the most star-studded group for the Steelers, and if they’re planning to return everyone then they won’t need to invest more picks. With that being said, a new regime looking to make changes will find most of this team’s trade value in edge rushers like TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith. If things shake out where the Steelers find themselves needing to bolster the position, with names like Miami’s Akheem Mesidor projected to be on the board around the 21st pick.

6: IDL

The good news for Pittsburgh is that they have a great mix of veteran production and young talent on the interior. The bad news is that All-Pro Cam Heyward will be 37 at the start of camp. If Pittsburgh wants to have another young star develop under Heyward the same way Derrick Harmon did this year, they’ll have to bring them in soon. Kayden Mcdonald out of Ohio State would be a huge get here.

5: LB

There’s some high-upside names in the linebacker room (Cole Holcomb, Payton Wilson, Patrick Queen), but a true standout has yet to emerge. 2026 is a strong year for linebacker prospects, and the Steelers would do well to grab one at some point in this draft. Even if they wait until day three, names like Harold Perkins Jr and Bryce Boettcher could be gems in the later rounds.

4: OL

There’s plenty of talent on the offensive line in Pittsburgh, but injuries annihilated the room throughout the year. Reserve players like Dylan Cook answered the bell, but depth and durability can always be added in the trenches. Pittsburgh could look for a player like Gennings Dunker, who turned heads at the Senior Bowl, for reinforcements.

3: QB

Huge need, weak draft class. As we discussed last week, Pittsburgh needs a new franchise quarterback, but there aren’t a great many prospects available this year. I’d expect Mike McCarthy to bring in at least one young arm on a flier (I will continue to hype up NDSU’s Cole Payton), but don’t anticipate any fireworks until 2027’s heralded class.

2: DB

Free agency and injuries mean that this group will look much different at the start of 2026 than it did at the start of 2025. Joey Porter Jr. will be a franchise cornerstone, and the likes of James Pierre and Kyle Dugger will be welcomed back if they’re willing, but this group needs reinforcements. If Jalen Ramsey likes playing safety, Mansoor Delane could be worth a look at cornerback. If he wants to return to his natural cornerback position, Bud Clark’s productive Senior Bowl could land him in Pittsburgh as their new starting safety.

1: WR

With much respect to Adam Theilen, Pittsburgh cannot be relying on free agents who are on the verge of retirement late in the season. This draft class has plenty of prospects that could start from day one in a sparse WR corps. We’ll take a deeper dive into this year’s wide receiver class in the coming weeks, but I’m high on guys like Omar Cooper Jr. and Chris Bell in the earlier rounds.