The Steelers’ 2026 draft picks are ranked from starter to project

a month ago 2026 NFL DraftMike McCarthy says he likes having a big group of prospects. He got his wish with 10 rookies in his first class as a head coach Pittsburgh Steelers.

“You’ll never hear me talk about 53, I’ll talk about 68,” McCarthy said at a recent NFL meeting in Phoenix, emphasizing the importance of practice squads and deep rosters. “And so if you’ve got 12 picks, let’s just try to pick 12 really good football players.”

General manager Omar Khan traded two of those picks to acquire wide receiver Jeremy Barnard and aggressive coping Jennings DunkerBut McCarthy still wound up with a double-digit draft class as the Steelers plugged holes up and down the roster.

Some of these rookies could make a bigger impact right away, while others are developmental projects. Ahead of Steelers rookie minicamp that begins Friday, we’re breaking down those draft picks into four tiers.

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Immediate start and contributor

Jeremy BarnardWR, Alabama, 2nd round (No. 47)
Jennings DunkerG, Iowa, 3rd round (No. 96)

The Steelers added to their wide receiving corps by trading up, though Michael Pittman Jr. Early in free agency, they still entered the draft with a significant need at the position. So much so that they tried to draft USC police lemon In the first round ( Philadelphia Eagles traded to rob him). The organization then moved up the position with their second-round pick and selected Barnard of Alabama, one of their top-30 pre-draft prospects. He figures to be the team’s No. 3 receiver.

Bernard (6-foot-1 and 206 pounds) is a physical, well-rounded and versatile player. The Steelers lacked depth at wide receiver last season, so they added Marquez Valdes-Scantling And Adam Thielen Towards the end of the season, and the pair became the main targets Aaron Rodgers Down the stretch now, Thielen is retired and Valdes-Scantling is a Dallas Cowboy. the receiver Calvin Austin III Also exits in free agency, and running backs Kenneth GainwellThe Steelers’ leading pass catcher and team MVP last season, signed with Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Third year WR Roman Wilson Is back, like a special teams ace Ben SkoronekNeither was a significant part of the offense last season, though. Bernard, then, should be primed for a key role in McCarthy’s scheme.

The Steelers also needed a guard after losing a starter Isaac Seumalo from Arizona Cardinals In free agency. 2023 seventh round pick though Spencer Anderson Sports played well in place of Seumalo last season, the Steelers are still looking for an upgrade. Enter Iowa Hey Bell Toss Champion. Although The mullet-sporting redhead spent her college career at tackleDunker showed his versatility and promise as a guard at the Senior Bowl in February — something that caught the eye of Steelers offensive line coach James Campen.

“He’s an aggressive kid,” Campen said. “His focus and intent is really capturing. It projects on the field, too. Just a very serious person. I also think the fact that he went to guard in the Senior Bowl so seamlessly made it really interesting. There aren’t many big guys like that who can pull and match his energy.”

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Special teams contributor

Delenn EverettCB, Georgia, 3rd round (No. 85)
Kaden WaitzenWR, Iowa, 4th round (No. 121)
Riley NowakowskiTE, Indiana, 5th round (No. 169)
Robert Spears-JenningsS, Oklahoma, 7th round (No. 224)

Several of the Steelers’ 2026 picks may have trouble finding the field on offense or defense as rookies, but their skill sets lend themselves to being key special teams contributors — especially with several key special teams departures in free agency. In addition to losing their two primary returners in Austin and Gainesville, the Steelers also lost their special teams captain. Miles Killebrewcornerback James Pierre and TE/FB Connor Hayward.

Although Waitzen reached somewhat in the fourth round, he was an electric returner at Iowa. He averaged 26.8 yards per punt return last season to lead the FBS and is the first player in Big Ten history to have three punt return touchdowns and one kick return touchdown in the same season. He was the only player in the FBS with a kick return and punt return touchdown last season. The Steelers had none last year and ranked 29th in kickoff return average (24.2 yards) and 21st in punt return average (8.8).

“He makes great decisions, good ball security,” special teams coordinator Danny Crossman said. “He’s a catch, run, cut player. A lot of guys are looking to make the cut, maybe before they need to. He’s fearless, and he’s not going to cut until he has to cut. … So that brings a really good skill to the return game, and especially with the new rules and kickoff returns, those vertical one-cut runners have been very successful over the last year and we think that’s how successful the Steelers have been. and kicks back.”

Jamel Dean And Joey Porter Jr. The Steelers’ likely starting cornerback, but Everett could find the field early as a special teams player. Likewise, Spears-Jennings faces a crowded security group Jaquan Brisker Beyond him, but his speed and collegiate special teams experience should help him find a role on special teams.

Comfortable doing the dirty work, Nowakowski is built like a jumbo-sized Hayward, and should slide into the vacant role of fullback as a key teamer.

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A growing but developmental stage

Max IhenachorOT, Arizona State, 1st round (No. 21)
Drew AllerQB, Penn State, 3rd round (No. 76)

After losing Lemon, the Steelers made a somewhat surprising pick by going with Ihenachor, marking their third first-round offensive tackle in four drafts. Offensive tackle wasn’t seen as a position of significant need entering the draft, but the health of left tackle was Broderick JonesThe team’s 2023 first-round pick complicates the position. Jones suffered a neck injury late in the 2025 season and subsequently underwent surgery, and while the Steelers believe he is on the road to recovery, Timeline for his return unclear Troy FautanuA 2024 first-round pick, played well at right tackle in 2025 after missing most of his rookie season with a knee injury.

Iheanachor only started playing football in 2021, but he developed quickly over the past five seasons between junior college and three seasons at Arizona State, eventually becoming a two-year starter at right tackle. At 6-6 and 320 pounds with a basketball background, Iheanacho has the size and agility to be a great tackle, but he’s still relatively new to the game. He’s not exactly a plug-and-play prospect, which could be a problem if Jones isn’t ready to go when the season starts.

And while the Steelers touted Iheanacho’s versatility at left and right tackle, he only played a handful of games at left tackle, and most of those came at the junior college level.

“He’s just a super-athletic player who’s just scratching the surface,” Campen said. “The limited time he’s been in a football uniform, and the way he’s done it this past season has translated. I mean, when you don’t give up a sack in a season, it’s at a very competitive level against some really good football players and good edge rushers in the Big 12. That tells you one thing. He’s productive.

“But not only is he productive, but technique and fundamentals and just his football intelligence and awareness, and just playing the game, it’s only going to grow.”

The Steelers could move Fautanu to left tackle and play Iheanacho on the right, or they could kick Fautanu inside to guard, play Iheanacho at right tackle and use. Dylan Cooke Jones at left tackle until he’s healthy.

Like Ihenachor, Aller is a developmental prospect with a high ceiling. The Penn State product played in just six games last year after an ankle injury cut his season short, but he has big hands and a big frame, making him a perfect fit for McCarthy’s system and the AFC North.

“He has rare size,” quarterbacks coach Tom Arth said. “He’s 6-5, 235 pounds. He’s got big hands. And I think what’s most exciting is, when you’re talking about the quarterback position, this guy can throw the football. And I think he throws it as well as any quarterback in this draft class. He’s got an effortless arm. And he can do better on the field than he’s given credit for. … His intelligence as a football player and his arm talent and all of that. Thing is, I think he has a very high ceiling.”

Aller struggled in big moments throughout his career at Penn State. He had a career 1-6 record against AP-ranked top-10 opponents, and in those games, he completed 50.3% of his passes and averaged 5.5 yards per attempt.

But McCarthy has a reputation as a quarterback guru, and he’s betting on himself that Aller could be his last successful project. and with Rodgers has yet to decide on his 2026 plansAlla’s immediate future is also up in the air. He could end up contending with a 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard For the starting job or the duo could spend the 2026 season developing in hopes of earning the starting job in 2027 — unless the Steelers go well back at quarterback and select one of what seems likely A talented 2027 class.

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TBD and unknown

Gabriel RubioDE, Notre Dame, 6th round (No. 210)
Eli HeidenreichRB, Navy, 7th Round (No. 230)

It’s hard to find anyone more unknown in the 2026 draft than Rubio, who wasn’t an NFL Combine invite. But even without seeing him in Indianapolis, Steelers brass noticed the 6-5, 320-pound defensive end when they visited Notre Dame.

“If you’re really big, you’re really tall, somebody’s going to find out about you,” Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham said. “That’s usually the case. So when you watch the (Notre Dame) tape, they’re a bunch of players going to the league all over the place. You think, ‘Who’s this big, tall guy here, who’s playing?’ Thanks to us, our scouts come out on the road and they work hard.”

Rubio missed the final six games of his senior season due to injury, but in five starts he recorded 13 tackles and had half a sack and half a tackle for loss. The Steelers clearly fell in love with his raw physical attributes, but his effectiveness as an NFL player is still unclear.

The Steelers’ final pick was the feel-good story of the draft as they selected Heidenreich in front of his hometown crowd, giving him a moment to remember as he walked off the draft stage after hearing his name called on Saturday afternoon.

A Navy product who thrived in the program’s signature triple-option scheme, Heidenreich was an ultra-versatile offensive threat as he led the team with 51 receptions and set a school record with 941 receiving yards. He also tied a school record with six receiving touchdowns. His composite measurements were similar Christian McCaffreySo it’s possible he ends up being an overvalued pick as a seventh-rounder.

But with the Steelers also using a fourth-round pick on Wetjen and other running backs and receivers on the roster, Heidenreich could become an early roster cut.