Steelers NFL Draft Tracker: Every Pick, Trade and Grade

In what could end up being one of the more unpredictable NFL Drafts in recent memory, the Pittsburgh Steelers may end up finding themselves at the center of the action.

Pittsburgh, who is hosting the draft for the first time since 1947, owns the most picks in the league with 12. The franchise has not made that many selections since 1992, when it took 14 players and the event was 12 rounds long instead of seven.

Having that many picks is a luxury for the Steelers, and it also means they'll likely be more open to moving up the board wherever they see fit.

Steelers' Needs

All things equal, quarterback is the top position of need for Pittsburgh. The caveat, of course, is that Aaron Rodgers remains likely to return to the organization for a second season in the black and gold; the only question is when he'll finally make his decision official.

Elsewhere on the roster, the Steelers have a hole at left tackle. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter earlier this week, Broderick Jones suffered a setback in his recovery from a neck injury he sustained in Week 12 of the 2025 season.

General manager Omar Khan, however, stated in his pre-draft press conference that "nothing's changed" with Jones and that there's "no new information", meaning it's tough to get a grasp on where the 2023 first-rounder truly stands at the moment.

Because Jones' fifth-year option is likely to be declined and Dylan Cook is still an unknown commodity despite his strong finish last season, Pittsburgh could look to address the position fairly early.

Left guard could also use some reinforcements after Isaac Seumalo signed with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency, but the Steelers may opt to let Spencer Anderson and Brock Hoffman battle it out for the starting job there without using one of their earlier picks on the position.

Wide receiver is the other primary need for Pittsburgh. Though DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. make up a solid pair of starters on the outside, the organization will likely still look to add one, if not multiple, rookies.

Inside linebacker, safety, cornerback and the interior of the defensive line are the other top position groups to watch in this year's draft for the Steelers.

Full List of Steelers' Picks

Round 1

• No. 21: Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State

The Pittsburgh Steelers have found their offensive tackle. Max Iheanachor is headed to the black and gold and ready to replace Broderick Jones as the left tackle moving forward. This isn't good news for Broderick Jones, but it surely solves a looming issue - and a concerning one for the Steelers.

Standing 6-foot-6, 321 pounds, Iheanachor brings massive size and plenty of upside in the first round. What he adds to this group is another piece to their most important puzzle - the offensive line. They are now a guard away from finishing the group, and that's a great place to be for a young team.

Grade: B+

Round 2

• No. 47: Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama

The Steelers have found their wide receiver. After missing out on Makai Lemon during the first-round, they came back and traded with the Indianapolis Colts and selecting Alabama's Germie Bernard.

A speedy wide receiver who's capable of playing inside and outside, Bernard is one of the most overlooked wide receiver options in the NFL Draft. He comes to Pittsburgh as the WR3 behind DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. with the outlook that he grows into their next star wideout.

Grade: A

Round 3

• No. 76: Drew Allar, QB, Penn State

With Aaron Rodgers delaying his decision, the Steelers didn't let one of the top quarterbacks left on the board pass them by in the third round.

Drew Allar, who took a pre-draft visit with Pittsburgh, now becomes an intriguing prospect for Pittsburgh who could theoretically compete for starting reps with Will Howard and Mason Rudolph if Rodgers doesn't return.

If Rodgers is back in 2026, Allar will essentially take a redshirt year and continue distancing himself from his season-ending ankle injury this past October.

A high-upside signal caller with impressive intangibles and plus arm strength, Allar will need to rework his mechanics and polish his game before he can become a legit option for the Steelers.

Grade: B+

• No. 85 (Acquired from Dallas Cowboys in George Pickens trade): Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia

The Steelers add size and speed with Daylen Everette. The Georgia cornerback ran a 4.38 40-yard dash but Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Patrick Graham couldn't stop talking about his physicality during his press conference after the pick.

The Steelers have a strong cornerback room already, but adding Everette gives them someone who can develop into a long-term starter across from Joey Porter Jr. Their future may be set after this pick, and in the third round and with their fourth pick overall, that's a key addition.

Grade: B+

• No. 96 (Trade with Seahawks): Gennings Dunker, OL, Iowa

The Steelers added the best in the NFL Draft. Gennings Dunker becomes the second offensive lineman the Steelers add during the 2026 NFL Draft, bringing in the Iowa fan favorite to work alongside Max Iheanachor as the rookies with a lot of upside.

Dunker has starting capabilities early in his NFL career. He needs time to grow as both a pass and run blocker, but his baseline is a reliable backup with plenty of development left in his game. With needs at tackle and guard coming into the draft, Pittsburgh has added long-term pieces to both spots.

Grade: B+

Round 4

• No. 121: WR/KR Kaden Wetjen

The Steelers return for Day 3 of the NFL Draft with an All-American kick and punt returner. The wide receiver out of Iowa, Kaden Wetjen, may have gone a little early for most draft experts, but Pittsburgh filled another need with pick No. 121.

Wetjen has a place in the NFL but likely only as a kick and punt return specialist. While the value is there, maybe they did jump the gun with other wide receivers and positions of need still available.

Grade: C

Round 5

• No. 169: Riley Nowakoski, TE, Indiana

The Steelers find their Connor Heyward replacement, drafting Riley Nowakoski with the 169th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. An athletic tight end who could probably fill their need at fullback as well, Nowakoski comes to Pittsburgh with an immediate role behind Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington.

This late in the draft, picks are more about development than anything, but with Nowakoski, there's the ability to walk into the fullback position and take off right from Day 1.

Grade: B

Round 6

• No. 210: Gabriel Rubio, DT, Notre Dame

The Steelers use their sixth-round pick to add to their defensive tackle room. Gabriel Rubio stands six feet, 5 inches tall, 321 pounds and is a nose tackle for the future for Pittsburgh. The Steelers showed interest in the defensive tackle position during the scouting process and landed one they can develop in Rubio.

Grade: B-

Round 7

• No. 224 (Acquired from New England Patriots in Kyle Dugger trade): Robert Spears-Jenning

The Steelers start the final round of the NFL Draft with a lightning-fast safety out of Oklahoma. A product player who needs help with his tackling, Spears-Jenning comes to Pittsburgh with plenty of excitement about his upside.

After crushing it at the NFL Combine, the Steelers were surprised he was on the board in the seventh round. They were looking for his skillset earlier in the draft but found a gem later, and they're thrilled about his upside coming in as a rookie.

Grade: B+

No. 230 (Acquired from Indianapolis Colts in Michael Pittman Jr. trade): Eli Heidenreich, RB/WR, Navy

The Steelers' final pick might have been their coolest. With the 230th selection in the NFL Draft, Pittsburgh selected local star and Navy running back Eli Heidenreich who has great speed, reliable hands and can operate as a returner as well.

Grade: B+

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI, and find our podcast All Steelers Talk on YouTubeor anywhere you listen!

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow