2026 Steelers Mock Draft: Post Pro Day Edition

It already doesn't speak well for Howard being that they didn't feel like he was worth anything more than a 6th round pick. If they pick Beck in the 2nd or 3rd round, they're telling Howard that they don't see him as anything other than a career back-up. Not that it's the worst thing that can happen to Howard, a guy can make a pretty good living as a back-up QB in the NFL.

 

by that logic mason should be the QB because he was a 3rd rounder.

 

This mock draft, like any, is fun and nice......

21st pick.
I don't like the idea of taking a Safety with the 21st pick, unless he's a Sean Taylor or Troy Polamalu.
I certainly don't see Emmanuel there.
But even if you put Mendoza at 21, 99% of the audience will 'know better.'
I prefer they get the best player on the board at 21, regardless of position.

53rd Pick
The QB spot is a MAJOR problem. There hasn't been a QB since ol' number 7. They tried with Pickett and promptly destroyed any chance of hope in a debauchery of what not to do.
They've made some half-arsed attempts in signing some guys and retreating a failed backup... and seem to be riding hope on the back of Aaron Rogers yet again.
Pittsburgh front office has fumbled this about as bad as they can without falling to Brown level.
Last years 6th round pick is being talked about.... Howard.
Let's be clear, if Omar does not pick a QB in this draft he should be shown the door 5 minutes after the draft wraps up.
He doesn't need to take him here though.
You can again pick a impact WR in this spot... which happens to be the 2nd point of failure for multiple years.
There's a few QB's you can select They have 3 picks in the 3rd they can fool around with to select one of the QB's.

The rest of the draft, just get the players you want.

 

I'd much rather have Dillon Thieneman, S, but if he's not there, then wait and take Kilgore a few rounds later. Not a fan of the Toledo guy, don't hate him, just don't see any serious upside to him.

I'd love to get a top MLB or CB if defense. If offense, OG or WR (obviously). So hoping 1st is WR, OG, S or MLB.

 

The NFL draft is the most overhyped event in sports

 

How so???

 

the more time that passes as the draft nears the more i feel like this...

1st round G or OT or NT
2nd round any of the 2 left from above or WR
3rd round any of the remaining 3 above and S or CB or LB
4th round WR and G or EDGE
5th round S or swing T or WR
6th round DT
7th round anything and/or capitol to move up anywhere...

i would be looking to fill spots as this...2 WRs, G, T, S, CB, NT, EDGE, LB not necessarily in that order but that is what i would be looking to get... anything else is a bonus

i want to see some holes filled. i'm not sure why i feel like i would approach the draft this way but i think i would. of course this would be a BPA per round approach but also necessity based.

 

Yeah, but I do like that this year's draft is in Pittsburgh.

 

gotta give em sumtin

ain't no fkn parades

 

To the absolute shock of no one.


People are only looking at the forest through the trees and not atop the mountain from where the entire forest can be viewed. Pittsburgh's secondary is old sans Joey Porter Jr and JaQuan Brisker. Ramsey isn't going to be playing for much longer, who knows what Elliot will look like coming back and Savage is a major wildcard.



Emmanuel McNeil Warren doesn't sound like a sexy pick at all. As I have said in my breakdown of him though, he can become more than a mere box safety. Deploying him there at present will allow him to greatly increase Pittsburgh's ability to stop the run; something that the team had serious issues for the majority of 2025.



If all options are exhausted, my chips are being pushed to the table that EMW is in play. He covers way too many weaknesses for the Steelers back end while being a player that Patrick Graham can build around the backend; hence the Bud Clark pick a couple rounds later.

 

Dillion isn't getting past the likes of Minnesota or even Cincinnati. Even if he is, Dallas is in dire need of a Safety themselves and could likely trade up from their 21st Pick (courtesy of Green Bay) to acquire both the EDGE and Safety that they need. Jerry isn't fond of trading picks but this draft might force his hand.

 

Because the Draft is in Pittsburgh, how many Boos are we going to hear from a rowdy crowd if the Steelers take Beck when Drew Allar is still on the board?

Hell, I think with the front office pumping up Will Howard to be the future, there could be a little riot if the Steelers go QB in round #2 anyway.

 

Besides Mendoza, what QB is worth taking above the 5th round?

If Thieneman is there at 21 then take him. He would most likely be the BPA.

 

Personally I don't want to see a defensive player selected until the 3rd round.

Receiver and guard should be the priority as well as a tackle. They have picks to possibly trade up to the 2nd round.

Olaivavega "Vega" Ioane the Penn State Guard would be a plug and play in the 1st. Don't believe he will make it to 21.

 

If it’s going to be overhyped it’s nice that Pittsburgh is getting the hoopla

 

Pittsburgh just had the Saint Paddy’s parade

I think

It’s a little fuzzy

 

There's always a QB or two that proves critics wrong.
It's popular to say this years QB's are crap.
While there are no Mannings or Mahomes... there's probably a decent one or two.

 

Even if they don't get Vega in the first round, there are some good guards projected to be available in the third round.

 

Yes, but it's a matter of deciding if they are worth taking. I certainly don't want Simpson in rounds 1-4. I would rather invest early picks in a player that is more certain.

 

Agreed.

 

True. My premise is lets focus on the Offensive side first. They need a guard and a 3rd receiver. How about a left tackle? I feel even if the Bust Jones comes back he won't be here next season. And Dylan Cook played above the line but in a short stint. Is he the long term answer?

 

Under normal conditions you could not sell me that.
But any QB ranked lower than Simpson could be available late 3rd early 4th.
Allar and Payton I wouldn't mind.
But in the 3rd, Nussmeier is a guy that fits McCarthy's checklist.
But I would bet that even if he did perform well through camp, he would only see limited time if any.
The other two would not either.

Let's look at Carson Becks cons.

Deep Ball Accuracy -Inconsistent.
I don't know what happened to him, but I think next level coaching can fix this. I know it is there, it's just getting the best out of him

Mobility - that would have to improve.

Trust Issue - Another trait that is fixable

Inside pressure - That is addresses with Pocket work and mentoring.

Coverage reads. - I have issues with that knock. One of his marquee traits was pulling the ball down in bad situations and the 'clutch gene' when everything is on the line.

We all the Pro's... he had some good ones in 2024.

This is a guy that you can stash on your roster and build to... like Jordan Love maybe. You could trade him if you chose to go another way as long as the development shows.

***Note: Not endorsing him, just picked him as an example.