Final Mock draft in 2026 for the Steelers

With less than two weeks until the draft, I have finalized my prospect evaluations and put together a final mock draft. I have outlined three different scenarios for the first three rounds, each based on specific contingency plans regarding player availability and whether Aaron Rodgers returns.

While I personally do not believe we should bring Rodgers back at age 42, the prospect of him playing under Mike McCarthy is intriguing. If he does return, my mock draft for rounds one through three will exclude the quarterback position.

I see our primary needs as follows:

- Quarterback
- Starting Nose Tackle / Defensive Tackle
- 3-Down Middle Linebacker
- Starting Guard
- Starting Safety, CB #3, or WR #3/#4

I believe we are set at LT with Cook, and I expect R. Wilson to excel under McCarthy. With 12 total picks, we have the draft capital to significantly improve our depth.

Final Mock Draft Overview:. My mock final 2026.

- Round 1: QB Simpson
- Round 2: S Scott
- Round 3A: G Rutledge
- Round 3B: CB Stukes
- Round 3C: WR Fields
- Round 4: DT Harris (No. 121) and OT Baber (No. 135)
- Round 5: WR/KR Thomas (No. 161)
- Round 6: LB/ST Rodler (No. 216)
- Round 7: FB Breedson (No. 224), DB/ST Canday (No. 230), and LB/ST Mudrock (No. 237)

Round 1 Options (Pick #21):

1. QB Simpson: High upside with some bust potential. He addresses our most important need and showed elite consistency early last season, finishing as a 2025 All-SEC second-team selection with 3,567 passing yards and 28 touchdowns and only 5 INT. Mike McCarthy will work his magic with him.

2. NT/DT McDonald: A dominant 0-technique prospect and elite run defender. He recorded a 92.0 PFF run-defense grade in 2025 and is a powerful force in the middle. No -- that is not accurate. He is a beast.

3. G Ioane: The safest pick and a projected Pro Bowler. He is exceptional in pass protection, grading in the 90th percentile on true pass sets and powerhouse run blocker. This is the preferred choice if Rodgers returns.


Round 2 Options:

1. S Scott: A playmaker with sub-4.4 speed who is reliable in deep coverage and impactful against the run. He scored twice last year and forced two fumbles.

2. ILB Rodriguez: An incredibly productive linebacker with high football IQ, recording 128 tackles and 7 forced fumbles, amd 4 INTS in 2025! There is some Zack Thomas in him.

3. NT/DT Hunter: A specialist with a powerful bull rush. He is an elite run-stopper who recorded 58 run-defense stops over the last two seasons.

Round 3 Contingencies:

- Scenario 2: G Rutledge , S Smith, or QB Allar ( if QB is still needed).
- Scenario 3: CB Abney, S Clark, or WR Burks.

This should give you an idea of what I would do. I will be busy this week.

#Go Steelers!


- JB

 

I don't see QB as our biggest need because I think they will either go with Howard or draft one next year. I still think they draft one (see below) just not in the first round.

My first 3 picks...1) WR Cooper Jr...2) LB Rodriguez and 3) QB Allar or Beck

 

Not a bad go of it. I'd love Keylan Rutledge. As far as the first round, we have several glaring needs (MLB, S, CB2, WR3/youth, OG, OT). I am on the positive side of the Simpson debate, but still feels like a bit of a reach for him the 1st. As bad as our QB situation is, it may be required if he's there. That said, I still feel like drafting one with one of our 3rd round picks and yet another in round 5 or 6 this year would be wise and let TWO rookies duke it out with Howard. Could it come up empty? Sure, but odds are one of them will stand out and have the look of a potential franchise QB (not saying top 5 in NFL, but good enough to put the QB question to rest for 5-10 years, say a top 12 QB).

 

If Steelers draft QB in the first round, I'll................

 

Agreed. Simpson doesn't belong in the first round, though someone will probably reach for him there. I hope it isn't the Steelers.

 

I could of missed it, but I do not believe the Steelers had Simpson in the building for a pre draft visit.

I would start looking at who the Steelers had in the building as part of their top 30 visits.

 

If they do this year, I will be right beside You

 

In regards to your options, I would have taken McDonald or Ioane at 21. At 53, I would have taken Rodriguez. If I took McDonald at 21 I would select Rutledge in the 3rd. I wouldn't take any QB before the 5th round. I believe the Steelers are going with Howard.

 

Should the Steelers trade back into Round 1 for him, I will need to buy another monitor.


Ty Simpson is the furthest thing from a Round One QB and the closest thing to a Round 3 QB; at best. Beck and Allar are superior to Simpson in just about every way; doubly so in Beck's case.

 

JMO, but I don't think any Qb is worth a round one pick this year, but for dang sure someone, and maybe more will be taken anyway. I look at this Qb draft the same as I did the year Pickett was taken.

 

This is going to sound crazy but I don't believe that Vega lasts into the teens anymore. Tennessee literally has a gaping hole at RG. Cordell Volson is good but Vega Ioane is far superior in every way. Maximize Cam Ward's protection early on and nab some weapons later.


For that matter, Robert Saleh did do this in the 2021 NFL Draft with Zach Wilson and Alijah Vera Tucker. Vega is the best Guard since Quenton Nelson and is very much worthy of a selection.

 

One thing Michael, Dean is most certainly our Cb #2. And IMO, he is one of the better ones in the NFL.

As such I don't view CB as a glaring need. We have a need for a CB #3.

 

Neither do I good friend!


This is only the second time I have ever completed a Top 32 since 2010 that I don't list a QB in Round 1; 2013 being the first. Kenny Pickett had enough tools that I thought he could overcome to be added to that but I clearly missed there. Definitely don't see it with this class though Carson Beck and Drew Allar were the only two who came close; Beck being rated 39 while Allar was rated 51.

 

He's a Guard and them very rarely go as high as the low teens.

 

But you picked Scott in the 2nd round.

 

Safety is a glaring need whether people want to admit it or not; most notably a Safety with a penchant for creating turnovers while being a hammer in the running game. What do Patrick Graham Defenses do well?! Stop the run. What did Pittsburgh have issues in 2025?! Stopping the run.


Which Safety is the best one in the class at doing that?! Emmanuel McNeil Warren. I am not stating he is the pick at 21 but should all options by the team be exhausted by then, don't be surprised to hear his name called. Pittsburgh hasn't had a heat seeking, multi role hammer of a traffic cop since Ryan Clark.


That doesn't sound all that exciting but in a division that features the likes of Chase Brown, Derrick Henry and Quinshon Judkins, you are going to need a Safety who can support the running game. As far as defending the pass?! Mark Andrews, Harold Fannin Jr. (a player who has Pro Bowl potential) and Mike Gesicki still roam the AFC North... and that doesn't include new additions the division rivals could add either. Emmanuel will never be confused for a Deep Centerfielder but taking on the likes of Tight Ends and some Slot WR options is well within his skillset.

 

He is a guard.


He is also by far and away the best natural IOL in the entire class. That alone places him far above any other IOL; doubly so those who will have to convert. Saleh didn't overthink it before with AVT.


I doubt he will again.

 

To roll with Howard as our QB to open the season in 2026, I would lay 3-1 odds against as of 4-13-206.

He is not that good of a passer. OSU made him look better than he really is. He bombed his throwing combine badly and is not the type of QB to hit guys on cuts between the # rather he throws it to a general spot and makes his receiver get it.

 

This is where it gets interesting for me regarding the safety position.

Do you think there is any chance that the Steelers go with the big nickel and draft a guy like Kyle Louis out of Pitt that plays a hybrid LB/S position that can really clean things up around the line of scrimmage? With Graham loving scheme versatility in his players, I think that could be a possibility as well even though that isn't what we have seen the Steelers do recently. If he goes big, it allows the team to get in sub packages and still have the pieces to hold up against the run, blitz, and have someone that can cover tight ends and backs well.

This is speculation of course because we haven't really seen what Graham's plan is going to be with the current talent on the roster, but I love trying to get into the heads of these football people and try to figure out if they are looking at going in a different direction than the norm.

 

On average, only about one Guard is selected in the first round of the NFL draft, and sometimes no guards are taken at all. This reflects how interior linemen are generally valued lower than tackles or other positions.

The last top ten slection for a Guard was Nelson in 2018. Ioane should be on the board from pick #14 to #26 in round one of 2026.

 

Three guards were taken in Rd1 last year with the first at pick 12. Skoronski was taken at 11 three drafts ago.
The guard position has definitely been elevated in the NFL.

 

I was going to add Kadyn Proctor to your list then I realized how comically rare OTs like him are. The whole "weight issues" critique is silly. He isn't the second coming of Mehki Becton.


Another player to keep an eye out?! CJ Allen; Linebacker from Georgia. Doesn't sound all that amazing but then one must realize how difficult is it to find a very high floor MLB/ILB who can also align and QB the Defense both efficiently and consistently. Patrick Queen is neither and is best served as a Robin LB.


Mike Tomlin thought of him as a Batman type LB and he was proven incorrect. CJ Allen can right that wrong and be an immediate impact player in Patrick Graham's Defense Day One.

 

I meant, it sounds like the Steelers think Rodgers will play this coming season, with Howard learning. There are only 3 QBs I would be willing to take, those being Simpson, Allar and Beck.

 

If the Steelers disregard S with the first 3 picks, they could go for Kilgore.