The 2026 NFL Draft is officially in the books and while the city of Pittsburgh will likely receive high marks, the Steelers themselves are a bit more difficult to evaluate. After two rather strange days of picks, Omar Khan finished off day three with a variety of players and a feel-good story right out of Hollywood.
Round Four
The selection of Kaden Wetjen from a position point of view wasn’t too bad. The fact that they took him probably two rounds too high is the issue. He has the ability to become the team’s punt and kick return man right out of the box but as to whether he can factor in offensively will be curious. Skyler Bell, who the team had in for a personal visit, was still available at the time and has return experience. He’s also a much better receiver than Wetjen so this selection is a little confusing.
Fifth Round
Although he was used primarily as a tight end, Riley Nowakowski seems destined to be a fullback/H-back type of player. In other words, this is the replacement for Connor Heyward. Mike McCarthy likes these types of guys so it really wasn’t a surprise they grabbed a guy like this. The former Indiana Hoosier had 32 receptions and two scores for the national title winners.
Round Six
Defensive End Gabriel Rubio was a guy most draft people didn’t see getting drafted. Injuries cost him half of his season at Notre Dame but overall you can’t argue with his experience. He played in 39 games for the Irish and comes to Pittsburgh with plenty of size, length and versatility along the defensive line.
Round Seven
Oklahoma Safety Robert Spears-Jennings saw action in 47 games in college. He can play in the box or high where he has enough speed to move around. He is likely destined for the Practice Squad early on.
One of the more unforgettable moments of this draft will be the Steelers selecting Navy’s Eli Heidenreich. A native of Mount Lebanon, Heidenreich was literally a Swiss Army knife for the Midshipmen. In 38 games he collected over 1,000 yards receiving and 16 scores while rushing for over 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns.
I think he actually has a chance to make the roster if he can show he can do some things out of the backfield and the slot as well as on Special Teams. You know you’re going to get effort and a positive attitude for sure.
Overall, this draft is like every other one. Grading it is something you can only do after a few years. On the surface there are home runs like Germie Bernard but then there are questionable decisions like Drew Allar. The next step is waiting for Aaron Rodgers to make up his mind but I don’t suggest holding your breath.
