The Draft is finally here and with it comes my last attempt at figuring out what Omar Khan, Mike McCarthy and company will do. As always, my final mock is a prediction of what I think the Pittsburgh Steelers will do versus what I would do. I’ve said since we knew we had 12 selections that there was no way we were going to use all of them. Therefore, I expect a trade or two. The question is, where will Khan make those trades? Without further Ado, here’s my final mock draft for 2026.
TRADE! Round 1 #16 – Vega Ioane, G, Penn State
The Steelers send pick #21 and #85 to the New York Jets in exchange for #16 and #179.
The Steelers already know they have issues on the left side of their line. Therefore, they move up to grab Ioane knowing that teams like Detroit are interested. Ioane is ‘plug-n-play’ ready and should do well in the run game while improving upon an already set skill set in pass protection.
V1 – Vega Ioane, G, Penn State
V2 – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
Round 2 #53 – Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama
I can’t stay away from this guy… Everything about him screams “Steeler” and while they may need to go up and get him, he continues to fall to me in my mocks. Quicker than he is fast, he has great hands, runs excellent routes and blocks well. He can become an immediate contributor in the slot.
V1 – Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama
V2 – Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama
Round 3 #76 (via DAL) – Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State
Abney is a physical boundary corner who can also play inside. He’s smart and often plays the ball so well at times you’d think he was the receiver. He’s a more than willing tackler despite lacking ideal length. He’s been known to be a bit of a flag magnet but that can be cleaned up. He will also be a significant contributor on Special Teams too.
V1 – Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma
V2 – Traded Pick
Round 3 #85 – Traded to NYJ
V1 – Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati
VS – Gennings Dunker, G, Iowa
Round 3 #99 (Compensatory Pick) – Darrell Jackson, Jr, DL, Florida State
Jackson has flaws; there’s no getting around them. But they are largely technique based. He plays a little high at times and could stand to play wider in order to make himself tougher to block. Those things aside, this guy has tremendous length and massive hands that he uses to punish blockers and ball carriers. I see him being a significant depth piece who will need some time to learn and make himself better. The size and length is too much to pass on.
V1 – Jalon Kilgore, S, South Carolina
V2 – Darrell Jackson, Jr, DL, Florida State
Round 4 #121 – Carson Beck, QB, Miami
Everything points to Beck being a Steeler. He fits the physical traits that Mike McCarthy is looking for and also has tons of starting experience. There are questions about his ability to play off schedule and those are fair, but if he’s given the right stuff around him he can find success.
V1 – Hezekiah Masses, CB, California
V2 – Romello Height, EDGE, Texas Tech
Round 4 #135 (Compensatory Pick) – Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame
Fields is a pretty classic boundary or ‘X’ receiver. He pairs top size, length and strength with an uncanny ability to beat the defender to the ball. He lacks top speed which will probably prevent him from ever being a true number one receiver but the hands are excellent as are his blocking skills. He and Bernard will immediately make this wide receiver room a top ten group.
V1 – Carson Beck , QB, Miami
V2 – Harold Perkins, Jr, LB, LSU
Round 5 #161 – Travis Burke, OT, Memphis
At just a shade under 6’9″ Burke is a large individual! But, he’s also quite agile for a man of his size. He uses his length and feet to keep pass rushers at bay and he does surprisingly well in the run game despite his height. He has the disposition you like from your offensive linemen as he always plays through the whistle. He took a big step forward in 2025 and the Steelers are betting that will continue.
V1 – Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston
V2 – Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State
*Round 5 #179 – Jack Kelly, LB, BYU
*Traded from NYJ
After three seasons at Weber State, he became a two-time captain for BYU. He’s a smart player who is very efficient on blitzes and gets sideline to sideline better than you’d think. He plays with a typical linebacker attitude and demeanor and it shows. Very solid against the run and he’s more than capable of taking on blockers. His coverage skills are better than average but still need work. I think he’s an immediate Special Teams stud.
Round 6 #216 (Compensatory Pick) – Devan Boykin, S, Indiana
Boykin started at NC State before moving on to the Hoosiers where he became an important member of the secondary. He has the ability to play corner or safety and where he really thrives is in run support. He’s a little on the small side and doesn’t possess elite athletic traits but there’s a lot to like for a guy this late in the draft.
V1 – Vinny Anthony II, WR, Wisconsin
V2 – Al’Zillion Hamilton, CB, Fresno State
Round 7 #224 (via NE) – Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston
Koziol is long and lean and will need to put on weight in the way in muscle much in the way that Zach Gentry once did. He’s an average athlete who isn’t going to run away from defenders but he makes contested catches with above average hands. He’s a perfect candidate for the Practice Squad while presenting a nice upside.
V1 – Carver Willis, OT, Washington
V2 – Lewis Bond, WR, Boston College
Round 7 #230 (via IND) – Tyreak Sapp, EDGE, Florida
At just over 6’2″ and 270lbs, Sapp has no issues blowing up blockers and setting a solid edge against the run. He lacks appropriate bend and quickness so he relies on a lot of power moves and bull rushes which did bring him some success for the Gators. Sapp would likely be on the Practice Squad but he would have terrific mentors.
V1 – Kejon Owens, RB, Florida International
V2 – D.J. Rodgers, TE, TCU
Round 7 #237 – Tim Keenan III, DT, Alabama
With Jackson drafted earlier, the Steelers add another defensive lineman who specializes right over the center. While more length would be preferred, Keenan is actually pretty quick for a man of his size (6’1 325lbs). His final season for the Crimson Tide yielded a few sacks and tackles for loss which means he’s more than just a space eater.
V1 – Wesley Williams, EDGE, Duke
V2 – Noah Whittingham, RB, Oregon
