Iowa State Cyclones Star Lands With Pittsburgh Steelers in Recent NFL Mock Draft

The Iowa State Cyclones are going to look a lot different on the football field in 2026 than they did in 2025.

There are a lot of talented players who have moved on from Ames, with some entering the transfer portal and others exhausting their eligibility. One of the players who is going to be toughest to replace is Domonique Orange.

It may not appear that way based on the statistics, but the star defensive tackle was arguably the most dominant player on the Cyclones in 2026. He was the only player to represent Iowa State at the 2026 NFL Combine and looks to have cemented his status as a Day 2 pick.

That is exactly where he lands in a recent mock draft done by PFSN. In the third round, with the No. 85 overall pick, the Pittsburgh Steelers are predicted to select the Cyclones' interior defensive lineman.

Domonique Orange lands with Steelers in mock draft

Iowa State Cyclones defensive lineman Domonique Orange reacting after play. — Sep 6, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones defensive lineman Domonique Orange (95) reacts late in the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Jack Trice Stadium. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

“The future of the Steelers' defensive line is bright with Derrick Harmon and Keeanu Benton, but a true nose tackle is needed to keep Benton from playing out of position. At 6'2", 322 pounds, with over 33" arms, Domonique Orange has the blend of natural leverage, mass, motor, and long-levered extensions to play the fulcrum,” they wrote.

If any teams are seeking out a space-eater in the middle of the defensive line, they aren’t going to find anyone better in the 2026 draft class. Orange was named the best nose tackle, and with good reason.

As mentioned, he has the prerequisite size to make his presence felt on the interior. Even if he isn’t stuffing the stat sheet, he is someone that opponents have to pay attention to because he can wreck a game plan single-handedly.

Landing with a franchise such as the Steelers would be great for Orange. They have a long history of fielding dominant defensive units, maximizing the potential of players on that side of the ball.

Iowa State DT Domonique Orange 6’4 325

In his last two seasons at Iowa state he recorded 23 pressures, 29 stops and 4 qb hits

Strong at the point of attack and engaging blockers one on one, good pop in his hands and maintains pad level pic.twitter.com/UTL7XhCJFy
— Yuri (@Yuri_Ravens) February 15, 2026

With two building blocks already in place with Harmon and Benton, Orange would give them another great option in the trenches to prepare for life after Cam Heyward.

While Orange wasn’t asked to rush the passer much in Iowa State’s defensive scheme, he does have the tools to break into the offensive backfield. He had 13 total pressures last season, which was the fifth most on the Cyclones, with 10 hurries and three quarterback hits.

Zero sacks were recorded, but he certainly made his presence felt in the middle of Iowa State’s defense as an immovable object.