Grading Steelers 2026 NFL Draft Class

The 2026 NFL Draft sure wasn't boring for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

From losing out on wide receiver Makai Lemon after the Philadelphia Eagles traded up despite being on the phone with him in anticipation of selecting the USC product at No. 21 overall to selecting Penn State quarterback Drew Allar with their first third-round selection and a kick returner in the fourth, the Steelers' strategy was equally comprehensible and puzzling.

Pittsburgh left several roster holes unanswered despite entering the draft with a league-leading 12 picks and ultimately making 10, but that doesn't mean it wasn't also successful in accomplishing its overarching goals.

Dec 6, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard (5) runs with the ball after making a catch during the game with Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A Rundown of the Steelers' Class

As mentioned above, perhaps the definining storyline for the Steelers was their whiff on Lemon.

It's one thing to call the player you're targeting one pick before you're on the clock with the belief you'll have the chance to select them, but it's another to have the video of the encounter be made public.

The moment that Makai Lemon found out the Eagles were trading up to get him at No. 20 while he was the on the phone with the Steelers, who were planning to take him at No. 21. pic.twitter.com/Iqv7wfzbtu
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2026

There was plenty of vitriol towards the Steelers in the aftermath, and rightfully so. Lemon was not just the top receiver left on the board, but arguably the best overall player, and he fit the team's needs as a slot receiver with immense upside perfectly. Not to mention, general manager Omar Khan had nothing but good things to say about how Lemon's top-30 visit transpired during his pre-draft press conference, creating yet another link between them and serving as further evidence of the interest at play.

Instead of pivoting to another receiver, such as Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. or Texas A&M's KC Concepcion, Pittsburgh went with Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor at No. 21.

The concerns about the Steelers adding a low-floor, high-ceiling player in the first round who's very much a work in progress are understandable, but Iheanachor has all the makings of a franchise right tackle. Sure, it'll take some time for him to perfect his technique and learn how to play with better leverage, but you can't teach his athleticism, and there's a world where he ends up as the best player at the position in the class.

Spooked by the events of the prior night, Pittsburgh's next pick was Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard in the second round, whom it traded up to No. 47 from No. 53 in order to select.

A high-floor player with just about no weaknesses in his profile outside of true breakaway speed, Bernard has inside-out versatility and should be a reliable No. 2 receiver for the Steelers for the foreseeable future.

Allar was next up at No. 76, which was generally viewed as a reach. There are reasons to be concerned about his odds of reaching his ceiling, including the fact that he broke his left ankle in October 2025 and has faulty mechanics with poor pocket presence, but his size and arm talent could carry him a long way in the NFL should he fine tune the rest of his game.

2026 might end up being nothing more than a redshirt year of sorts for Allar, but he has all the necessary tools to surpass Will Howard as Pittsburgh's top young quarterback and potentially become a plus-starter down the line.

Georgia's Daylen Everette went to the Steelers at No. 85 as a fast, physical cornerback at 6-foot-1 and 196 pounds. He is better in man coverage than zone, though his ball skills leave something to be desired, and he's also a bit too grabby.

After moving up to No. 96 from No. 99 at the end of the third round, Pittsburgh added another intriguing talent to its offensive line in Iowa's Gennings Dunker.

Dunker was a stalwart at right tackle for the Hawkeyes, helping the program win the Joe Moore Award for the best offensive line in the nation in 2025, but Steelers offensive line coach James Campen insinuated that he'll move to guard as a pro.

His mullet will certainly garner a lot of attention in Pittsburgh, but his reputation as a technically-sound mauler could earn him a starting role as soon as this upcoming season. Where Dunker falls short, however, is with his athleticism and hand usage.

The Steelers opened Day 3 by taking another Iowa product in wide receiver/return man Kaden Wetjen in the fourth round at No. 121 overall, which felt too early given his role.

He'll be a real weapon on special teams right from the jump and could break free on a few designed touches as a rookie, but he's entirely unrefined and inexperienced as a receiver and won't be ready to play the position until he improves in that regard.

Indiana tight end/fullback Riley Nowakowski figures to serve as a Connor Heyward replacement after being selected No. 169 overall in the fifth round. A good blocker who recorded 387 receiving yards in 2025, he'll likely see the field rather consistently.

The Steelers took flyers on Notre Dame defensive tackle Gabriel Rubio at No. 210 and Oklahoma safety Robert Spears-Jennings at No. 224 before picking a Pittsburgh native, Navy's Eli Heidrenich, with their last selection at No. 230 in the seventh round.

Heidenreich is a do-it-all kind of player who can set up in-line, in the backfield and from the slot and make things happen as a quick, strong-handed weapon who ran for 1,157 yards and seven touchdowns while hauling in 109 passes for 1,994 yards and 16 scores throughout his collegiate career.

Grading Pittsburgh's Haul

The Lemon situation will hang over the Steelers if he becomes a star in Philadelphia, but it's hard not to be optimistic about the team's incoming rookies.

Even if he doesn't start right away in Week 1, it won't take long for Iheanachor to grow into a difference-maker at right tackle.

Bernard is going to have an impact from the get-go, and the same goes for Wetjen on special teams, while Dunker and Everette could end up as starters before long as well.

Nowakowski should thrive in his relatively limited role, and Heidenreich is an exciting gadget player who should've been off the board earlier than the seventh round.

Pittsburgh did reach for Wetjen, but it's hard to complain about the value of the rest of the team's picks, including Allar given his upside at quarterback.

Final Grade: B

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