Predicting Which Rookies Make Steelers Roster

The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of their largest draft classes in recent memory, which will lead to some tough roster decisions.

Dec 13, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Navy Midshipmen running back Eli Heidenreich (22) reacts while being tackled during the game against the Army West Point Black Knights at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers have some tough roster decisions to make as they welcome in a 10-player draft class.

NFL teams rarely, if ever, cut their Day 1 or 2 picks heading into their first seasons, which the Steelers have five of this year.

Day 3 selections are a different story, but due to how Pittsburgh approached the final four rounds in the 2026 draft, it appears they'll have to part ways with more veteran talent than usual in order to fit a vast majority of the class on the 53-man roster.

With that, here are our predictions for what rookies will and won't be on the Steelers' roster heading into Week 1.

Sep 20, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils offensive lineman Max Iheanachor (58) in action against the Baylor Bears during the first half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

The Locks

As mentioned earlier, Day 1 and 2 picks always have a spot shoehorned for them from the moment they're drafted.

For Pittsburgh, its five-man group of rookies that fall into that category this year includes first-round offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, second-round wide receiver Germie Bernard and then three third-rounders in quarterback Drew Allar, cornerback Daylen Everette and offensive guard Gennings Dunker.

Iheanachor might not start at right tackle in Week 1 despite being taken with the No. 21 overall pick as he refines his technique, but it shouldn't take long for him to see the field.

Bernard, with his inside-out versatility and well-rounded game, is the Steelers' unquestioned No. 3 receiver next to DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr.

Allar is a project for head coach Mike McCarthy, quarterbacks coach Tom Arth and offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio, and 2026 should act as more or less of a redshirt year for him, but the organization seems to have high hopes for the Penn State product due to his size and rocket of an arm.

Everette has the size, speed and length you look for in an elite cornerback, but he has to get less grabby and improve his recognition in coverage before earning meaningful snaps in a deep secondary for Pittsburgh.

Dunker, meanwhile, has a real shot at winning the left guard job ahead of Spencer Anderson and Brock Hoffman after moving inside from right tackle, where he played at Iowa.

Oct 25, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Kaden Wetjen (21) gets yards after the catch as Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Kerry Brown (14) attempts the tackle during the first quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Near Locks

If the odds of the Days 1 and 2 picks cracking the 53-man roster are 100 percent, than wide receiver/return man Kaden Wetjen and tight end/fullback Riley Nowakowski's chances sit at 99 percent, if not higher.

There was some uproar when the Steelers took Wetjen in the fourth round due to the consensus opinion that it was a reach for a player who's almost strictly a return man at this stage.

While Wetjen won't provide much offensively from the jump outside of an occasional big play on a jet sweep or bubble screen, he was a first-team All-American in 2024 and a consensus All-American in 2025 at Iowa due to his prowess as a return man and could become one of the NFL's best as a rookie.

Nowakowski, who won the national championship at Indiana this past season, is a perfect replacement for Connor Heyward as an H-back who can line up at tight end or fullback and help out as a blocker across the board while also offering a safety blanket as a target in the passing game.

Gabriel Rubio DL of the Fighting Irish at Notre Dame football practice at the Irish Athletic Center on August 7, 2023. | MATTIE NERETIN / USA TODAY NETWORK

On the Fence

Of Pittsburgh's final three picks of the draft in sixth-round defensive tackle Gabriel Rubio and its pair of seventh-rounders in safety Robert Spears-Jennings and running back/wide receiver Eli Heidenreich, it's the former who is likely in the most danger of not making the cut.

Rubio flew under-the-radar throughout the pre-draft process and was not a name of note when the Steelers picked him at No. 210 overall. He appeared in just six games for Notre Dame in 2025 due to an elbow injury, which hurt his stock, and while he has potential as a rotational run defender, the organization may very well look to release him this summer and sneak him onto the practice squad.

Heidenreich, a Pittsburgh native, has already become a fan-favorite of sorts due to his versatility and production while at Navy. He completed his college career with 3,151 yards from scrimmage and projects as a slot receiver at the NFL level who can also line up in the backfield.

McCarthy and company can get creative in how they use Heidenreich, but it's not a guarantee that he makes the 53-man roster as the No. 230 pick partially due his lack of a true positional home, but he carries some upside as a gadget guy.

Spears-Jennings, on the other hand, might have the best chance amongst this group to be included on the Week 1 roster due to his speed, which should help him see the field on special teams early in his career.

The Oklahoma product might have some untapped potential defensively as well, which could give him the leg-up on Sebastian Castro for one of the last spots, but it wouldn't come as a surprise if he were ultimately cut either.

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