Three Expectations to Keep for Steelers During NFL Draft

With less than one week until it kicks off, here are the three things I expect to see from the Pittsburgh Steelers at this year's NFL Draft.

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- With less than a week until the 2026 NFL Draft begins, it's beginning to feel all too ral for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After a whirlwind of an offseason, this draft marks the end of the offseason, and the moment the real work begins for this organization.

Many folks expect the Pittsburgh Steelers to trade up in an effort to make this year's draft a resounding success. It's a totally fair expectation, given the talent that might slide out of the top 10 picks. Players like Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate is a frequent trade-up target for the Steelers, while his teammate at OSU, safety Caleb Downs, is the top talent in the entire draft. If either is still available when the 11th overall selection begins, the Steelers have to at least think about making an offer and grabbing their guy.

But what are the realistic expectations for the Steelers in this draft? With less than one week until it kicks off, here are the three things I expect to see from the Steelers at this year's NFL Draft.

Steeler Stand Pat at 21st Overall

I know, the fanbase wants to see a trade up, but that doesn't align with how the Steelers have played this offseason. General manager Omar Khan's roster personnel decisions and way of navigating the pre-draft process point to that.

Let's start with their roster moves so far. Patience was the key in all of it. Instead of panicking and overspending on a wide receiver addition, they waited the market out and landed Michael Pittman Jr. for essentially nothing. They waited out the market and landed safety Jaquan Brisker on a one-year deal, upgrading their secondary for minimal costs.

The same thing can be said about their pre-draft process. While they brought in first-round talents like wide receiver Denzel Boston, Makai Lemon and safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, undisputed top names like Tate, Downs or even Jordyn Tyson out of Arizona State, never took the trip to UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.

That tells me the Steelers have no desire to move up in Round 1. Instead, they will be patient and wait their for the 21st pick to make their choice. And they will take the best player available at a position of need.

Expect a Trade in Round 2

When Day 2 of the draft begins, the strategy in the first round goes out the window. The Steelers will still have a few holes to fill, regardless of whom they select in the first round, and they have 11 remaining picks over Day 2 and Day 3 at their disposal.

This is when a move happens. The Steelers are going to move into the first 10 picks of the second round, parting with their own second-rounder plus some later picks in return, and get another integral piece. If they go wide receiver in Round 1, expect a top offensive lineman or cornerback to be the next choice.

Single Digit Selections

Despite owning 12 selections, don't expect the Steelers to use them all. Whether it's in that trade up in Round 2 or later on, this team will not walk into minicamp or training camp with 12 recent draft picks vying for spots. It simply won't happen.

My guess? The Steelers wind up using nine picks when everything is said and done.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI,and find our podcast All Steelers Talk on YouTubeor anywhere you listen!