Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft did not go as expected for the Pittsburgh Steelers. While in past years the board seemed to break in favor of the team, that did not materialize this year.
Instead of being aggressive and getting a player they coveted, they settled for Max Iheanachor. A good player in his own right, the draft talk has unfortunately focused on the Steelers trying to draft Makai Lemon before the Eagles jumped them to take him.
Heading into day two of the draft, armed with a wealth of resources and needs aplenty, the Steelers need to make up for their mistakes and get another top name in this draft. That will require a trade-up.
However, not every top name is worthy of moving up for. I’ve found four that I think make a lot of sense, and three that should be avoided at all costs.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should move up one of these 4 players tonight in the NFL Draft
Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
If you looked at Jermod McCoy purely based on talent and his tape, he would have been a top-15 pick in this draft and arguably the first cornerback off the board. However, an injury in 2024 held him out for all of 2025, and teams seem concerned about long-term damage.
That sounds like the perfect prospect for the Steelers.
Under Khan, this team has looked past some medical question marks. From Darnell Washington’s reported degenerative knees to Payton Wilson’s ACL (or lack thereof), this team has gotten good success with players with a checkered medical past.
McCoy could be next. While cornerback isn’t the biggest need, he is one of the top players left on the board. If the Steelers can swing a massive move up, he could transform this secondary into a second lockdown cornerback opposite Joey Porter Jr.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, DB, Toledo
There was a lot of talk about Emmanuel McNeil-Warren going on day one, but he ultimately slipped out of the first round as safeties fell in general. His skid should stop early on day two of the draft.
The Steelers don’t have an immediate need for a safety, but there are a lot of long-term questions in the room. After this year, the room could be gutted, so having a future starter in place would be ideal.
McNeil-Warren has dynamic at Toledo, has great size and athleticism, and was a playmaker in the secondary. He can play either safety spot as well. Assuming his slide continues into the high 30’s, he may be too hard of a bargain to pass up.
Chase Bisontis, IOL, Texas A&M
The Steelers have a small mess to sort out as to who will play where at offensive tackle. However, their first-round pick did not address the biggest need along the line at left guard. The team could remedy that with Chase Bisontis.
He feels like the last top guard with elite potential (Emmanuel Pregnon lacks the elite mobility that caps his ceiling). While spending your top two picks on offensive linemen feels like a luxury, it would go a long way in helping this offense long-term.
Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama
My favorite remaining receiver, it doesn’t feel like Germie Bernard will fly off the board. Other names are ranked ahead of him, and he feels like the top name amongst the cluster of receivers that should go middle of the second round to the end of the third round. Still, this feels like an obvious target for Pittsburgh.
Bernard runs sharp routes, has good hands, and is a threat over the middle of the field. He is a guy who knows how to get open. He isn’t as good an athlete as he had tested, but the traits are there for him to be a steady second receiver for a team sooner than later. He certainly could fall to pick 53 naturally.
However, we saw last night what happens when you wait for the player you want to fall to you. The Steelers can’t make that same mistake again. If he is still there in the 40s, Pittsburgh needs to get their guy.
The Steelers would be unwise to trade up for these 3 players
Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
Denzel Boston figures to be one of the first names off the board tonight, but I can’t stomach taking a big physical receiver like him. Questions about his overall athleticism are valid, considering he refused to run the 40-yard dash. His game is predicated on making contested catches, an ability that doesn’t translate as well to the NFL.
Add in the big-bodied receivers already in this room, and I don’t see a fit. I have been low on Boston for the above reasons. Trading significant capital to acquire him would be a massive mistake.
CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
CJ Allen is a physical run defender and a hard hitter. When in the right spot, his tape is a lot of fun to watch as he likes to wreak havoc on opposing running backs and punish them with stiff shots.
However, the fun ends there. His coverage ability is bad, and his instincts aren’t where they need to be. He is a massive work in progress and will need a lot of work to be more than a two-down player.
Add in the general lack of positional value, and it is hard to want this team to trade up for Allen. If he naturally fell to pick 53, that would be one thing, but giving up anything additional would be foolish.
Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia
Zachariah Branch is a human highlight reel at times, as his ball skills are dynamic. However, he is extremely small, and a lot of his production came from manufactured touches in college.
Can he be more than a gadget player for an offense? Potentially, but he needs to go to the right system. Even then, I question if he will ever be more than a depth receiver. Gadget players aren’t worth second-round picks, and he definitely wouldn’t be worth giving up additional capital for.
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