The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, and we just got our first look at the Pittsburgh Steelers' full 2026 draft class. After the team was thrown a major curveball in Round 1 with the Makai Lemon fiasco, general manager Omar Khan quickly pivoted, which caused a ripple effect throughout the draft.
Pittsburgh made Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor their first-round pick, and with their wide receiver need looming large, they traded up in the second round for Alabama wideout Germie Bernard.
Throughout the draft, there was one common theme: focus on filling major positional needs. With the dust still settling, here's a look at the full Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 draft class.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' full 2026 draft class
Pick | Player |
|---|---|
Round 1 | Pick 21 | Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State |
Round 2 | Pick 47 | Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama |
Round 3 | 76 | Drew Allar, QB, Penn State |
Round 3 | Pick 85 | Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia |
Round 3 | Pick 96 | Gennings Dunker, OT, Iowa |
Round 4 | Pick 121 | Kaden Wetjen, WR, Iowa |
Round 5 | Pick 169 | Riley Nowakowski, TE, Indiana |
Round 6 | Pick 210 | Gabe Rubio, DL, Notre Dame |
Round 7 | Pick 224 | Robert Spears-Jennings, S, Oklahoma |
Round 7 | Pick 230 | Eli Heidenreich, RB, Navy |
The Steelers didn't quench their thirst for filling significant positional needs after their first two picks. With a trio of third-round picks, Khan addressed quarterback, cornerback, and offensive line depth.
The Drew Allar selection was one of the most debated of this class. With the Steelers in desperate search of their next franchise quarterback, Pittsburgh's front office was comfortable enough to swing on the Penn State product with the 76th overall pick—well above consensus value (which had Allar as the 114th overall player).
From there, the Steelers added depth and youth at the cornerback position, desperately lacking both. The selection of Georgia CB Daylen Everette was considered an on-value pick by most.
The Steelers were credited with one major draft steal against the consensus board, which came late in the third round. After trading up from No. 99 to No. 96, Pittsburgh selected Iowa offensive tackle Gennings Dunker (who could move to guard for the Steelers). Dunker was the 64th overall player on the NFL Draft Expert Consensus Board.
On Day 3, the Steelers addressed needs at return specialist and tight end depth. Iowa's Kaden Wetjen was considered the top return man in this year's class, but wasn't expected to come off the board until at least the sixth round. He'll fill the shoes of Calvin Austin III as the team's punt returner while also expected to pick up kick return duties for Pittsburgh.
Meanwhile, Riley Nowakowski, the Steelers' fifth-round pick, is expected to man the H-back. He's a hybrid tight end/fullback who should slot in as a depth option and can fill Connor Heyward's old role.
Omar Khan's goal was to fill the Steelers' positional needs, not take the best players on the board
With the 2026 draft in the rearview mirror, Khan's primary objective is now crystal clear: this team wants to fill its biggest needs at whatever cost possible.
This doesn't mean that the Steelers made no 'value' picks in this class, but they were few and far between, and taking the 'best player available' approach wasn't on their mind. Khan began the 2026 NFL Draft with 12 picks in his back pocket.
By the end of the draft, the Steelers traded up twice and made 10 total selections, addressing all of their top needs in the process, even when the value didn't quite align.
Time will tell how this class will turn out. Unfortunately, it doesn't feel like Omar Khan's best draft class, despite the capital the GM had to work with this year.
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