The Pittsburgh Steelers made their top draft priority painfully obvious at the 2026 NFL Combine. The team used over one-fourth of their formal meetings at the wide receiver position alone, including meetings with the top prospects like Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, and Jordyn Tyson.
Going after a wideout in Round 1 already feels expected, so it's no surprise to see Dane Brugler of The Athletic mock a receiver at pick No. 21 to Pittsburgh in his post-Combine two-round mock. Interestingly, Brugler has Omar Khan and the Steelers making a peculiar call.
With Tyson, the Arizona State standout, still on the board, Brugler has the Steelers nabbing Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. The draft expert points to Cooper as a perfect fit with Pittsburgh's offense for his reasoning behind the selection.
"The third wide receiver off the board in this mock, Cooper has the ball skills that would make him a great fit for the Steelers’ quick-strike offense. His strong lower body and toughness make him a chore for defenders to finish to the ground," Brugler wrote.
Cooper has been one of the fastest-rising players on draft boards over the past several weeks, and he only improved his stock with an impressive showing at the NFL Combine.
Omar Cooper Jr. could be the most likely Round 1 NFL Draft target for the Pittsburgh Steelers
There were questions about Cooper's top-end speed entering the Combine, but the well-rounded receiver put those to bed after running a respectable 4.47 on the track in Indianapolis. Cooper also participated in the vertical jump, hitting the 37-inch mark (82nd percentile).
This came after measuring in at 6' 1/8'' and 196 pounds with 9 3/4'' hands. While Cooper isn't big compared to NFL wide receivers, his size checks the box of what Mike McCarthy has looked for historically in his top wide receiver.
NFL Draft analysts were starting to catch up on Cooper's tape, which is reflected in his sharp rise in mock drafts. After three quiet college seasons at Indiana, Cooper had the best season of his career in 2025, recording 69 receptions for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Cooper still has some work to do as a route runner, but he knows how to find soft spots in coverage and get open. His bread and butter is his ability to chew up yards after the catch, as he's tough to bring down with the ball in his hands.
Taking Cooper over the more talented and productive Tyson—who's still on the board at this point—feels like a questionable decision. But we wouldn't be shocked to see the Steelers go with the player who has the clean bill of health. Tyson had a serious knee injury in 2023 and has never played a full season of college football over the past four years before declaring for the draft.
Because of the Steelers' blatant need at the wide receiver position and where the talent could align on the board, we can expect Omar Cooper Jr. to be pegged to Pittsburgh frequently in mock drafts leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft in April.