The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to kick off the Mike McCarthy era with a stockpile of draft picks. With a dozen projected selections (which include four compensatory picks), general manager Omar Khan will have no shortage of directions his front office could go in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Yet nearly every NFL mock draft keeps point the Steelers to just one position: wide receiver.
Furthermore, based on Pittsburgh's draft position, one name has already been routinely linked to the Steelers. On Tuesday, NFL Network draft expert Daniel Jeremiah pegged Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston to Pittsburgh at pick No. 21 in his second mock draft of the offseason. And the reason was obvious.
"Boston makes too much sense here. The Steelers would have two power forwards on the outside with the rookie playing opposite DK Metcalf," Jeremiah wrote.
While a receiver who can create more separation and do more damage after the catch would be an ideal pairing with Metcalf, Boston feels like the most likely candidate if the Steelers go with a receiver.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could be on track to eye WR Denzel Boston in the 2026 NFL Draft
It's smokescreen season in the NFL—but typically, where there's smoke, there's fire. The frequently-mocked selection of Boston-to-the-Steelers can't be ignored.
For McCarthy's West Coast offense to operate effectively, he needs a do-it-all receiver who can run a full route tree, be in the exact right spot, and have an impressive set of hands. This doesn't fit the description of DK Metcalf. However, Boston checks these boxes.
Though the Washington product won't wow teams with his athletic traits or wheels after the catch, he projects as a long-time starting receiver at the NFL level. And for a team as desperate as the Steelers to find help at WR, that might be good enough.
Boston is expected to measure in around 6'4'' and 210 pounds at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, and he uses his size to his advantage to box out smaller receivers over the middle of the field and on the boundary. Boston has drawn NFL player comparisons to the Denver Broncos' two-time Pro Bowler Courtland Sutton.
Outside of finding a long-term franchise quarterback, upgrading the wide receiver position might be the biggest priority for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2026 offseason. The options in free agency are limited, and Khan isn't likely to overpay for a player who could hit the market like Alec Pierce or Wan'dale Robinson.
Meanwhile, the consensus top three receivers in the draft—Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, and Jordyn Tyson—are all expected to be off the board long before the Steelers are on the clock at pick 21 in the first round.
Fans better get used to seeing Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston being mocked to the Pittsburgh Steelers, because of the fit, where the talent aligns in the NFL Draft with Pittsburgh's pick, and the Steelers' positional needs. This is a connection that isn't going away anytime soon.