The Pittsburgh Steelers have turned the page to a new era of football, as Mike Tomlin is gone and Mike McCarthy has taken his place.
The first order of business that McCarthy and Omar Khan need to nail to get the Steelers back to contention is figuring out the best plan of attack in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Even if the Steelers only select players from Big Ten schools, look for Pittsburgh to knock it out of the park due to the talent on display in this conference.
Pittsburgh Steelers All-Big Ten 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Round 1, Pick 21: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
Boston is a classic X receiver, and why some may view him as redundant next to DK Metcalf, Boston's strong hands and ability to get open despite lacking amazing speed will be appealing for Pittsburgh.
Round 2, Pick 53: D'Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
Ponds is generously listed at 5-9 and 170 pounds, which makes him a tremendous outlier. The Steelers could still take a chance on him, as he is a firecracker with tremendous tackling and man coverage skills.
Round 3, Pick 76: Ja'Kobi Lane, WR, USC
Why not go all-in on the big wide receivers? Lane is a fringe Top-50 talent who could soar up boards if he answers questions about his speed.
Round 3, Pick 85: Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
Allar could crash and burn if he starts right away due to how raw he is, but the arm talent is undeniable, and McCarthy may want to develop those traits.
Round 3, Pick 99: Logan Jones, IOL, Iowa
Jones is one of the best pass-protecting interior offensive linemen in this class. Pittsburgh's offensive line is still very much a work in progress, and Jones could eventually become a starter.
Round 4, Pick 121: Nick Singleton, RB, Penn State
With Kaleb Johnson looking like a whiff of a pick, the Steelers could grab either Singleton or Nittany Lions teammate Kaytron Allen as a backup behind Jaylen Warren.
Round 4, Pick 135: Tacario Davis, CB, Washington
Davis is a gigantic cornerback at 6-4 with long arms. Even without great speed, he can beat up inferior athletes at the line of scrimmage with ease.
Round 5, Pick 159: Caden Curry, EDGE, Ohio State
Curry has a ton to gain if he decides to do drills at the NFL Combine, but with 11 sacks in his final college season, he could rise if he proves to be a solid athlete.
Round 6, Pick 213: Nolan Rucci, OT, Penn State
Rucci was one of the noteworthy Combine snubs, as the former Wisconsin 5-star recruit managed to emerge as a quality pass protector after moving to Happy Valley.
Round 6, Pick 215: Xavier Nwankpa, S, Iowa
Of all the Day 3 safeties who could work their way into a long-term role with whoever drafts them, Nwankpa may have a higher ceiling due to his 6-2 frame and success on an elite Hawkeyes defense.
Round 7, Pick 225: Deven Eastern, DT, Minnesota
Eastern is a classic multi-year starter who will slide to this range of the draft due to a questionably high athletic ceiling, making him a role player.
Round 7, Pick 238: Eric Gentry, LB, USC
Gentry is a weirdly shaped player at 6-6 and around 230 pounds, but his athleticism in that frame could make him both a key special teamer and solid backup.