The Pittsburgh Steelers were clearly looking for players at positional needs late in the draft who could make their final roster, and they found one in the fifth round. After trading back from pick No. 161 to pick No. 169 with the Kansas City Chiefs, the Steelers selected Indiana tight end/fullback Riley Nowakowski.
With the trade, Pittsburgh received Kansas City's sixth-round pick (No. 210), while giving the Chiefs a late seventh-rounder (No. 249). Nowakowski now joins a team with two tight end vacancies, thanks to the departures of Jonnu Smith and Connor Heyward.
Nowakowski's size and play style are similar to the latter. Heyward was selected in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft to be a do-it-all chess piece—someone who could operate as a tight end, fullback, and H-back while offering special teams value.
Nowakowski could land a similar role.
The Pittsburgh Steelers likely found Connor Heyward's replacement with Riley Nowakowski pick in the fifth round
At 6'2'' and 250 pounds with just 31 3/4'' arms and 8 3/4'' hands, Nowakowski is built more like a middle linebacker than a tight end. The Steelers could use him in multiple roles, primarily as a blocker who can shift and play multiple roles.
Nowakowski spent his first five college seasons with the Wisconsin Badgers before transferring to Indiana for a sixth season in 2025, where he would play a role on the offensive line that helped his team to a national championship. Last year, He caught 32 passes for 387 yards and two touchdowns. Before that, he had just 18 catches in his first five college seasons.
Nowakowski isn't without his limitations.
The well-rounded tight end is undersized and is only a modest athlete. His 1.70 10-yard split ranked in just the 19th percentile among NFL tight ends, while his 33-inch vertical jump was good for just the 47th percentile.
Nowakowski is also an older prospect. He'll turn 24 years old before his first NFL training camp. His age might have been a bigger factor if he were considered a Day 2 pick, but in the fifth round, the Steelers are content taking a player they believe can make their roster.
Like Kaden Wetjen, the Steelers' fourth-round pick, this was not a value selection, and Nowakowski was low on the consensus board. Regardless, Pittsburgh saw a tight end vacancy on the roster, and they pounced. It's best to temper expectations for Riley Nowakowski in 2026, as he'll likely serve a special teams role and have a minimal role on the field in Year 1, assuming he makes the final roster.
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