The Pittsburgh Steelers have a faint chance to land one of the most talented players in the 2026 NFL Draft class, but it doesn't come without risks. Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson has been linked to the Steelers at times throughout the pre-draft process, and the silky-smooth route-runner could either be one of the steals of the draft or an accident waiting to happen.
On Monday, Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic predicted the picks 1-100 of the 2026 draft. At pick No. 21 in the first round, Baumgardner had the Steelers taking the high-upside swing on Tyson.
"When healthy, Tyson is the most complete receiver in this class. He blocks, he runs clean and precise routes and he’s great in the air. He can wear multiple hats within a WR room — but his injury history is a concern," Baumgardner wrote.
In terms of talent and positional value, Tyson shouldn't be on the board at this stage of the draft. The big wide receiver has remarkable movement skills to create impressive separation at the top of his routes, and he plays a premium position. Unfortunately, injuries could very well cause him to slide into the back half of Round 1.
And the Steelers would be wise to scoop him up.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should select WR Jordyn Tyson if he's still on the board at pick No. 21
Tyson comes with obvious risk. The star receiver suffered a catastrophic multi-ligament knee injury late in the 2022 season, which forced him to spend 2023 rehabilitating and recovering after transferring to Arizona State. Then, in 2025, Tyson dealt with a nagging hamstring injury that continued throughout the pre-draft process and forced him to skip NFL Combine drills and testing.
However, he's been excellent when he's been healthy and on the field over the past two seasons.
Tyson is scheduled to work out on April 17, so NFL teams will need to get a look at him in action before being willing to gamble on him early in the draft. If he's unable to go or if he pulls up lame with an injury, it's not impossible that the Arizona State star could fall to the tail end of Round 1 or even out of the first round entirely.
But for the shot at getting a potential WR1 at the next level, it's worth the risk for the Steelers to roll the dice.
In Pittsburgh, Tyson would begin his career as the slot receiver, where he could make smaller defensive backs look silly over the middle of the field. If he can stay healthy—and that's a big 'if'—Tyson could be the team's leading receiver by his second season.
Jordyn Tyson is one of the most polarizing players in the 2026 class because of his lengthy injury history, but the Pittsburgh Steelers should swing for the fences by taking the high-upside receiver if he's still on the board at pick No. 21.