The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of things on their checklist this offseason, including getting younger and adding more playmakers to the offense. Both of those things can be accomplished in the 2026 NFL Draft, where the Steelers currently possess 12 picks, including No. 21 in the first round.
However, one recent mock draft has Pittsburgh packaging a couple of those picks to move up in the first round to address a major need.
In a mock draft completed by The Athletic’s NFL staff, the Steelers traded pick no. 21 and one of their three third-round picks to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for pick no. 15. Moving up six spots, Pittsburgh selected wide receiver Jordyn Tyson out of Arizona State.
The Pittsburgh Steelers trade up for Jordyn Tyson in recent mock draft
Pittsburgh desperately needs more wide receiver production outside of DK Metcalf, and Steelers reporter Mike DeFabo explained how that need motivated this trade-up.
"Rather than waiting for No. 21 to see which receivers were still available, the Steelers used one of their three third-round picks to secure one of the three best players at his position.
[Tyson] could be even higher on some boards and has the flexibility to play all three wide receiver spots, something new head coach Mike McCarthy said he values during his introductory news conference."
This would certainly be an exciting move for the Steelers, as Tyson is universally recognized as a top three wideout in the 2026 class. While he was the third receiver selected in this mock draft, many analysts believe he’s the top receiver prospect.
Tyson finished his collegiate career with 158 receptions for 2,282 yards and 22 touchdowns. However, he only played 33 games in four seasons, as multiple injuries sidelined him throughout college. His injury history could lead to teams passing on him, but DeFabo explains Pittsburgh probably won’t be one of those teams, considering the franchise’s history of selecting guys like Payton Wilson and Darnell Washington.
If the Steelers do ultimately land Tyson, he’d be exactly what the offense needs. Metcalf led the team in receiving yards this past season with 850 yards, and running back Kenneth Gainwell and tight end Pat Freiermuth were next in line with 486 each. The next receiver on the list was Calvin Austin III, with just 372 yards.
In total, Pittsburgh’s seven receivers combined for just 1,716 receiving yards. That’s just one more yard than Los Angeles Rams’ receiver Puka Nacua’s season total, and he was second in the NFL in receiving yards. Seattle Seahawks wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba was first with 1,793.
Adding a talent like Tyson, who has true No. 1 receiver potential, would completely transform the Steelers' offense, making life easier for whoever is throwing the ball.