For the first time in over a decade, it feels like a tall task to predict which direction the Pittsburgh Steelers could go on the first two days of the NFL Draft. While we can share our thoughts about the team's biggest roster needs, the front office did its best to add talent through free agency, giving them flexibility to go in pretty much any direction early in the draft.
This could even mean targeting a Round 1 position we didn't anticipate the team pursuing. Because of the way the board falls, and with four picks on Day 2, general manager Omar Khan could take an unexpected approach to the 2026 NFL Draft.
In my latest three-round Steelers mock draft, I have the front office rebuilding the middle of the defense early while still addressing three key offensive positions on Day 2.
The Pittsburgh Steelers take a future defensive captain early in the latest 3-round mock draft
Round 1 | Pick 21: CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
If you think the Pittsburgh Steelers wouldn't target an off-the-ball linebacker this early, you might want to reconsider. We've hardly witnessed Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy on the scouting trail together during the pre-draft process, but the Steelers' big decision-makers were at Georgia's Pro Day to witness CJ Allen in action.
Meanwhile, the team has also expressed interest in Day 2 linebacker prospects like Jacob Rodriguez, Jake Golday, and Anthony Hill Jr. This likely shows that the Steelers view linebacker as a bigger priority than the fanbase.
Allen is a physically imposing linebacker who projects as a future team captain and defensive leader at the next level. NFL teams will fall in love with his football character and feel for the game. Allen would start right away while giving Pittsburgh the flexibility to either dump Patrick Queen's lofty 2026 cap number or move on from the veteran next offseason.
Round 2 | Pick 53: Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia
This isn't the first time I've mocked Zachariah Branch to the Steelers. Despite the Michael Pittman Jr. trade at the start of free agency, the Steelers need youth and athleticism at the receiver position, and Branch offers both.
Though this selection at pick No. 53 will feel rich to some NFL Draft experts, Branch is electrifying with the football in his hands, and his small, compact frame would at least be a good compliment with a pair of 6'4'' receivers on the outside.
The Steelers reportedly had a Pro Day dinner meeting with Branch, and they are no strangers to picking two players from the same school in the same draft. In 2023—Khan's first draft as GM of the Steelers—Pittsburgh double-dipped with Georgia prospects Broderick Jones and Darnell Washington.
Round 3 | Pick 76: (via DAL): Darrell Jackson Jr., DL, Florida State
It's no secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers are suckers for interior defenders who are tall, long, and strong, and Darrell Jackson Jr. checks all the boxes they look for at the position. At 6'5'' and 315 pounds with a massive 86-inch wingspan and huge 11-inch hands, Jackson has a prototype frame for a base 3-4 defensive end in Pittsburgh's odd fronts.
Though the Steelers doubled up on interior defenders in the 2025 NFL Draft—including taking Derrick Harmon in the first round—Pittsburgh still needs depth and youth at the position. This is likely to be Cameron Heyward's last season, so finding another quality option on the defensive line is a proactive move that would keep the defensive trenches strong.
Round 3 | Pick 85: Jalen Farmer, OG, Kentucky
It's possible the Steelers could target a guard as early as the first round. But in this particular mock, the value didn't align with the need until the third round. With the 85th overall pick in my latest Steelers mock draft, I have Pittsburgh turning their card in for Kentucky's Jalen Farmer.
Farmer is cut from the same cloth as Mason McCormick, with a similar frame and equally impressive athletic testing. At 6'5'' and 312 pounds with long arms and foot quickness, Farmer could be an ideal fit for James Campen's offensive line. The Kentucky product could compete with newcomer Brock Hoffman for the starting left guard job in 2026.
Round 3 | Pick 99 (comp): Carson Beck, QB, Miami
The Steelers know that they want to hold off and take their big quarterback swing in the 2027 NFL Draft, when there's expected to be a much bigger talent pool at the position. Having said that, Pittsburgh could still use competition and depth at the position.
Carson Beck is a polarizing figure at the quarterback position, but there's an easy route to him as a backup in the NFL (similar to Mason Rudolph's career path). The Steelers used a 30-visit on Beck and met with the Miami product at the NFL Combine, so the interest is there.