The first wave of free agency has passed, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are now focused on filling out their roster and preparing for the draft. The major needs on the roster are now apparent, making the team's draft needs clearer.
After all the highs and lows of free agency, though, we now have a clear target for who the Steelers will take in the first round.
It feels like some of the potential positions fell off the first-round draft board. Safety and cornerback were addressed heavily in free agency, and while the Steelers can and will use draft capital for future contributors there, neither feels like a first-round target right now.
Instead, receiver and guard are both still the biggest needs on the team. As of now, the one name that feels like you can circle as a Steelers target is Olaivavega Ioane.
The Pittsburgh Steelers obvious first round target is Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane
There is a good argument to be made that the Steelers should finish their rebuilt receiver room by adding a first-round pick there in 2026. I see the logic, but guard feels like the bigger need right now.
The Steelers have emphasized building through the trenches under Omar Khan. After allowing Isaac Seumalo to leave for Arizona in free agency, the biggest need on the roster is a guard.
Sure, Spencer Anderson could be that guy, but he is entering the final year of his deal and has excelled as a versatile sixth lineman rather than just a pure guard. Banking on him being the guy is a massive risk and hurts the overall depth of your line.
Ioane is a plug-and-play guard with a high floor and a relatively high ceiling. He has the athleticism, technique, and talent to be a top-10 guard in the league in due time.
Compare that to the receiver options you will likely have at pick 21. It feels like the big three receivers won’t make it that far, and the options after that lack the high-end traits of a true superstar receiver.
The real question is whether Ioane will make it to the Steelers. As the top guard with a high ceiling, he could certainly go before pick 21. However, pure guards tend to fall in the draft. We saw a similar story unfold with David DeCastro, who slid to pick No. 24 in the 2012 NFL Draft.
We are still connecting the dots on pre-draft interest, and while Pittsburgh’s brass wasn’t at Penn State’s Pro Day, that isn’t the end of the world. Khan has shown more interest in bringing in the first-round pick for a pre-draft visit rather than attending their Pro Day.
Assuming Ioane makes it to the Steelers' pick, he feels like the most likely option for the team. He fills the biggest need, and the team can address their other needs with their plethora of picks on day two. After the fallout from free agency, the main target seems obvious: Ioane.