The Pittsburgh Steelers have seen a flurry of news come out since starting training camp. From the early camp battles to the swap of veteran defensive backs, this team has been busy preparing its roster for the 2026 season.
Unfortunately, the rookie class has yet to separate themselves from the rest of the team.
It hasn’t all been bad, but we certainly haven’t seen the early returns from this group that we had hoped. That said, there is a long way to go before deciding who has truly excelled and who has faded for the Steelers.
Early Pittsburgh Steelers stock report from their rookie class
Max Iheanachor – Stock Even
It felt like mixed expectations for the Steelers first round pick. While deemed raw coming out of school, others indicated that Pittsburgh viewed him as pro-ready. Roughly a week into training camp, the results have ironically been very mixed.
He had a strong first padded practice on Monday, but he has been squarely stuck as the backup right tackle right now. Dylan Cook, meanwhile, has been a consistent face with the starters and is holding his own.
Max Iheanachor’s time will come, but it may not be during his rookie season. At a bare minimum, it seems like Cook will have to seriously falter for Iheanachor to steal a starting role, even if the rookie has looked the part overall.
Germie Bernard – Stock Down
Like his fellow top draft pick, Germie Bernard has had a relatively quiet start to training camp. He hasn’t made a lot of mistakes, but his impact in practice has also been muted. The reason that his stock is down is due to the other names ahead of him.
While a more balanced competition, it feels like Roman Wilson has the early nod as the slot receiver for this offense. Add in the fact that the former third-round pick has been peppered with targets through the first week, and it seems like that fact may not change in the near future.
Drew Allar – Stock Up
While he has made his share of mistakes, Drew Allar has looked the part of why the Steelers drafted him. His arm talent has been on display, and he certainly isn’t afraid to let the ball fly in training camp.
Ultimately, none of this matters much, as his role is locked right now, as he is destined to be the third quarterback this year. That said, he is at least showing those positive traits and will hopefully build off that in the preseason.
Daylen Everette – Stock Even
This is a tough one overall. Of all the rookies, he has been the biggest surprise so far, as coaches and fans alike have given the former Georgia cornerback praise for his ability on the field.
While he has flashed more good than bad, he has been overshadowed by Asante Samuel Jr., who has arguably had the best camp for the Steelers. That means that Everette may still be destined to be a special teams player in year one despite a solid start to his NFL career.
Gennings Dunker – Stock Down
A lot of people quickly fell in love with the Gennings Dunker pick, and many fans penciled him in to start at guard as a rookie. That hype quickly died down, and training camp has seemingly cemented his role as a rookie.
He isn’t competing for a starting role this year. Instead, he needs to flash some good tape and prepare himself in case of injury and to compete for a role next year. Unless injuries strike, he isn’t likely to see a lot of playing time this season.
Kaden Wetjen – Stock Even
Kaden Wetjen has been extremely quiet in training camp, as his time to shine will come in the preseason when he can field some kicks and punts. Until then, mum is the word for the former Iowa product.
Riley Nowakowski – Stock Up
It hasn’t been a perfect training camp for Riley Nowakowski, but he has a clear role for this offense. Set to play fullback, Nowakowski has a spot on this team that is his to lose.
The reason his stock is up is that he has been used in a lot of other creative ways. While his primary job will be in the backfield, he should carry value as a chess piece on offense. He certainly won’t just be a fullback for the offense come the regular season.
Gabriel Rubio – Stock Even
It has been neither a good nor bad camp for the sixth-round pick. That said, he is among the top backup options for the defensive line, so his opportunities are there. I’m excited to see him on the field during a game.
Robert Spears-Jennings – Stock Up
While the play of Robert Spears-Jennings hasn’t been exceptional, the Steelers clearly see something that they like. The seventh-round pick has been a top depth option at safety, including some work as the starting safety when the lines got thin.
Most importantly, it feels like he is running ahead of Sebastian Castro, one of his main rivals for a roster spot. He needs to continue to grow, but it feels like he has the early edge for one of the final spots on the 53-man roster.
Eli Heidenreich – Stock Down
Another popular name from the Steelers draft class, Eli Heidenreich hasn’t quite lived up to expectations for the Steelers. His offensive impact has been minimal, but that isn’t the reason his stock is down right now.
Travis Homer, one of his main competitors for a roster spot, has been a core member of the special teams unit so far. The team clearly views him as a safe option there. Heidenreich has to show up in other ways as well as on special teams if he wants a shot at winning that roster spot.
Add us as a preferred source on Google