The Pittsburgh Steelers added 16 total rookies between their 2026 draft class and undrafted signings this offseason, and two weeks removed from the fireworks, we have had plenty of time to digest this group as a whole.
The entire group feels like it is lacking as a whole, even if there are a few bright spots.
I’ve detailed my thoughts on the draft class, and now I’ll turn my attention to the undrafted class. Unfortunately, Mike McCarthy didn’t reverse the recent trend of small, mediocre undrafted rookie classes.
While other teams are aggressive in giving out guaranteed money to the top undrafted names, the Steelers lag behind and take the leftovers. It looks like that occurred again, as the undrafted pool is once again weak.
However, as I always do, I want to rank this group in terms of the player and their potential impact.
Ranking the 6 Pittsburgh Steelers UDFA from the 2026 Draft
6. Laith Marjan, K, Kansas
I don’t think Laith Marjan is a bad kicker prospect by any means. He has a good leg and was consistently accurate during his collegiate career. With Chris Boswell being on the team, however, his path to the roster is almost nonexistent.
The other issue was his collapse late in his career. He got the yips at the end of his last season and became wildly unreliable. Had he continued to shine, he could have been drafted.
Assuming he shakes off his yips in camp, he could parlay his time in Pittsburgh into another opportunity. He has to be at the bottom of this list, though, given Boswell still being here.
5. Daylan Carnell, LB, Missouri
Probably the most intriguing player from this group, Daylan Carnell, will attempt to make the change from safety to linebacker with the Steelers. He certainly has the size to do it, and his play in school was best in the box.
The top five linebackers feel entrenched right now, though, and given Carnell’s newness to the position, it feels like he is fighting for a practice squad. That would be the best case for him, so he can learn the ropes of the new position.
4. Chamon Metayer, TE, Arizona State
Tight end is one of the shallowest positions on the team right now. Despite that, I don’t see how Chamon Metayer does enough to warrant claiming that final roster spot.
An unathletic receiving tight end who can’t block and runs limited routes is about as unappealing as it gets. While he had solid production in college, I just don’t see a path to the roster from him due to his lack of desirable traits.
3. Devan Boykin, DB, Indiana
Had the Steelers not so heavily invested in the defensive back room this offseason, Boykin could have been atop this list. His tape is a lot of fun to watch, and he feels like a guy who can eventually contribute on defense.
He was one of the top-ranked safeties in the country last year, but his lack of athleticism and size could make him just a good college player and nothing more. I’ll bet that some of that tape from Indiana sticks, especially as a run defender, and he makes some noise this offseason.
Unless injuries occur, his best path is on the practice squad. There is some projection here as he will likely shift to a slot defender full-time in Pittsburgh, but he has the tenacity and the grittiness to stick around.
2. Lake McRee, TE, USC
Most argue that this is the best undrafted free agent the Steelers added, and for good reason. The path to the third tight end spot is wide open, and McRee has some solid tape as a receiver despite not being a great athlete.
Simply put, he knew how to get open in school and wasn’t afraid to make tough catches for his offense. While his lack of speed will keep him from ever being a top threat, he could carve out a career as a reserve pass catcher.
His blocking is bad, and we will need to see him shine on special teams to warrant keeping him around. It feels like tight ends who can’t block at all rarely last with the Steelers, which is why he only cracks second on my list.
1. Kevin Jobity Jr., DL, Syracuse
I love a good developmental defensive lineman, and there may not be a better one than Kevin Jobity on this roster. He has the size that the Steelers covet and can provide some pass rush.
What you are getting is a player who has progressed every year through school and finally broke out last year. Better yet, he is pretty new to the game of football, so his best tape could be in front of him.
It feels like he could instantly compete for a roster spot, especially if the team carries seven defensive linemen as they have been recently. If not, he could sit a year on the practice squad and hope to take a depth role next year.
He flashed great run and pass rush tape. Given how new he is to the game, he could have a bright future in the league.
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