SAMMY 123'S MOCK DRAFT
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SAMMY 123'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON FEB 17, 2026

2026-50

  • SAMMY 123 DRAFTING FOR THE
    Steelers
Draft Selections
Sonny Styles Head Shot
PICK: 21 RND: 1 (PIT)
Sonny Styles
LB Ohio State
Michael Taaffe Head Shot
PICK: 53 RND: 2 (PIT)
Michael Taaffe
S Texas
Omar Cooper Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 76 RND: 3 (PIT)
Omar Cooper Jr.
WR Indiana
Chris Johnson Head Shot
PICK: 85 RND: 3 (PIT)
Chris Johnson
CB San Diego State
Skyler Gill-Howard Head Shot
PICK: 121 RND: 4 (PIT)
Skyler Gill-Howard
DT Texas Tech
Malik Benson Head Shot
PICK: 135 RND: 4 (PIT)
Malik Benson
WR Oregon
Taylen Green Head Shot
PICK: 159 RND: 5 (PIT)
Taylen Green
QB Arkansas
Trey Zuhn III Head Shot
PICK: 213 RND: 6 (PIT)
Trey Zuhn III
OT Texas A&M
Cole Payton Head Shot
PICK: 214 RND: 6 (PIT)
Cole Payton
QB North Dakota State
Eli Heidenreich Head Shot
PICK: 224 RND: 7 (PIT)
Eli Heidenreich
WR Navy
Jimmy Rolder Head Shot
PICK: 237 RND: 7 (PIT)
Jimmy Rolder
LB Michigan
Draft Picks Received
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 1 (KC)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 4 (KC)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Picks Traded
Michael Trigg Head Shot
PICK: 99 RND: 3 (KC)
Michael Trigg
TE Baylor
Players Gained
Head Shot
Wanya Morris
OT
Draft Grade — Steelers
Overall B+
ValueB- NeedB TradesB FutureA
Larceny in the 85th overall pick lands the Steelers a B+, Johnson and all.

The best pick of the weekend was also the simplest. The Steelers watched Chris Johnson slide 46 picks past his grade and did not hesitate.

They will need Green to outplay his draft slot in a hurry to justify it. They punted on edge rusher, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. It is a bet on later, and a defensible one for a team playing the long game.

The roster is better shaped than it was, with quarterback chief among the fixes.

In sum, a sensible class that nudges the roster the right way.

Pick Analysis
Pick21 Rnd1 Sonny Styles
In the 21st overall pick they get a green-dot type in the middle. A clean fit for the roster.
Pick53 Rnd2 Michael Taaffe
Michael Taaffe at pick 53 is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick76 Rnd3 Omar Cooper Jr.
No drama and no debate, Omar Cooper Jr. went about where he belonged in the 76th pick. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Pick85 Rnd3 Chris Johnson
Chris Johnson at slot 85 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick121 Rnd4 Skyler Gill-Howard
Skyler Gill-Howard at pick No. 121 jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick135 Rnd4 Malik Benson
Malik Benson at No. 135 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick159 Rnd5 Taylen Green
This one needs a full-page explanation: Taylen Green in the Round 5 slot, miles early. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick213 Rnd6 Trey Zuhn III
A reach on Trey Zuhn III in Round 6, Pick 34; the board had better options right there. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Pick214 Rnd6 Cole Payton
A straight-up fair deal on Cole Payton at the Round 6 slot, value and slot in agreement. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Pick224 Rnd7 Eli Heidenreich
Good price on Eli Heidenreich in Round 7, Pick 8, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Pick237 Rnd7 Jimmy Rolder
A top-tier linebacker at a bargain, Jimmy Rolder in pick No. 237, plain and simple. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.