BurghCave'S MOCK DRAFT
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BurghCave'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON APR 19, 2026

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Mock drafts from BurghCave

BurghCave 3.0

  • BurghCave DRAFTING FOR THE
    Steelers
Draft Selections
Olaivavega Ioane Head Shot
PICK: 22 RND: 1 (PIT)
Olaivavega Ioane
OG Penn State
Germie Bernard Head Shot
PICK: 53 RND: 2 (PIT)
Germie Bernard
WR Alabama
Kyle Louis Head Shot
PICK: 76 RND: 3 (PIT)
Kyle Louis
LB Pittsburgh
Keionte Scott Head Shot
PICK: 85 RND: 3 (PIT)
Keionte Scott
CB Miami
Michael Taaffe Head Shot
PICK: 86 RND: 3 (PIT)
Michael Taaffe
S Texas
Ted Hurst Head Shot
PICK: 99 RND: 3 (PIT)
Ted Hurst
WR Georgia State
DeMonte Capehart Head Shot
PICK: 121 RND: 4 (PIT)
DeMonte Capehart
DT Clemson
Demond Claiborne Head Shot
PICK: 135 RND: 4 (PIT)
Demond Claiborne
RB Wake Forest
Travis Burke Head Shot
PICK: 161 RND: 5 (PIT)
Travis Burke
OT Memphis
Dallen Bentley Head Shot
PICK: 204 RND: 6 (PIT)
Dallen Bentley
TE Utah
VJ Payne Head Shot
PICK: 216 RND: 6 (PIT)
VJ Payne
S Kansas State
Jeff Caldwell Head Shot
PICK: 224 RND: 7 (PIT)
Jeff Caldwell
WR Cincinnati
Jack Kelly Head Shot
PICK: 230 RND: 7 (PIT)
Jack Kelly
LB BYU
Haynes King Head Shot
PICK: 237 RND: 7 (PIT)
Haynes King
QB Georgia Tech
Draft Picks Received
Olaivavega Ioane Head Shot
PICK: 22 RND: 1 (LAC)
Olaivavega Ioane
OG Penn State
Michael Taaffe Head Shot
PICK: 86 RND: 3 (LAC)
Michael Taaffe
S Texas
Dallen Bentley Head Shot
PICK: 204 RND: 6 (LAC)
Dallen Bentley
TE Utah
Draft Picks Traded
Kayden McDonald Head Shot
PICK: 21 RND: 1 (LAC)
Kayden McDonald
DT Ohio State
Draft Grade — Steelers
Overall B-
ValueB- NeedB- TradesB FutureB-
A solid, sensible weekend for the Steelers: B-.

It is the swing that defines the weekend: Haynes King in the 237th pick, a good 78 spots before the room expected him. They moved the roster forward and banked a B- for it.

That is a wide receiver worth more than the slot they spent on him, plainly. That edge rusher hole did not close this weekend, and it was the biggest one on the wall. The dealing nudged the ledger their way without much fuss.

The offense got the lion's share of the attention.

A competent weekend that does not make headlines and does not need to.

Pick Analysis
Pick22 Rnd1 Olaivavega Ioane
In the Round 1 slot they get a blindside protector. Need was not the driver here.
Pick53 Rnd2 Germie Bernard
A premium they did not need to pay, Germie Bernard a notch or two before his time. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Pick76 Rnd3 Kyle Louis
A conviction pick on Kyle Louis at No. 76 that the board grades a round light. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick85 Rnd3 Keionte Scott
You do not let a cornerback like Keionte Scott reach slot 85 and blink. They did not. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Pick86 Rnd3 Michael Taaffe
Good things come to war rooms that wait, and Michael Taaffe at pick 86 is the proof. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick99 Rnd3 Ted Hurst
Ted Hurst slid further than he should have, and pick No. 99 is lovely value for the wide receiver. The roster fit checks out.
Pick121 Rnd4 DeMonte Capehart
They liked DeMonte Capehart enough to skip the value, taking him in the 121st pick. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick135 Rnd4 Demond Claiborne
This one needs a full-page explanation: Demond Claiborne in pick 135, miles early. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick161 Rnd5 Travis Burke
Travis Burke at pick No. 161 jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. Nice player, but the depth chart did not need him here.
Pick204 Rnd6 Dallen Bentley
By-the-book stuff, Dallen Bentley at Round 6, Pick 23 squarely in line with his ranking. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Pick216 Rnd6 VJ Payne
A quiet steal in No. 216: VJ Payne for less than the market said. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick224 Rnd7 Jeff Caldwell
They will replay Jeff Caldwell at the Round 7 slot for years; that is how good the value is. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Pick230 Rnd7 Jack Kelly
Jack Kelly at the 230th overall pick is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. It fills a real need, too.
Pick237 Rnd7 Haynes King
A real head-scratcher, Haynes King in slot 237 is miles ahead of his ranking. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.