- HOME
- REGISTER/LOGIN
- MOCK DRAFT SIMULATOR
- GAME & FANTASY SIM
- FEATURES
- MADDEN RATINGS
- NFL SEASON PROJECTION
- NFL WEEK PREDICTIONS
- DRAFT WALL
- DRAFT ORDER
- MOST POPULAR PICKS '26
- MOST POPULAR PICKS '27
- DEPTH CHART CREATOR
- 2026 NFL TEAM PREVIEWS
- NFL TEAM'S DRAFT PICKS
- COLLEGES
- PROSPECTS BY CONFERENCE
- PLAY RATINGS
- MOCK DRAFTS
- DRAFT DO-OVER
- BUZZ BIG BOARD
Draft 1.0
-
DjKool DRAFTING FOR THESteelers
Draft Selections
Draft Picks Received
Draft Picks Traded
Players traded away
Draft Grade — Steelers
Overall
C
ValueB+
NeedB
TradesF
FutureC
The Steelers let Thieneman fall and pounced. Final grade: C. The Steelers lost the trade war and it was not close, handing partners the better end again and again. It washes out to a C, no better and no worse.
Getting Thieneman where they did is the sort of value that quietly makes a class. The Fa'amoe pick is the one the value grade keeps tripping over. They are betting the present roster is worth a lighter draft next spring.
The offense got the lion's share of the attention.
If Carnell Tate and a couple of the gambles land, hindsight will be kinder than this grade.
Pick Analysis
Pick21
Rnd1
Carnell Tate
Value with a capital V on Carnell Tate in the Round 1 slot, a genuine coup. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick53
Rnd2
Dillon Thieneman
Steal is underselling it; Dillon Thieneman at Round 2, Pick 21 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick76
Rnd3
Jake Golday
They barely believed it either: Jake Golday still on the board at pick No. 76. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick85
Rnd3
Dontay Corleone
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Dontay Corleone at the 85th overall pick. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick87
Rnd3
Max Klare
Max Klare at No. 87 is money in the bank, a tight end taken below his worth. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Pick90
Rnd3
Ja'Kobi Lane
No edge and no loss on Ja'Kobi Lane in slot 90; it is a wash and a sensible one. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Pick99
Rnd3
Julian Neal
Julian Neal in No. 99 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. The roster fit checks out.
Pick121
Rnd4
Mike Washington Jr.
A tidy bit of business in the 121st overall pick, where Mike Washington Jr. graded well above the range. It fills a real need, too.
Pick135
Rnd4
Davison Igbinosun
They read the board right and Davison Igbinosun was the payoff at pick 135. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Pick159
Rnd5
Drew Allar
Drew Allar is a better player than the Round 5 slot suggests; smart patience, rewarded. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Pick213
Rnd6
Jeremiah Wright
They took Jeremiah Wright at par in pick No. 213, which is nothing to complain about. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Pick214
Rnd6
Kaelon Black
A straight-up fair deal on Kaelon Black at slot 214, value and slot in agreement. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick224
Rnd7
Raylen Wilson
A market-rate linebacker, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Raylen Wilson. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick237
Rnd7
Fa'alili Fa'amoe
Fa'alili Fa'amoe in Round 7, Pick 21 is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
















