aechean'S MOCK DRAFT

aechean'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON MAR 26, 2026

steelers went for it

  • aechean DRAFTING FOR THE
    Steelers
Draft Selections
Monroe Freeling Head Shot
PICK: 21 RND: 1 (PIT)
Monroe Freeling
OT Georgia
Caleb Lomu Head Shot
PICK: 22 RND: 1 (PIT)
Caleb Lomu
OT Utah
A.J. Haulcy Head Shot
PICK: 53 RND: 2 (PIT)
A.J. Haulcy
S LSU
Antonio Williams Head Shot
PICK: 76 RND: 3 (PIT)
Antonio Williams
WR Clemson
Darrell Jackson Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 85 RND: 3 (PIT)
Darrell Jackson Jr.
DT Florida State
Harold Perkins Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 86 RND: 3 (PIT)
Harold Perkins Jr.
LB LSU
Ja'Kobi Lane Head Shot
PICK: 99 RND: 3 (PIT)
Ja'Kobi Lane
WR USC
Connor Lew Head Shot
PICK: 121 RND: 4 (PIT)
Connor Lew
C Auburn
Parker Brailsford Head Shot
PICK: 135 RND: 4 (PIT)
Parker Brailsford
C Alabama
Drew Allar Head Shot
PICK: 161 RND: 5 (PIT)
Drew Allar
QB Penn State
Ephesians Prysock Head Shot
PICK: 204 RND: 6 (PIT)
Ephesians Prysock
CB Washington
Dallen Bentley Head Shot
PICK: 216 RND: 6 (PIT)
Dallen Bentley
TE Utah
Nick Barrett Head Shot
PICK: 224 RND: 7 (PIT)
Nick Barrett
DL South Carolina
Wesley Williams Head Shot
PICK: 230 RND: 7 (PIT)
Wesley Williams
DE-EDGE Duke
Thaddeus Dixon Head Shot
PICK: 237 RND: 7 (PIT)
Thaddeus Dixon
CB North Carolina
Zavion Thomas Head Shot
PICK: 238 RND: 7 (PIT)
Zavion Thomas
WR LSU
Draft Picks Received
Caleb Lomu Head Shot
PICK: 22 RND: 1 (LAC)
Caleb Lomu
OT Utah
Harold Perkins Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 86 RND: 3 (LAC)
Harold Perkins Jr.
LB LSU
Ephesians Prysock Head Shot
PICK: 204 RND: 6 (LAC)
Ephesians Prysock
CB Washington
Zavion Thomas Head Shot
PICK: 238 RND: 7 (MIA)
Zavion Thomas
WR LSU
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (MIA)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Picks Traded
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 1 (LV)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 2 (LV)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (LV)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (LV)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Grade — Steelers
Overall B-
ValueB- NeedB- TradesA+ FutureD-
The Steelers turned the phones into found money: B-.

The Steelers spent real capital to be 83 picks early on Wesley Williams, and the board is going to hold them to it.

The Lew pick alone nudges the whole weekend up a notch. The phones were where this weekend was really won.

With running back unsolved, spending premium capital on offensive lineman is the choice that costs them. If this class has a fault line, it runs straight through running back.

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

Pick Analysis
Pick21 Rnd1 Monroe Freeling
In Round 1, Pick 21 they get protection for the quarterback. Need was not the driver here.
Pick22 Rnd1 Caleb Lomu
The eyebrow-raiser of the weekend. They went offensive lineman with Caleb Lomu while clear needs at running back sat open.
Pick53 Rnd2 A.J. Haulcy
Nothing to complain about; A.J. Haulcy went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick76 Rnd3 Antonio Williams
They read the board right and Antonio Williams was the payoff at the 76th pick. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Pick85 Rnd3 Darrell Jackson Jr.
They jumped the gun on Darrell Jackson Jr., taking him earlier than his grade liked. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick86 Rnd3 Harold Perkins Jr.
A big swing on Harold Perkins Jr. at pick 86, well ahead of any board in the building. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick99 Rnd3 Ja'Kobi Lane
Ja'Kobi Lane at slot 99 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. It fills a real need, too.
Pick121 Rnd4 Connor Lew
Hard to square with the roster. With positions of obvious need still on the board, Connor Lew adds an offensive lineman and leaves running back untouched.
Pick135 Rnd4 Parker Brailsford
Of all the spots to shop, they chose offensive lineman. Parker Brailsford in the 135th overall pick leaves running back for later.
Pick161 Rnd5 Drew Allar
Drew Allar at pick No. 161 is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick204 Rnd6 Ephesians Prysock
Ephesians Prysock at Round 6, Pick 23 is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick216 Rnd6 Dallen Bentley
They barely believed it either: Dallen Bentley still on the board at No. 216. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick224 Rnd7 Nick Barrett
Value said wait; Nick Barrett in the Round 7 slot says they were not listening. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Pick230 Rnd7 Wesley Williams
This one needs a full-page explanation: Wesley Williams in pick 230, miles early. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick237 Rnd7 Thaddeus Dixon
You do not let a cornerback like Thaddeus Dixon reach the 237th overall pick and blink. They did not. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Pick238 Rnd7 Zavion Thomas
Steal is underselling it; Zavion Thomas at slot 238 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.