bobzewe'S MOCK DRAFT
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2026 NFL draft 16

  • bobzewe DRAFTING FOR THE
    Steelers
Draft Selections
Fernando Mendoza Head Shot
PICK: 31 RND: 1 (PIT)
Fernando Mendoza
QB Indiana
Trevor Goosby Head Shot
PICK: 32 RND: 1 (PIT)
Trevor Goosby
OT Texas
Nyck Harbor Head Shot
PICK: 64 RND: 2 (PIT)
Nyck Harbor
WR South Carolina
Michael Taaffe Head Shot
PICK: 79 RND: 3 (PIT)
Michael Taaffe
S Texas
A.J. Haulcy Head Shot
PICK: 87 RND: 3 (PIT)
A.J. Haulcy
S LSU
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 99 RND: 3 (PIT)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
Malachi Fields Head Shot
PICK: 120 RND: 4 (PIT)
Malachi Fields
WR Notre Dame
Bryce Lance Head Shot
PICK: 124 RND: 4 (PIT)
Bryce Lance
WR North Dakota State
DJ Campbell Head Shot
PICK: 133 RND: 4 (PIT)
DJ Campbell
OG Texas
Kage Casey Head Shot
PICK: 146 RND: 5 (PIT)
Kage Casey
OT Boise State
Bray Hubbard Head Shot
PICK: 154 RND: 5 (PIT)
Bray Hubbard
S Alabama
Eric Rivers Head Shot
PICK: 157 RND: 5 (PIT)
Eric Rivers
WR Georgia Tech
Jacob Rodriguez Head Shot
PICK: 159 RND: 5 (PIT)
Jacob Rodriguez
LB Texas Tech
Bryce Boettcher Head Shot
PICK: 165 RND: 5 (PIT)
Bryce Boettcher
LB Oregon
Josh Moten Head Shot
PICK: 178 RND: 5 (PIT)
Josh Moten
CB Southern Miss
Jermaine Mathews Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 189 RND: 6 (PIT)
Jermaine Mathews Jr.
CB Ohio State
Trey Zuhn III Head Shot
PICK: 214 RND: 6 (PIT)
Trey Zuhn III
OT Texas A&M
Jordan White Head Shot
PICK: 224 RND: 7 (PIT)
Jordan White
C Vanderbilt
Fernando Carmona Head Shot
PICK: 230 RND: 7 (PIT)
Fernando Carmona
OT Arkansas
Makhi Hughes Head Shot
PICK: 232 RND: 7 (PIT)
Makhi Hughes
RB Oregon
DeAndre Moore Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 234 RND: 7 (PIT)
DeAndre Moore Jr.
WR Texas
Jerry Wilson Head Shot
PICK: 236 RND: 7 (PIT)
Jerry Wilson
CB Florida State
Draft Picks Received
Fernando Mendoza Head Shot
PICK: 31 RND: 1 (DAL)
Fernando Mendoza
QB Indiana
Trevor Goosby Head Shot
PICK: 32 RND: 1 (IND)
Trevor Goosby
OT Texas
Nyck Harbor Head Shot
PICK: 64 RND: 2 (IND)
Nyck Harbor
WR South Carolina
A.J. Haulcy Head Shot
PICK: 87 RND: 3 (LAR)
A.J. Haulcy
S LSU
Bryce Lance Head Shot
PICK: 124 RND: 4 (CHI)
Bryce Lance
WR North Dakota State
Kage Casey Head Shot
PICK: 146 RND: 5 (CLE)
Kage Casey
OT Boise State
Bray Hubbard Head Shot
PICK: 154 RND: 5 (HOU)
Bray Hubbard
S Alabama
Eric Rivers Head Shot
PICK: 157 RND: 5 (CHI)
Eric Rivers
WR Georgia Tech
Bryce Boettcher Head Shot
PICK: 165 RND: 5 (BUF)
Bryce Boettcher
LB Oregon
Josh Moten Head Shot
PICK: 178 RND: 5 (NYJ)
Josh Moten
CB Southern Miss
Jermaine Mathews Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 189 RND: 6 (NYJ)
Jermaine Mathews Jr.
CB Ohio State
Jordan White Head Shot
PICK: 224 RND: 7 (ARI)
Jordan White
C Vanderbilt
Fernando Carmona Head Shot
PICK: 230 RND: 7 (BUF)
Fernando Carmona
OT Arkansas
Makhi Hughes Head Shot
PICK: 232 RND: 7 (CHI)
Makhi Hughes
RB Oregon
Jerry Wilson Head Shot
PICK: 236 RND: 7 (HOU)
Jerry Wilson
CB Florida State
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 2 (NYJ)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 3 (NYJ)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 4 (CIN)
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No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 4 (CLE)
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No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 4 (IND)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 4 (NYJ)
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No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 5 (ARI)
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No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 5 (CIN)
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No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 5 (LAR)
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No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 6 (ARI)
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No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 6 (CAR)
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No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (ARI)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (CAR)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (CHI)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (CLE)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (DET)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Picks Traded
Christen Miller Head Shot
PICK: 19 RND: 1 (DAL)
Christen Miller
DL Georgia
Domonique Orange Head Shot
PICK: 52 RND: 2 (NYJ)
Domonique Orange
DL Iowa State
Dillon Thieneman Head Shot
PICK: 83 RND: 3 (LAR)
Dillon Thieneman
S Oregon
Bud Clark Head Shot
PICK: 181 RND: 5 (ARI)
Bud Clark
S TCU
Mark Fletcher Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 201 RND: 6 (CAR)
Mark Fletcher Jr.
RB Miami
Draft Grade — Steelers
Overall B+
ValueB- NeedB- TradesA FutureA
The Steelers found their guy under center in Mendoza: B+.

After circling the position for what felt like forever, the Steelers committed. Fernando Mendoza is the quarterback now, and the roster gets built to his timeline.

If Campbell pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about. They banked enough surplus on Fields to cover a lot of smaller sins. It is not that Campbell is a bad player; it is that the Steelers had louder needs to answer first.

A whole weekend of picks and interior defensive lineman is somehow still a want.

A tidy weekend of work that should hold up just fine.

Pick Analysis
Pick31 Rnd1 Fernando Mendoza
In pick No. 31 they get a passer to set the clock by, outstanding value to boot. The biggest hole, addressed.
Pick32 Rnd1 Trevor Goosby
They reached a country mile for Trevor Goosby at the 32nd overall pick, and the board is aghast. A minor itch, scratched.
Pick64 Rnd2 Nyck Harbor
Nyck Harbor at Round 2, Pick 32 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Pick79 Rnd3 Michael Taaffe
Michael Taaffe slid further than he should have, and the Round 3 slot is lovely value for the safety. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Pick87 Rnd3 A.J. Haulcy
A tidy bit of business in pick 87, where A.J. Haulcy graded well above the range. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick99 Rnd3 D'Angelo Ponds
A reach for D'Angelo Ponds in No. 99; a little patience would have been rewarded. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Pick120 Rnd4 Malachi Fields
A top-tier wide receiver at a bargain, Malachi Fields in the 120th pick, plain and simple. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Pick124 Rnd4 Bryce Lance
Bryce Lance in slot 124 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick133 Rnd4 DJ Campbell
A want over a need in No. 133: DJ Campbell adds an offensive lineman while interior defensive lineman, edge rusher and other spots keeps waiting.
Pick146 Rnd5 Kage Casey
They paid up for Kage Casey at pick 146 when waiting would have done the job. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.
Pick154 Rnd5 Bray Hubbard
Bray Hubbard at slot 154 is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick157 Rnd5 Eric Rivers
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Eric Rivers at pick No. 157. It fills a real need, too.
Pick159 Rnd5 Jacob Rodriguez
No drama and no debate, Jacob Rodriguez went about where he belonged in Round 5, Pick 19. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick165 Rnd5 Bryce Boettcher
They paid sticker price for Bryce Boettcher in the Round 5 slot, and that is fine. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Pick178 Rnd5 Josh Moten
Josh Moten at the 178th pick jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick189 Rnd6 Jermaine Mathews Jr.
Jermaine Mathews Jr. at the 189th overall pick is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Pick214 Rnd6 Trey Zuhn III
The board had cheaper options than Trey Zuhn III at pick No. 214, and it noticed. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
Pick224 Rnd7 Jordan White
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Jordan White well ahead of where he belonged. A want dressed up as a pick, at a spot they had covered.
Pick230 Rnd7 Fernando Carmona
Fernando Carmona in slot 230 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
Pick232 Rnd7 Makhi Hughes
The board fumbled Makhi Hughes all the way to pick 232, and they scooped it up. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Pick234 Rnd7 DeAndre Moore Jr.
DeAndre Moore Jr. in No. 234 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. The roster fit checks out.
Pick236 Rnd7 Jerry Wilson
A market-rate cornerback, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Jerry Wilson. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.