bobzewe'S MOCK DRAFT
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2026 NFL draft 43

  • bobzewe DRAFTING FOR THE
    Steelers
Draft Selections
Denzel Boston Head Shot
PICK: 28 RND: 1 (PIT)
Denzel Boston
WR Washington
Jake Slaughter Head Shot
PICK: 49 RND: 2 (PIT)
Jake Slaughter
C Florida
Elijah Sarratt Head Shot
PICK: 54 RND: 2 (PIT)
Elijah Sarratt
WR Indiana
Michael Taaffe Head Shot
PICK: 78 RND: 3 (PIT)
Michael Taaffe
S Texas
A.J. Haulcy Head Shot
PICK: 84 RND: 3 (PIT)
A.J. Haulcy
S LSU
Brian Parker II Head Shot
PICK: 85 RND: 3 (PIT)
Brian Parker II
OG Duke
Malachi Fields Head Shot
PICK: 94 RND: 3 (PIT)
Malachi Fields
WR Notre Dame
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 99 RND: 3 (PIT)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
Jack Endries Head Shot
PICK: 113 RND: 4 (PIT)
Jack Endries
TE Texas
Chris Johnson Head Shot
PICK: 120 RND: 4 (PIT)
Chris Johnson
CB San Diego State
Jacob Rodriguez Head Shot
PICK: 143 RND: 5 (PIT)
Jacob Rodriguez
LB Texas Tech
Logan Jones Head Shot
PICK: 154 RND: 5 (PIT)
Logan Jones
C Iowa
Kage Casey Head Shot
PICK: 156 RND: 5 (PIT)
Kage Casey
OT Boise State
Aaron Graves Head Shot
PICK: 165 RND: 5 (PIT)
Aaron Graves
DL Iowa
Bryce Boettcher Head Shot
PICK: 170 RND: 5 (PIT)
Bryce Boettcher
LB Oregon
Rayshaun Benny Head Shot
PICK: 177 RND: 5 (PIT)
Rayshaun Benny
DL Michigan
Lee Hunter Head Shot
PICK: 198 RND: 6 (PIT)
Lee Hunter
DT Texas Tech
Trey Zuhn III Head Shot
PICK: 213 RND: 6 (PIT)
Trey Zuhn III
OT Texas A&M
Dane Key Head Shot
PICK: 214 RND: 6 (PIT)
Dane Key
WR Nebraska
DJ Harvey Head Shot
PICK: 217 RND: 7 (PIT)
DJ Harvey
CB USC
Draft Picks Received
Denzel Boston Head Shot
PICK: 28 RND: 1 (SEA)
Denzel Boston
WR Washington
Jake Slaughter Head Shot
PICK: 49 RND: 2 (HOU)
Jake Slaughter
C Florida
Elijah Sarratt Head Shot
PICK: 54 RND: 2 (IND)
Elijah Sarratt
WR Indiana
A.J. Haulcy Head Shot
PICK: 84 RND: 3 (TB)
A.J. Haulcy
S LSU
Brian Parker II Head Shot
PICK: 85 RND: 3 (IND)
Brian Parker II
OG Duke
Malachi Fields Head Shot
PICK: 94 RND: 3 (NE)
Malachi Fields
WR Notre Dame
Chris Johnson Head Shot
PICK: 120 RND: 4 (TB)
Chris Johnson
CB San Diego State
Jacob Rodriguez Head Shot
PICK: 143 RND: 5 (CLE)
Jacob Rodriguez
LB Texas Tech
Kage Casey Head Shot
PICK: 156 RND: 5 (DAL)
Kage Casey
OT Boise State
Aaron Graves Head Shot
PICK: 165 RND: 5 (BAL)
Aaron Graves
DL Iowa
Bryce Boettcher Head Shot
PICK: 170 RND: 5 (NE)
Bryce Boettcher
LB Oregon
Rayshaun Benny Head Shot
PICK: 177 RND: 5 (NYJ)
Rayshaun Benny
DL Michigan
Lee Hunter Head Shot
PICK: 198 RND: 6 (NYJ)
Lee Hunter
DT Texas Tech
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 2 (DAL)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 3 (DAL)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 4 (SEA)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 6 (IND)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (HOU)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (MIA)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (NE)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Picks Traded
Gennings Dunker Head Shot
PICK: 14 RND: 1 (HOU)
Gennings Dunker
OT Iowa
Daylen Everette Head Shot
PICK: 45 RND: 2 (IND)
Daylen Everette
CB Georgia
Taurean York Head Shot
PICK: 80 RND: 3 (TB)
Taurean York
LB Texas A&M
Tacario Davis Head Shot
PICK: 133 RND: 4 (CLE)
Tacario Davis
CB Washington
James Smith Head Shot
PICK: 229 RND: 7 (MIA)
James Smith
DL Alabama
Players Gained
Head Shot
Matt Goncalves
OT
Players traded away
Head Shot
Andrus Peat
OG
Head Shot
Mason Cole
C
Draft Grade — Steelers
Overall B-
ValueB- NeedB- TradesD+ FutureA-
A respectable, level-headed haul for the Steelers: B-.

The Steelers looked at the value chart, folded it up, and took Rayshaun Benny at the 177th overall pick regardless, 23 picks early. No fireworks, but a solid B-.

The Parker II pick reads as want over need, and the roster will feel it at quarterback, edge rusher and other spots. A whole weekend of picks and quarterback is somehow still a want. On value alone, Slaughter makes the weekend a net positive.

All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but quarterback.

Pick Analysis
Pick28 Rnd1 Denzel Boston
In the Round 1 slot they get a difference-maker at receiver. A real need, handled.
Pick49 Rnd2 Jake Slaughter
The board had Jake Slaughter higher than Round 2, Pick 17, and the offensive lineman fell to them anyway. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
Pick54 Rnd2 Elijah Sarratt
No edge and no loss on Elijah Sarratt in the 54th pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick78 Rnd3 Michael Taaffe
Value with a capital V on Michael Taaffe in pick 78, a genuine coup. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Pick84 Rnd3 A.J. Haulcy
They let A.J. Haulcy come to them and pounced at the 84th overall pick. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick85 Rnd3 Brian Parker II
They zigged when the board said zag, taking Brian Parker II at offensive lineman with quarterback, edge rusher and other spots open.
Pick94 Rnd3 Malachi Fields
Malachi Fields at slot 94 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. The roster fit checks out.
Pick99 Rnd3 D'Angelo Ponds
A premium they did not need to pay, D'Angelo Ponds a notch or two before his time. It fills a real need, too.
Pick113 Rnd4 Jack Endries
Jack Endries in the Round 4 slot lands just on the right side of the ledger. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick120 Rnd4 Chris Johnson
A straight-up fair deal on Chris Johnson at pick No. 120, value and slot in agreement. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick143 Rnd5 Jacob Rodriguez
They talked themselves into Jacob Rodriguez at the 143rd pick, and the board did not agree. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Pick154 Rnd5 Logan Jones
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Logan Jones at the 154th overall pick. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.
Pick156 Rnd5 Kage Casey
They paid sticker price for Kage Casey in Round 5, Pick 16, and that is fine. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
Pick165 Rnd5 Aaron Graves
They went early on Aaron Graves in No. 165, and the value did not follow. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Pick170 Rnd5 Bryce Boettcher
A reach for Bryce Boettcher in Round 5, Pick 30; a little patience would have been rewarded. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Pick177 Rnd5 Rayshaun Benny
Rayshaun Benny at the 177th overall pick is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Pick198 Rnd6 Lee Hunter
They liked Lee Hunter enough to skip the value, taking him in the Round 6 slot. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick213 Rnd6 Trey Zuhn III
Trey Zuhn III at pick 213 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
Pick214 Rnd6 Dane Key
A tidy bit of business in No. 214, where Dane Key graded well above the range. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Pick217 Rnd7 DJ Harvey
DJ Harvey at the 217th pick is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.