bobzewe'S MOCK DRAFT
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2026 NFL Draft 53

  • bobzewe DRAFTING FOR THE
    Steelers
Draft Selections
Denzel Boston Head Shot
PICK: 28 RND: 1 (PIT)
Denzel Boston
WR Washington
Carter Smith Head Shot
PICK: 59 RND: 2 (PIT)
Carter Smith
OT Indiana
Zakee Wheatley Head Shot
PICK: 76 RND: 3 (PIT)
Zakee Wheatley
S Penn State
Malik Muhammad Head Shot
PICK: 85 RND: 3 (PIT)
Malik Muhammad
CB Texas
Jacob Rodriguez Head Shot
PICK: 95 RND: 3 (PIT)
Jacob Rodriguez
LB Texas Tech
Julian Neal Head Shot
PICK: 99 RND: 3 (PIT)
Julian Neal
CB Arkansas
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 106 RND: 4 (PIT)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
Bryce Lance Head Shot
PICK: 121 RND: 4 (PIT)
Bryce Lance
WR North Dakota State
Keylan Rutledge Head Shot
PICK: 140 RND: 5 (PIT)
Keylan Rutledge
OG Georgia Tech
Ted Hurst Head Shot
PICK: 148 RND: 5 (PIT)
Ted Hurst
WR Georgia State
Bryce Boettcher Head Shot
PICK: 153 RND: 5 (PIT)
Bryce Boettcher
LB Oregon
Gracen Halton Head Shot
PICK: 160 RND: 5 (PIT)
Gracen Halton
DL Oklahoma
Rayshaun Benny Head Shot
PICK: 161 RND: 5 (PIT)
Rayshaun Benny
DL Michigan
Drew Allar Head Shot
PICK: 166 RND: 5 (PIT)
Drew Allar
QB Penn State
Bud Clark Head Shot
PICK: 172 RND: 5 (PIT)
Bud Clark
S TCU
Jordan White Head Shot
PICK: 213 RND: 6 (PIT)
Jordan White
C Vanderbilt
De'Zhaun Stribling Head Shot
PICK: 214 RND: 6 (PIT)
De'Zhaun Stribling
WR Ole Miss
Brett Norfleet Head Shot
PICK: 224 RND: 7 (PIT)
Brett Norfleet
TE Missouri
PJ Williams Head Shot
PICK: 237 RND: 7 (PIT)
PJ Williams
OT SMU
Draft Picks Received
Denzel Boston Head Shot
PICK: 28 RND: 1 (HOU)
Denzel Boston
WR Washington
Carter Smith Head Shot
PICK: 59 RND: 2 (HOU)
Carter Smith
OT Indiana
Jacob Rodriguez Head Shot
PICK: 95 RND: 3 (DEN)
Jacob Rodriguez
LB Texas Tech
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 106 RND: 4 (HOU)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
Keylan Rutledge Head Shot
PICK: 140 RND: 5 (CLE)
Keylan Rutledge
OG Georgia Tech
Ted Hurst Head Shot
PICK: 148 RND: 5 (CLE)
Ted Hurst
WR Georgia State
Bryce Boettcher Head Shot
PICK: 153 RND: 5 (BAL)
Bryce Boettcher
LB Oregon
Rayshaun Benny Head Shot
PICK: 161 RND: 5 (BAL)
Rayshaun Benny
DL Michigan
Drew Allar Head Shot
PICK: 166 RND: 5 (HOU)
Drew Allar
QB Penn State
Bud Clark Head Shot
PICK: 172 RND: 5 (SF)
Bud Clark
S TCU
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 3 (HOU)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 4 (BUF)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 4 (HOU)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 5 (NYJ)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 5 (LV)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 6 (HOU)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (NYJ)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 7 (LV)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Picks Traded
Makai Lemon Head Shot
PICK: 21 RND: 1 (BUF)
Makai Lemon
WR USC
Jonah Coleman Head Shot
PICK: 53 RND: 2 (HOU)
Jonah Coleman
RB Washington
Vincent Anthony Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 136 RND: 4 (BAL)
Vincent Anthony Jr.
DE-EDGE Duke
Players Gained
Head Shot
Davis Mills
QB
Players traded away
Head Shot
Mason Cole
C
Head Shot
Steven Jones
OG
Draft Grade — Steelers
Overall B-
ValueB- NeedB- TradesC FutureB
The Steelers let Allar fall and pounced. Final grade: B-.

The value of the weekend has a name and a slot: Drew Allar, pick No. 166, roughly 24 picks past where he belonged.

They will need Smith to outplay his draft slot in a hurry to justify it. For all the activity, edge rusher went untouched, which is hard to explain. Job largely done: quarterback settled and 7 of 9 of the wish list covered.

In sum, a sensible class that nudges the roster the right way.

Pick Analysis
Pick28 Rnd1 Denzel Boston
They did well to land Denzel Boston in pick No. 28, just ahead of his grade. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Pick59 Rnd2 Carter Smith
They talked themselves into Carter Smith at the 59th pick, and the board did not agree. A minor itch, scratched.
Pick76 Rnd3 Zakee Wheatley
A tidy little value on Zakee Wheatley in the Round 3 slot, a step better than break-even. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Pick85 Rnd3 Malik Muhammad
Malik Muhammad at the 85th overall pick is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the cornerback. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Pick95 Rnd3 Jacob Rodriguez
Jacob Rodriguez at No. 95 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Pick99 Rnd3 Julian Neal
Steal is underselling it; Julian Neal at pick 99 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Pick106 Rnd4 D'Angelo Ponds
By-the-book stuff, D'Angelo Ponds at Round 4, Pick 6 squarely in line with his ranking. A need, and now a little less of one.
Pick121 Rnd4 Bryce Lance
Bryce Lance at slot 121 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Pick140 Rnd5 Keylan Rutledge
They read the board right and Keylan Rutledge was the payoff at No. 140. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
Pick148 Rnd5 Ted Hurst
Ted Hurst at the 148th pick is right where the board had him, plain and simple. The roster fit checks out.
Pick153 Rnd5 Bryce Boettcher
A reach for Bryce Boettcher in slot 153; a little patience would have been rewarded. It fills a real need, too.
Pick160 Rnd5 Gracen Halton
A real head-scratcher, Gracen Halton in pick No. 160 is miles ahead of his ranking. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick161 Rnd5 Rayshaun Benny
They reached into another round for Rayshaun Benny, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick166 Rnd5 Drew Allar
Circle this one: Drew Allar at Round 5, Pick 27 is a fall that decides a draft. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick172 Rnd5 Bud Clark
They went early on Bud Clark in pick 172, and the value did not follow. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Pick213 Rnd6 Jordan White
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Jordan White. A want more than a need, though you can never have too many.
Pick214 Rnd6 De'Zhaun Stribling
They paid sticker price for De'Zhaun Stribling in the 214th pick, and that is fine. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Pick224 Rnd7 Brett Norfleet
They took Brett Norfleet at par in pick No. 224, which is nothing to complain about. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick237 Rnd7 PJ Williams
No drama and no debate, PJ Williams went about where he belonged in No. 237. Stacking talent where they were already deep.