dagray08'S MOCK DRAFT
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dagray08'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON FEB 10, 2026

Jan26

  • dagray08 DRAFTING FOR THE
    Steelers
Draft Selections
Denzel Boston Head Shot
PICK: 21 RND: 1 (PIT)
Denzel Boston
WR Washington
Garrett Nussmeier Head Shot
PICK: 53 RND: 2 (PIT)
Garrett Nussmeier
QB LSU
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 76 RND: 3 (PIT)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
Drew Shelton Head Shot
PICK: 85 RND: 3 (PIT)
Drew Shelton
OT Penn State
Genesis Smith Head Shot
PICK: 99 RND: 3 (PIT)
Genesis Smith
S Arizona
Mike Washington Jr. Head Shot
PICK: 121 RND: 4 (PIT)
Mike Washington Jr.
RB Arkansas
Cade Klubnik Head Shot
PICK: 135 RND: 4 (PIT)
Cade Klubnik
QB Clemson
Bryce Boettcher Head Shot
PICK: 159 RND: 5 (PIT)
Bryce Boettcher
LB Oregon
Keyron Crawford Head Shot
PICK: 213 RND: 6 (PIT)
Keyron Crawford
DE Auburn
Bryce Foster Head Shot
PICK: 214 RND: 6 (PIT)
Bryce Foster
C Kansas
Isaac Smith Head Shot
PICK: 224 RND: 7 (PIT)
Isaac Smith
S Mississippi State
Will Kacmarek Head Shot
PICK: 237 RND: 7 (PIT)
Will Kacmarek
TE Ohio State
Draft Grade — Steelers
Overall B-
ValueB- NeedB TradesB- FutureB-
The Steelers cashed the board's mistake on Ponds: B-.

The board owed the Steelers one, and it paid up: D'Angelo Ponds, the No. 51 name on the board, sitting there at Round 3, Pick 12 like a gift left on the doorstep.

The Nussmeier reach is the anchor dragging on the value grade. They punted on interior defensive lineman, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. Job largely done: quarterback settled and 8 of 9 of the wish list covered.

Almost all the early capital went to that side of the ball.

All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but interior defensive lineman.

Pick Analysis
Pick21 Rnd1 Denzel Boston
Denzel Boston at pick No. 21 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It fills a real need, too.
Pick53 Rnd2 Garrett Nussmeier
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Garrett Nussmeier. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Pick76 Rnd3 D'Angelo Ponds
D'Angelo Ponds at the 76th overall pick is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. The roster fit checks out.
Pick85 Rnd3 Drew Shelton
No drama and no debate, Drew Shelton went about where he belonged in Round 3, Pick 21. A minor itch, scratched.
Pick99 Rnd3 Genesis Smith
Nothing to complain about; Genesis Smith went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Pick121 Rnd4 Mike Washington Jr.
A reach on Mike Washington Jr. in the Round 4 slot; the board had better options right there. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Pick135 Rnd4 Cade Klubnik
Nice patience on Cade Klubnik, who had no business lasting to No. 135. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Pick159 Rnd5 Bryce Boettcher
Bryce Boettcher at pick 159 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Pick213 Rnd6 Keyron Crawford
A reach for Keyron Crawford in No. 213; a little patience would have been rewarded. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick214 Rnd6 Bryce Foster
The board had Bryce Foster higher than slot 214, and the offensive lineman fell to them anyway. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
Pick224 Rnd7 Isaac Smith
Good price on Isaac Smith in pick 224, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick237 Rnd7 Will Kacmarek
No edge and no loss on Will Kacmarek in pick No. 237; it is a wash and a sensible one. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.