aechean'S MOCK DRAFT

aechean'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON MAR 29, 2026

SteelWeapons

  • aechean DRAFTING FOR THE
    Steelers
Draft Selections
Caleb Lomu Head Shot
PICK: 21 RND: 1 (PIT)
Caleb Lomu
OT Utah
Emmanuel Pregnon Head Shot
PICK: 53 RND: 2 (PIT)
Emmanuel Pregnon
OG Oregon
Zachariah Branch Head Shot
PICK: 76 RND: 3 (PIT)
Zachariah Branch
WR Georgia
Nicholas Singleton Head Shot
PICK: 85 RND: 3 (PIT)
Nicholas Singleton
RB Penn State
Keylan Rutledge Head Shot
PICK: 99 RND: 3 (PIT)
Keylan Rutledge
OG Georgia Tech
Parker Brailsford Head Shot
PICK: 121 RND: 4 (PIT)
Parker Brailsford
C Alabama
CJ Daniels Head Shot
PICK: 135 RND: 4 (PIT)
CJ Daniels
WR Miami
Drew Allar Head Shot
PICK: 161 RND: 5 (PIT)
Drew Allar
QB Penn State
Harrison Wallace III Head Shot
PICK: 216 RND: 6 (PIT)
Harrison Wallace III
WR Ole Miss
Isaiah Jatta Head Shot
PICK: 224 RND: 7 (PIT)
Isaiah Jatta
OT BYU
Fa'alili Fa'amoe Head Shot
PICK: 230 RND: 7 (PIT)
Fa'alili Fa'amoe
OT Wake Forest
Barion Brown Head Shot
PICK: 237 RND: 7 (PIT)
Barion Brown
WR LSU
Draft Grade — Steelers
Overall C+
ValueB- NeedC+ TradesB- FutureB-
The jury is out on the Steelers. For now, C+.

The Steelers treated their own grade as gospel and everyone else's as noise, spending pick 85 on Nicholas Singleton a full 23 spots early. For now it grades a C+, with the swing picks left to settle the rest.

The Pregnon pick reads as want over need, and the roster will feel it at interior defensive lineman, safety and other spots. They punted on interior defensive lineman, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest.

The Branch steal is the beam this whole class leans on.

In the end, a coin-flip class: fine today, with a wide range of outcomes ahead.

Pick Analysis
Pick21 Rnd1 Caleb Lomu
In No. 21 they get an anchor for the offensive line. Need was not the driver here.
Pick53 Rnd2 Emmanuel Pregnon
The eyebrow-raiser of the weekend. They went offensive lineman with Emmanuel Pregnon while clear needs at interior defensive lineman, safety and other spots sat open.
Pick76 Rnd3 Zachariah Branch
Zachariah Branch slid further than he should have, and pick 76 is lovely value for the wide receiver. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick85 Rnd3 Nicholas Singleton
A wild overpay on Nicholas Singleton in the 85th overall pick, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick99 Rnd3 Keylan Rutledge
A surprising call. With interior defensive lineman, safety and other spots still to address, they spent the 99th pick on Keylan Rutledge, an offensive lineman they were not short of.
Pick121 Rnd4 Parker Brailsford
They bypassed pressing needs at interior defensive lineman, safety and other spots to take Parker Brailsford, an offensive lineman that was not the priority.
Pick135 Rnd4 CJ Daniels
CJ Daniels in pick No. 135 is fair value, right on his grade. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Pick161 Rnd5 Drew Allar
Drew Allar at slot 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.
Pick216 Rnd6 Harrison Wallace III
A clean, defensible pick in No. 216 with a little surplus value in Harrison Wallace III. The roster fit checks out.
Pick224 Rnd7 Isaiah Jatta
Value said wait; Isaiah Jatta in the Round 7 slot says they were not listening. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
Pick230 Rnd7 Fa'alili Fa'amoe
Fa'alili Fa'amoe in the 230th overall pick is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
Pick237 Rnd7 Barion Brown
Barion Brown in Round 7, Pick 21 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.