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EspañolThe Pittsburgh Steelers are facing unusual turbulence as they navigate the 2026 NFL offseason.
The Steelers will be under new leadership in 2026, as coach Mike Tomlin stepped down after 19 seasons with the team. Mike McCarthy was hired to replace him and will look to keep intact a 22-year streak of non-losing seasons, which was largely buoyed by Tomlin.
Meanwhile, it remains uncertain whether Aaron Rodgers will return for another season after helping the Steelers win the AFC North and make the playoffs for a third consecutive season.
If Rodgers decides to retire, the conversation will quickly shift to Pittsburgh's succession plan at quarterback. If he comes back, then the team will want to build around the 42-year-old as he plans for one last potential run at a Lombardi Trophy.
Either way, the Steelers' coffers are well-stocked, as they are slated to have a league-high 12 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. That should allow them to shore up their notable offensive weaknesses while also adding depth across the board.
Here's a look at how Pittsburgh could use its treasure trove of draft capital come April.
Pittsburgh Steelers 7-round mock draft
Round 1, Pick 21: WR Denzel Boston, Washington
The Steelers were sorely missing a true No. 2 receiver across from DK Metcalf last season. Just three of the receivers from their 53-man roster are set to return to the team in 2026, at present, so Pittsburgh will need to add depth and talent to the unit.
Boston boasts a 6-4, 209-pound frame, has great contested-catch abilities and generated 62 catches for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns in his final season at Washington. He would pair with Metcalf to create a big-bodied receiver combination that would give opposing defensive coordinators headaches.
Round 2, Pick 53: OT Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern
Broderick Jones hasn't panned out in full since the Steelers selected him in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. They would be wise to invest in competition for the 23-year-old as he enters a potential contract year.
Tiernan was a four-year starter at Northwestern and spent the last three seasons as the Wildcats' left tackle. The 6-7, 325-pound blocker rarely missed a snap and has the size needed to be a plug-and-play blindside blocker at the NFL level.
Round 3, Pick 76: WR Zachariah Branch, Georgia
As mentioned, the Steelers are light on depth and talent at receiver. That could lead them to double-dip at the position early in the draft, especially since they have three, third-round selections.
Branch is a much different receiver than Boston, the team's first-round pick. The Georgia product stands at just 5-10, 180 pounds but is an explosive playmaker in space. He's an ideal fit for the slot at the NFL level and could emerge as Rodgers' favorite weapon should he return for another season.
Branch is also an accomplished return man, having averaged 13.3 yards per punt return across three college seasons at Georgia and USC.
Round 3, Pick 85: S Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
The Steelers' plans with Jalen Ramsey aren't yet clear after he split time at safety and in the slot last season. That said, if he moves back to cornerback full-time, the team will have just two safeties – DeShon Elliott and Sebastian Castro – under contract for next season.
Wheatley (6-2, 201 pounds) is great against the run thanks to his downhill physicality and allowed a career-best 69.2 passer rating last season, per Pro Football Focus. He should quickly emerge as a well-rounded starter at the NFL level.
Round 3, Pick 99: CB Julian Neal, Arkansas
The Steelers will also need to replenish their depth at cornerback with James Pierre and Asante Samuel Jr. set to be free agents.
Neal has a big frame (6-2, 200 pounds) and showed great physicality in his lone season at Arkansas. The Fresno State transfer racked up an impressive 55 tackles for the Razorbacks to go along with two interceptions. He could rise if he demonstrates better-than-expected speed at the 2026 NFL Combine.
Round 4, Pick 121: QB Drew Allar, Penn State
The Steelers have a league-high 12 draft picks, so they can afford to take some big swings with their mid-round selections. Allar would represent one, as the 21-year-old was a touted recruit who never quite lived up to his billing as a potential first-round pick at Penn State.
Allar (6-5, 235 pounds) has prototypical size at quarterback and excellent arm talent. He struggled with consistency and was having an up-and-down senior campaign before suffering a season-ending ankle injury after six games.
Allar is set to throw at the NFL Combine and a strong performance could help him become a fast riser in a thin quarterback class. He would represent an intriguing dart throw for Pittsburgh and would join 2024 sixth-round pick Will Howard as a potential long-term successor for Rodgers.
Round 4, Pick 135: DL Kaleb Proctor, Southeastern Louisiana
Cameron Heyward was an All-Pro second-teamer in 2025, but he will turn 37 in May. How much longer can he continue to play at a high level?
The Steelers may not need a replacement for Heyward immediately, but adding depth and potential to the defensive line would be a wise move. Proctor – a high-end athlete who generated nine sacks in his final year playing at Southeastern Louisiana, an FCS school – could begin his career as a rotational interior pass rusher before eventually succeeding Heyward.
Round 5, Pick 159: RB J'Mari Taylor, Virginia
Kenneth Gainwell is set to be a free agent. The Steelers may like to retain him after he broke out and recorded 1,023 scrimmage yards and a team-high 73 catches in his first season in Pittsburgh, but it remains to be seen whether they will.
If the Steelers opt not to keep Gainwell, they will need to find a way to replace his receiving production. Jaylen Warren can be a part of it, but 2025 third-round pick Kaleb Johnson isn't exactly known for his receiving skills.
Taylor is, as he generated 43 catches for 253 yards in his lone season at Virginia. That would make the 5-9, 204-pounder an ideal complement to Warren and Johnson in Pittsburgh's backfield.
Round 6, Pick 213: Edge Patrick Payton, LSU
Payton didn't blossom quite in the way that many expected after he earned an ACC Rookie of the Year nod at Florida State in 2022, but he still generated 17 sacks and 36.5 TFL across 53 career college games. The 6-4, 251-pound edge rusher also showed a knack for knocking down passes, generating 10 during the 2023 season at Florida State and six in his lone campaign at LSU in 2025.
The Steelers have a strong, four-man edge unit but could stand to add a developmental candidate with T.J. Watt set to turn 32 in October. Payton is a worthwhile flier who could end up as a solid practice-squad stash.
Round 6, Pick 214: G Joshua Braun, Kentucky
Pittsburgh's starting left guard, Isaac Seumalo, is set to be a free agent in 2026. Even if the Steelers retain him, they will need to add some depth along the interior offensive line, as veteran backups Andrus Peat and Max Scharping are also free agents.
Braun appeared in 62 career games with 43 starts across stops at Florida, Arkansas and Kentucky. He played all 820 of his offensive snaps with the Wildcats at left guard. That – plus the 6-5, 333-pound lineman's plug-and-play size – makes him an appealing add at this point in the draft.
Round 7, Pick 224: LB Bryce Boettcher, Oregon
Linebacker is one of the only positions the Steelers haven't addressed in our mock thus far. They will do it here with Boettcher, who generated 136 tackles in his final year at Oregon and could take over the No. 4 linebacker role from free-agent-to-be Cole Holcomb.
Boettcher's biggest impact would likely come on special teams, where his relentless, downhill pursuit will allow him to thrive.
Round 7, Pick 237: CB Josh Moten, Southern Miss
The Steelers double-dipped at receiver earlier and now do the same at cornerback. Doing so will give them more flexibility in the unit as they look to decide where Jalen Ramsey will play in 2026.
Moten is a true ballhawk and generated five interceptions in each of his final two collegiate seasons at Marshall and Southern Miss. He allowed just a 68.1 passer rating last season, per Pro Football Focus, so adding a playmaker of his ilk is an exciting, late-round flier for Omar Khan and Co.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Steelers NFL mock draft 2026: Pittsburgh takes WR in Round 1, QB later