B
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers cashed the board's mistake on Washington Jr.: B.
by Hutchens84 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 7 steals
· 1 reaches
The best pick of the weekend was also the simplest. The Steelers watched Mike Washington Jr. slide 26 picks past his grade and did not hesitate. No fireworks, but a solid B.
They are betting Allar proves the room right and everyone else wrong. The interior defensive lineman spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at.
Nothing here to lose sleep over, and plenty to feel decent about.
Pick-by-Pick
Monroe Freeling at No. 21 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
Chris Bell at Round 2, Pick 21 is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. It fills a real need, too.
Somehow Zachariah Branch was still sitting there in pick 85, and they pounced on premier wide receiver value. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Mike Washington Jr. at the Round 3 slot is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Steal is underselling it; Malik Muhammad at pick No. 121 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
A big swing on Drew Allar at the 135th pick, well ahead of any board in the building. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
A straight-up fair deal on Beau Stephens at the 161st overall pick, value and slot in agreement. Nice player, but the depth chart did not need him here.
Fair-plus on Toriano Pride Jr., a quiet win that adds up over a draft. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
A quiet steal in pick No. 224: Riley Nowakowski for less than the market said. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
They let Keyshaun Elliott come to them and pounced at the Round 7 slot. The roster fit checks out.
Value with a capital V on Robert Spears-Jennings in slot 237, a genuine coup. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.