B
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers let Jackson fall into their laps, and walked away with a B.
by Jdj029 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 12 picks
· 9 steals
· 1 reaches
Call it larceny. Domani Jackson sat on the board until slot 224, and the Steelers did not need to be asked twice. It does the job without flash, and the B reflects it.
They punted on edge rusher, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. If McClellan pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about. Job largely done: quarterback settled and 7 of 9 of the wish list covered.
Nearly every premium pick went to that side of the ball.
Add it up and it is a good, unfussy class.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 21 they get a downhill thumper at linebacker, outstanding value to boot.
Chris Bell slid further than he should have, and the 53rd pick is lovely value for the wide receiver. The roster fit checks out.
Somehow Emmanuel McNeil-Warren was still sitting there in the Round 3 slot, and they pounced on premier safety value. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Taking Christen Miller in pick 85 is close to grand larceny; an interior defensive lineman that good had no business lasting this long. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Bryce Lance in pick No. 99 is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Nice patience on Jalen Farmer, who had no business lasting to the 121st overall pick. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
They jumped the gun on Chris McClellan, taking him earlier than his grade liked. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
By-the-book stuff, Nate Boerkircher at slot 161 squarely in line with his ranking. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
VJ Payne at Round 6, Pick 35 is money in the bank, a safety taken below his worth. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They barely believed it either: Domani Jackson still on the board at No. 224. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Cole Payton in the 230th pick is a gift, value that borders on unfair. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A linebacker of that caliber at pick 237 is the definition of value, full stop. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.