B
Pittsburgh Steelers
A sensible, unshowy class lands the Steelers a B.
by Lamtc4 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 6 steals
· 0 reaches
The one they had to fix is still broken. The Steelers left edge rusher untouched, and that omission hangs over an otherwise reasonable haul.
Getting Taaffe where they did is the sort of value that quietly makes a class. The trade work was a quiet net positive. The roster is better shaped than it was, with quarterback chief among the fixes.
The weekend tilted hard toward the defense.
In sum, a sensible class that nudges the roster the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
They let Arvell Reese come to them and pounced at slot 21. A need, and now a little less of one.
Emmanuel Pregnon at No. 53 is money in the bank, a offensive lineman taken below his worth. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
They did well to land Lee Hunter in the 54th pick, just ahead of his grade. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Malachi Fields is a better player than Round 3, Pick 21 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
A quiet steal in the Round 3 slot: Michael Taaffe for less than the market said. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Ted Hurst in the 121st overall pick is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
They read the board right and Thaddeus Dixon was the payoff at pick 224. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Luke Altmyer at pick No. 230 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.