C+
Pittsburgh Steelers
The jury is out on the Steelers. For now, C+.
by aechean ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 12 picks
· 2 steals
· 6 reaches
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-by-Pick
In No. 21 they get an anchor for the offensive line. Need was not the driver here.
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.
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.
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.
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.
They bypassed pressing needs at interior defensive lineman, safety and other spots to take Parker Brailsford, an offensive lineman that was not the priority.
CJ Daniels in pick No. 135 is fair value, right on his grade. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
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.
A clean, defensible pick in No. 216 with a little surplus value in Harrison Wallace III. The roster fit checks out.
Value said wait; Isaiah Jatta in the Round 7 slot says they were not listening. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
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.
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.