B-
Pittsburgh Steelers
No fireworks, just a tidy B- for the Steelers.
by Dcha369 ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 12 picks
· 3 steals
· 1 reaches
Priorities are a choice, and the Steelers made a strange one, taking Austin Barber at offensive lineman in the Round 3 slot with edge rusher crying out for the pick instead. The bottom line is a respectable B-.
They will regret leaving edge rusher for another day if the season turns on it. Every board in the league had Allar lower, and that gap is the story. Scott falling to them is the kind of break a good board is built to catch.
Quarterback is handled and the depth chart looks a good deal healthier for it.
Good work on the whole, with edge rusher the one box left unchecked.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick 21 they get a blindside protector. More want than need.
Nice patience on Chris Bell, who had no business lasting to the 53rd pick. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Keionte Scott at pick 76. The roster fit checks out.
A tidy bit of business in No. 85, where Max Klare graded well above the range. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
The eyebrow-raiser of the weekend. They went offensive lineman with Austin Barber while clear needs at edge rusher sat open.
No edge and no loss on Bryce Lance in the Round 4 slot; it is a wash and a sensible one. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
They jumped the gun on Drew Allar, taking him earlier than his grade liked. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Kaleb Proctor in Round 5, Pick 21 is fair value, right on his grade. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They paid sticker price for Aiden Fisher in slot 216, and that is fine. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Zavion Thomas in the 224th overall pick lands just on the right side of the ledger. A need, and now a little less of one.
Xavier Nwankpa at Round 7, Pick 14 nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
No drama and no debate, Desmond Reid went about where he belonged in the 237th pick. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.