aechean'S MOCK DRAFT

aechean'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON MAR 16, 2026

RND

  • aechean DRAFTING FOR THE
    Steelers
Draft Selections
Caleb Downs Head Shot
PICK: 21 RND: 1 (PIT)
Caleb Downs
S Ohio State
Arvell Reese Head Shot
PICK: 53 RND: 2 (PIT)
Arvell Reese
LB Ohio State
Kenyon Sadiq Head Shot
PICK: 76 RND: 3 (PIT)
Kenyon Sadiq
TE Oregon
Emmanuel Pregnon Head Shot
PICK: 85 RND: 3 (PIT)
Emmanuel Pregnon
OG Oregon
Nicholas Singleton Head Shot
PICK: 99 RND: 3 (PIT)
Nicholas Singleton
RB Penn State
Drew Allar Head Shot
PICK: 100 RND: 3 (PIT)
Drew Allar
QB Penn State
Febechi Nwaiwu Head Shot
PICK: 121 RND: 4 (PIT)
Febechi Nwaiwu
OG Oklahoma
Davison Igbinosun Head Shot
PICK: 161 RND: 5 (PIT)
Davison Igbinosun
CB Ohio State
J.C. Davis Head Shot
PICK: 164 RND: 5 (PIT)
J.C. Davis
OT Illinois
Tim Keenan III Head Shot
PICK: 214 RND: 6 (PIT)
Tim Keenan III
DT Alabama
Zxavian Harris Head Shot
PICK: 216 RND: 6 (PIT)
Zxavian Harris
DT Ole Miss
J. Michael Sturdivant Head Shot
PICK: 224 RND: 7 (PIT)
J. Michael Sturdivant
WR Florida
Zavion Thomas Head Shot
PICK: 233 RND: 7 (PIT)
Zavion Thomas
WR LSU
Robert Spears-Jennings Head Shot
PICK: 237 RND: 7 (PIT)
Robert Spears-Jennings
S Oklahoma
Josh Cuevas Head Shot
PICK: 245 RND: 7 (PIT)
Josh Cuevas
TE Alabama
Draft Picks Received
Drew Allar Head Shot
PICK: 100 RND: 3 (JAX)
Drew Allar
QB Penn State
J.C. Davis Head Shot
PICK: 164 RND: 5 (JAX)
J.C. Davis
OT Illinois
Zavion Thomas Head Shot
PICK: 233 RND: 7 (JAX)
Zavion Thomas
WR LSU
Josh Cuevas Head Shot
PICK: 245 RND: 7 (JAX)
Josh Cuevas
TE Alabama
Draft Picks Traded
D'Angelo Ponds Head Shot
PICK: 135 RND: 4 (JAX)
D'Angelo Ponds
CB Indiana
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 4 (LV)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 4 (LV)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Grade — Steelers
Overall B
ValueB+ NeedB TradesB FutureC+
The Steelers cashed the board's mistake on Keenan III: B.

You could see the war room lean forward. Tim Keenan III at pick No. 214 is the sort of fall that does not happen, except it just did. It nets out to a B, which feels about right.

Reaching for Sturdivant left real value on the table behind him. They will answer for taking offensive lineman early while edge rusher went begging.

They covered a lot of ground and still skipped edge rusher, which is a strange place to end up. They left with quarterback solved and the rest of the wish list mostly ticked off.

Good work on the whole, with edge rusher the one box left unchecked.

Pick Analysis
Pick21 Rnd1 Caleb Downs
In Round 1, Pick 21 they get a two-high chess piece, and a steal at that. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Pick53 Rnd2 Arvell Reese
A top-tier linebacker at a bargain, Arvell Reese in the 53rd pick, plain and simple. The roster fit checks out.
Pick76 Rnd3 Kenyon Sadiq
The board fumbled Kenyon Sadiq all the way to No. 76, and they scooped it up. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Pick85 Rnd3 Emmanuel Pregnon
They will replay Emmanuel Pregnon at the Round 3 slot for years; that is how good the value is. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Pick99 Rnd3 Nicholas Singleton
A straight-up fair deal on Nicholas Singleton at pick 99, value and slot in agreement. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Pick100 Rnd3 Drew Allar
Drew Allar at slot 100 is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Pick121 Rnd4 Febechi Nwaiwu
A curious use of the 121st overall pick. Edge rusher needed the pick; an offensive lineman in Febechi Nwaiwu did not.
Pick161 Rnd5 Davison Igbinosun
Davison Igbinosun at pick No. 161 is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick164 Rnd5 J.C. Davis
A offensive lineman of that caliber at slot 164 is the definition of value, full stop. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
Pick214 Rnd6 Tim Keenan III
They robbed the room for Tim Keenan III here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick216 Rnd6 Zxavian Harris
They took Zxavian Harris at par in No. 216, which is nothing to complain about. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick224 Rnd7 J. Michael Sturdivant
J. Michael Sturdivant at Round 7, Pick 8 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Pick233 Rnd7 Zavion Thomas
Zavion Thomas slipping to the 233rd overall pick is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Pick237 Rnd7 Robert Spears-Jennings
A big swing on Robert Spears-Jennings at pick No. 237, well ahead of any board in the building. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick245 Rnd7 Josh Cuevas
Josh Cuevas in the Round 7 slot is exactly on the number, no argument either way. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.