2026 Pittsburgh Steelers Mock Draft: 7-Round Projection
Draft Capital: 8 picks | Overall Grade: B+ Last Updated: August 31, 2026Overview
Pittsburgh Steelers enter the 2026 NFL Draft with 8 selections. Biggest needs: Quarterback, Running Back, Edge Rusher.
Complete Draft Class:Texas
— Grade C-
Nebraska
— Grade C-
Ohio State
— Grade C-
View Full 3-Round Mock Draft →---
Complete Pick-by-Pick Analysis
Pick #9 - Pittsburgh Steelers: Dylan Stewart, Edge Rusher, South Carolina
Rank: #5 overall | Grade: A+ Why This Pick:With two quarterbacks and a running back need already off the board by pick 9, Pittsburgh lands a top-five talent at their third-ranked need without reaching. Stewart fell four spots past his rank, which for a Steelers front office built on drafting pass rushers is a gift they don't pass up. This isn't need-forcing, it's a franchise taking a premium edge because the value happened to align with the priority list.
The Fit:At 6-5, 245 with real bend and first-step burst, Stewart fits the traditional Pittsburgh mold of a long, athletic edge who can set the corner and still drop into coverage on third down in a 3-4 look. His 4.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles as a true freshman show finishing instinct, though he'll need to add mass to hold up against the run and refine his counter moves against NFL tackles before he's an every-down force. Early on, expect a situational pass-rush role that grows as his frame fills out.
---
Pick #41 - Pittsburgh Steelers: Sammy Brown, Linebacker, Clemson
Rank: #39 overall | Grade: B Why This Pick:With their first two needs at QB and RB unaddressed and their EDGE need already handled at pick #9 with Dylan Stewart, Pittsburgh pivots to linebacker, a spot listed as a key depth concern. Brown slipping to #41 after being ranked #39 is a marginal value, not a major steal, but for a team looking to add a productive, high-floor defender in Round 2, letting him fall two spots and still landing him is a sensible outcome rather than a reach.
The Fit:Brown slots in as a downhill run-defender in Pittsburgh's 3-4, where his 70.6 career run-defense grade, 8.2 percent missed-tackle rate and instinctive blitzing (13 career hurries, 10.0 career sacks) fit the physical, attacking style the scheme demands. His coverage grade of 61.8 and tendency to overrun plays before fully diagnosing them are real limitations against modern spread offenses, but as an every-down thumper who can spy backs and pressure the pocket, he addresses a depth need at linebacker while giving the room a vocal signal-caller and proven tackler.
---
Pick #73 - Pittsburgh Steelers: Brice Pollock, Cornerback, Texas Tech
Rank: #72 overall | Grade: B- Why This Pick:Pittsburgh already used two picks on defense earlier (Dylan Stewart at 9, Sammy Brown at 41), and cornerback sits eighth on their need list, so this is textbook best-player-available at pick 73, essentially matching Pollock's #72 grade. With bigger holes at quarterback, running back, and offensive tackle still unaddressed, taking a corner here signals the Steelers value roster depth and long-term secondary reinforcement over reaching for need at a thin position on the board.
The Fit:Pollock tied for the Big 12 lead with five interceptions in 2025 and allowed zero touchdowns across 797 snaps, numbers that fit a 3-4 defense looking for a zone-eyed boundary corner who reads route concepts and drives on the ball. His four missed tackles all year show he is more than a coverage specialist, he is a willing run defender too. The concern is his man coverage, which lags his zone instincts, and six penalties from grabby hands at the stem suggest he will need technique work before he can handle press-man reps at the next level.
---
Pick #80 - Pittsburgh Steelers: Sam Leavitt, Quarterback, LSU
Rank: #99 overall | Grade: C+ Trade: Pittsburgh Steelers acquired this pick from the Dallas Cowboys. Why This Pick:Quarterback is Pittsburgh's clear top need, and after already using picks on Dylan Stewart and Sammy Brown to shore up the defense, this is the round to gamble on the position that actually matters most. Taking Leavitt at 80 when he's ranked 99 is a real reach, 19 spots of value given away, and it's only defensible if the Steelers view his 2024 tape as more predictive than his injury-shortened 2025 and are comfortable letting him develop behind whatever veteran answer they already have in place.
The Fit:Leavitt brings the traits Pittsburgh has lacked at quarterback: real arm talent, off-schedule playmaking, and elite ball security, evidenced by his 1.1% turnover-worthy play rate that tied for third-best nationally in 2024. But his 3.10-second average time to throw, back-foot mechanics, and 61.4% career completion rate point to exactly why he's not a Day 1 answer, and with only 13 college starts before his foot injury, he projects as a developmental redshirt who needs a full offseason to tighten his pocket operation before he's ready to compete for snaps.
---
Pick #154: David Sanders Jr (Offensive Tackle, Tennessee) - Grade C-. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential. Pick #190: Raleek Brown (Running Back,Texas
) - Grade C-. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential.
Pick #222: Nyziah Hunter (Wide Receiver,Nebraska
) - Grade C-. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential.
Pick #229: Earl Little Jr (Safety,Ohio State
) - Grade C-. Day 3 value pick. Depth addition with special teams potential.
---
Draft Class Summary
Overall Grade: B+ | 8 positions addressed across 8 picks.---