The NFL Draft is just over a week away. After months of gathering up intel, I am ready to make seven bold predictions about the Steelers draft:
1. Aaron Rodgers will not sign before the draft:
Art Rooney is on record that he expects to have an answer from Aaron Rodgers before the draft. If there was any shot of this happening before Rooney said this, there is zero now. Aaron Rodgers has made it a point his entire career that he takes orders from no one. Rooney incentivized Rodgers to wait longer by saying what he said. Expect an announcement when Aaron Rodgers is good and ready, not a minute before. Like it or not, the Steelers have zero control over this.
2. Drew Allar will be a Steeler:
Let’s start with Mike McCarthy’s detailed explanation on how he likes his quarterback to be. He wants a big quaterback with a strong arm who can thrive in the tough weather of AFC North games. Well, Allar has all that in spades. Allar met with the Steelers at the combine, and was brought in for a pre-draft visit today. Throw in the fact he’s a semi-local kid born in Ohio, and played at Penn State. All the clues are there, at this point I’d honestly be shocked not to hear Drew Allar’s name called by the Steelers by the end of round three.
3. The Steelers will trade back into the first round:
The Steelers will not walk away from the 2026 draft with 12 new players. Omar Khan hoarded these comp picks in hopes of trading up for a franchise quarterback. Well this class did not come close to living up to expectations. Having said that, now Omar is free to target another position to trade up for. Don’t be surprised if the team attempts to move back into the first round to add a wide receiver, after going elsewhere at 21.
4. A tight end will be drafted before the end of round 4:
Tight end is a position that’s not often brought up when talking Steelers needs. Pat Freiermuth has never really blossomed into that number one tight end role, and Darnell Washington will never be that guy. This is a deep tight end class with lots of intriguing day two prospects. Keep an eye on Georgia’s Oscar Delp. He lacked production at Georgia, but tested off the charts at the only Pro Day that Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy attended.
5. The Steelers will double dip at offensive line:
I expect a guard to be taken within the first two rounds. There will also be a tackle added somewhere in either day two or day three. Keep an eye on Memphis tackle Travis Burke later in the draft.
6. Don’t expect a linebacker:
Despite all the Patrick Queen trade rumors, he will be on the roster come September. The team currently has four capable linebackers, and a fifth in Carson Bruener who can play special teams. There’s been a lot of noise over linebacker during this process, but it’s not going to happen.
7. There will be an EDGE:
Lots of smoke surrounding trade rumors involving the Steelers outside linebacker position. If the Steelers are indeed planning on trading one, the most likely candidate would be Alex Highsmith. The Steelers would then leave themselves vulnerable with no one to back up in case of injury. This is a deep edge class, one will be drafted earlier than you think.