{"id":139543,"date":"2026-03-16T11:52:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T11:52:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/139543\/"},"modified":"2026-03-16T11:52:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T11:52:24","slug":"steelers-post-free-agency-mock-draft-pittsburgh-shores-up-offense-early","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/139543\/","title":{"rendered":"Steelers post-free agency mock draft: Pittsburgh shores up offense early"},"content":{"rendered":"

The main period of NFL free agency is behind us, meaning mock drafts are starting to get just a little bit more accurate.<\/p>\n

The Steelers are still in the single digits when it comes to their pre-draft visits \u2014 usually the strongest indicator of team interest in prospects \u2014 but we do have a better idea of which team needs have been somewhat remedied (wide receiver, cornerback, etc.) and which ones remain (left guard, quarterback?) after a flurry of signings last week.<\/p>\n

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For this mock draft exercise, I used Pro Football Sports Network<\/a>\u2019s simulator using the consensus board, which felt fairly accurate; it was last updated March 13.<\/p>\n

With the intro out of the way, let\u2019s dive into a whopping 12 picks:<\/p>\n

1.21 Penn State OG Olaivavega Ioane\"\"<\/p>\n

Some might complain about using another first-round pick in the trenches, but the Steelers\u2019 biggest remaining need is left guard and a player of Ioane\u2019s caliber sitting right there at No. 21 was too good to pass up. I\u2019d still hope the Steelers still grab a veteran who can at least start in a pinch at this spot in free agency, but Ioane is a long-term fix who should be able to slide into the lineup early.<\/p>\n

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Ioane \u00ees seen by many as the top guard in the class depending on which offensive tackle prospects you project to slide inside. He isn\u2019t the greatest athlete for his position, but has all the tools to be a longtime NFL starter \u2014 and his technique and strength should translate right away. I\u2019m a big fan of Ioane, and as a Penn State star he\u2019s certainly on Pittsburgh\u2019s radar.<\/p>\n

2.53 Alabama WR Germie Bernard\"\"<\/p>\n

Bernard isn\u2019t the flashiest pick, but he\u2019ll be able to contribute right away as the WR3 in the Steelers\u2019 offense. He has prototypical size and speed, but his strongest trait might be his reliability. I\u2019m doing this exercise expecting Aaron Rodgers to return in 2026, and Bernard\u2019s NFL-ready play style should help him see the field faster than past Day 2 skill position players such as Roman Wilson and Kaleb Johnson.<\/p>\n

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Bernard has a bit more yards after catch ability than you might expect, which is a nice addition to the Steelers\u2019 offense that needs more explosives. He\u2019s a capable route runner who can play in the slot and the outside with solid hands \u2014 and he can block. Bernard instantly raises the floor of the Steelers\u2019 wide receiver room.<\/p>\n

3.76 Penn State S Zakee Wheatley\"\"<\/p>\n

The Steelers nab another Nittany Lion here, this time adding an archetype the team\u2019s safety room is still lacking. DeShon Elliott and Jaquan Brisker are good starters who excel coming downhill, but Wheatley adds some range as a true free safety, ideally freeing up Jalen Ramsey to play in the slot and make a greater impact in 2026.<\/p>\n

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Wheatley is 24, but he\u2019s a big and athletic and not afraid of collisions.<\/p>\n

3.85 Georgia State WR Ted Hurst\"\"<\/p>\n

Germie Bernard is the safe pick at wide receiver. Hurst is the upside selection. He\u2019s a big (6\u20194, 206 pounds), lanky deep threat who ran in the low 4.4s at the NFL Combine. There are some inconsistencies in his game and his low level of completion at Georgia State is a real concern, but the ceiling is a George Pickens-esque weapon although Hurst doesn\u2019t quite have the same unreal body control.<\/p>\n

Hurst gives the Steeler offense the deep threat it currently lacks outside of DK Metcalf. If that\u2019s all he brings, the team\u2019s top three of Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., and Bernard will still be just fine in 2026. But if Hurst reaches his potential, the Pittsburgh wide receiver room will be set for the next several seasons.<\/p>\n

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3.99 Syracuse DT Domonique Orange\"\"<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been purposefully avoiding names I selected in my last BTSC mock draft<\/a>. But Orange, available at the bottom of the top 100 here, was too good of value to leave off the board.<\/p>\n

After signing Sebastian Joseph-Day in free agency, the Steelers\u2019 defensive line rotation is in good shape entering the new season. Still, Orange adds one more solid name to the room, where he can develop behind Cam Heyward and Derrick Harmon. He\u2019s a big run-stuffer who can contribute as a nose tackle but has some pass-rushing juice as well.<\/p>\n

Orange might not play a ton in 2026, but keep in mind that Heyward, Joseph-Day, and even Keeanu Benton aren\u2019t necessarily going to be with the Steelers for many more seasons. Always keep investing in the D-line.<\/p>\n

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4.121 LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier\"\"<\/p>\n

The Steelers had a strong free agency and filled most of their obvious holes. I was able to shore up what I saw as the most important spots \u2014 trenches, wide receiver, and secondary \u2014 in the first five picks, meaning I was comfortable using the rest on depth and \u201cswings.\u201d<\/p>\n

And with LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier dropping all the way to the fourth round, I was willing to take the risk.<\/p>\n

Nussmeier didn\u2019t have the 2025 season many thought he would, but he\u2019s still one of my favorite Day 2 quarterbacks in this year\u2019s class. He\u2019s undersized at 6\u20192. He\u2019s inconsistent. But the arm talent is better than most give him credit for, and when he\u2019s at his best, his gunslinger style of play is electric. I haven\u2019t sold all my Nussmeier stock just yet.<\/p>\n

Again, assuming Aaron Rodgers returns in 2026, the Steelers quarterback room looks a bit weird now. Nussmeier will be battling with Mason Rudolph and Will Howard for the final two spots, and maybe there\u2019s a repeat of the team\u2019s 2018 offseason where the veteran backup is cut in favor of two youngsters. Aaron Rodgers doesn\u2019t need a grizzled mentor \u2014 you can stash one on the practice squad.<\/p>\n

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Maybe Nussmeier and Howard never get a chance to prove themselves before the Steelers go after a big fish quarterback in 2027, but both are Day 3 selections, respectively. It\u2019s still worth taking a swing when the team has 12 picks this season. If some don\u2019t pan out, we\u2019ll get over it.<\/p>\n

4.131 Stephen F. Austin CB Charles Demmings\"\"<\/p>\n

Another small school standout after Hurst, Demmings is a physical, ball-hawking cornerback who had four interceptions in 2025. He\u2019s 6\u20191, 193 pounds and ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. Once again, the small school competition is a valid question, but I love Demmings\u2019 attitude as a player and he has the fluidity and athleticism to make the NFL jump.<\/p>\n

Keep in mind the Steelers shored up their cornerback room in free agency, giving Demmings time to develop.<\/p>\n

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5.161 TCU LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr\"\"<\/p>\n

Inside linebacker remains a strange position group for the Steelers after the team re-signed Cole Holcomb and kept Malik Harrison on the roster. The group looked like it needed some new talent after last season, but there just don\u2019t appear to be any spots available.<\/p>\n

Still, injuries could strike or the team could decide to make a cut. In the fifth round I don\u2019t mind drafting some additional depth.<\/p>\n

Elarms-Orr is a player I wasn\u2019t the most aware of this draft cycle, but I\u2019ve recently become a fan. He\u2019s a wrecking ball coming downhill, obliterating pass-protecting running backs while blitzing \u2014 which is a big plus in Patrick Graham\u2019s sim pressure-heavy scheme. Elarms-Orr is more of a run-stuffer at this point, but he tested with a 9.92 RAS (no agility scores, to be fair), showing the potential athleticism to hold up in the NFL.<\/p>\n

6.216 Boston College EDGE Quintayvious Hutchins\"\"<\/p>\n

Outside linebacker is the Steelers\u2019 strongest position this year, but I\u2019ve warmed up to the idea of taking one sometime on Day 3 if Pittsburgh does end up using most of its 12 picks. Edge rushers are the engine of the Steelers\u2019 defense, and if the injury bug hits again in 2026, having some depth stashed on the practice squad could be more important than realized.<\/p>\n

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Plus, if the team doesn\u2019t keep the trio of TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig long term \u2014 which is certainly possible \u2014 stashing some developmental players early could help with that transition.<\/p>\n

Hutchins is light for the position, but he wins with impressive bend and solid play strength. If he pans out, he would complement Jack Sawyer\u2019s skill set down the road.<\/p>\n

7.224 Missouri OT Keagen Trost\"\"<\/p>\n

There are questions as to whether or not Trost will have to move inside to guard in the pros, but he\u2019s a solidly-built offensive line prospect with great strength and solid mobility. An exceptionally competent college right tackle, he\u2019s a nice name to add to the mix as the Steelers sort out their O-line depth for 2026.<\/p>\n

Trost will be a 25-year-old rookie, but I really like his film. At a position where it\u2019s tough to find quality depth, that makes him more than worth a seventh-round pick.<\/p>\n

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7.230 Penn State TE Khalil Dinkins\"\"<\/p>\n

I swear I didn\u2019t mean to take this many Penn State players, but the Steelers needed a TE3 with one of their Day 3 picks, and Dinkins is one of the team\u2019s pre-draft visits. The connection made a little too much sense.<\/p>\n

Dinkins is one of several Day 3 tight ends who weren\u2019t exactly stars in college but could find roles in the NFL. He\u2019ll likely have to bulk up a bit at the next level, but he\u2019s a steady player and plus blocker who can hold a spot on the bottom of an NFL roster.<\/p>\n

7.237 Oklahoma RB Jaydn Ott\"\"<\/p>\n

Like outside linebacker, running back is far from a need for the Steelers, but the team is just one injury away from wishing it had some additional talent on the practice squad. Ott was once a big name in college football when he was the star back at Cal, but he never cracked the Oklahoma depth chart after a 2025 transfer, finishing his last season with just 68 yards.<\/p>\n

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However, Ott was a standout at the 2026 Senior Bowl, showing he still had some of the old version of himself back.<\/p>\n

Testing with sub-4.5 speed, Ott has some big play potential. Once a 1,305-yard rusher as a sophomore, he\u2019s worth a flier with the Steelers\u2019 last pick in the draft.<\/p>\n

How would you rate this draft? Join the BTSC community and let us know in the comments below!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The main period of NFL free agency is behind us, meaning mock drafts are starting to get just…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":139544,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[3269,20881,7664,22432,63994,54505,43847,13239,6538,63990,55114,63989,43181,3283,63046,63993,54502,54506,63992,30540,22365,61956,1418,3285,3743,73,75,74,15384,63991,15380,27472,6543,39813,55119],"class_list":["post-139543","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pittsburgh","tag-aaron-rodgers","tag-alabama-crimson-tide","tag-alex-highsmith","tag-cam-heyward","tag-cj-dippre","tag-cole-holcomb","tag-derrick-harmon","tag-deshon-elliott","tag-dk-metcalf","tag-domonique-orange","tag-garrett-nussmeier","tag-germie-bernard","tag-jack","tag-jalen-ramsey","tag-jaquan-brisker","tag-jaydn-ott","tag-kaleb-johnson","tag-keeanu-benton","tag-lsu-tigers","tag-malik-harrison","tag-mason-rudolph","tag-michael-pittman-jr","tag-nfl","tag-nick-herbig","tag-penn-state","tag-pittsburgh","tag-pittsburgh-headlines","tag-pittsburgh-news","tag-roman-wilson","tag-sebastian-joseph-day","tag-the-steelers","tag-tj-watt","tag-wide-receiver","tag-will-howard","tag-zakee-wheatley"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139543","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139543"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139543\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/139544"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139543"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139543"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139543"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}