It\u2019s now time to release the final version of my Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 mock draft. Once again this year, it is my only offering of the offseason.<\/p>\n
As usual, I have adhered to several historical principles related to past Steelers drafts when putting my final mock together. One of those is making sure I pay close attention to players who played in or were invited to the annual college All-Star games as we\u2019ve seen the Steelers draft quite a few of those players from various rounds over the years. Obviously, our annual Pro Day tracker<\/a> was closely followed in addition to the reports of which players came in for pre-draft visits<\/a>.<\/p>\n In addition to providing my guess for every round, I also included four other players I considered while building this one and only mock so you can see where my head was while putting it together. As usual, my primary goal is to have several of the 60 total players listed below ultimately wind up being selected by the Steelers.<\/p>\n I invite everyone to post their final mocks in the comments below and hope all of you enjoyed our pre-draft coverage this year. We look forward to covering the real thing for you beginning Thursday evening. Don\u2019t forget to get entered into our annual mock draft contest<\/a> as well.<\/p>\n If you would like to take a look back at my 2025 final mock draft for the Steelers, you can do so by following the link below.<\/p>\n Bryan: 2025 Steelers Mock Draft \u2013 Final Version<\/a><\/p>\n DISCLAIMER: AS USUAL, THIS IS WHAT I THINK THE STEELERS MIGHT DO IN THE DRAFT, NOT WHAT I WOULD DO.<\/p>\n ROUND 1 (#21 OVERALL): OLAIVAVEGA IOANE \/OG \u2013 PENN STATE \u2013 6042, 320 LBS.<\/p>\n Ioane is easily the best guard in the 2026 draft class. Even so, it seems very doubtful that he\u2019ll be selected in the first 13 picks. The fun with Ioane will likely start at the 14th overall pick in the first round, which is currently owned by the Baltimore Ravens, who could use a starting left guard during this year\u2019s draft. Should the Ravens not select Ioane at 14th overall, I think there\u2019s a strong chance that he could slide to the Steelers at 21st overall. I can\u2019t see them passing on him should that sort of slide indeed occur.<\/p>\n If the Steelers really value Ioane as one of the few top players they really would like to have in the first round this year, they should try hard to trade up ahead of the Ravens to secure him. A deal with either the Los Angeles Rams (13th overall) or the Dallas Cowboys (12th overall) would make the most sense, especially if the Steelers don\u2019t have to come off their second-round selection to go up that far. Remember, the Steelers have 12 picks in this year\u2019s draft. Because of that, every effort should be made to move up in either of the first two rounds to get a player they truly covet.<\/p>\n While the Steelers have somewhat capable starting left guard candidates for 2026 in Spencer Anderson and Brock Hoffman, neither are the quality of player that Ioane looks to be out of the chute. The Steelers brought Ioane in for a pre-draft visit, and I don\u2019t think that was done as a smoke screen.<\/p>\n In closing, I believe the Steelers really have their sights on landing Ioane in the first round via either a trade up, or him potentially sliding down to 21st overall. Should, however, Ioane wind up being selected by another team ahead of the Steelers selection, I could really see them pivoting to a wide receiver in the first round, either Denzel Boston, or Omar Cooper Jr., who wasn\u2019t brought in for a pre-draft visit.<\/p>\n Just a quick historical reminder to end this mock draft pick choice. 2009 was the last time the Steelers selected a player in the first round that either wasn\u2019t brought in for a pre-draft visit or didn\u2019t have his Pro Day attended by the head coach and general manager. Additionally, the last time the Steelers selected a wide receiver in the first round was 2006. Those are two trends that are extremely hard to ignore even with the Steelers now having a new head coach in Mike McCarthy.<\/p>\n If you know me, I love betting on the trends.<\/p>\n College Bio: https:\/\/gopsusports.com\/sports\/football\/roster\/player\/olaivavega-ioane<\/a><\/p>\n Draft Profile: 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Penn State IOL Olaivavega Ioane<\/a><\/p>\n Others Considered: WR Omar Cooper Jr., WR Denzel Boston, WR Makai Lemon, OL Spencer Fano<\/p>\n ROUND 2 (#53 OVERALL): GERMIE BERNARD \/ WR \u2013 ALABAMA \u2013 6012, 206 LBS.<\/p>\n Should the Steelers indeed wind up passing on a wide receiver in the first round, Bernard would make for a nice consolation prize in the second round. I will admit, however, that the Steelers might need to trade up in the second round to draft Bernard, depending on how many wide receivers go off the board in the first round.<\/p>\n As I stated in my mock selection of Ioane, the Steelers have plenty of draft capital to work with this year that should allow for them to trade up in either the first or second round for a player they really want. Should the Steelers stand pat at 21st overall in the first round and not select a wide receiver with that pick, I really like the chances of them moving up several spots in the second round to draft Bernard.<\/p>\n Bernard seems like a match when it comes to what McCarthy has stated he looks for in draftable wide receivers. Not only does Bernard have considerable size at 6\u20191\u201d, but he also played both outside and in the slot during his college career, which culminated with him catching 155 passes for 2,203 yards with 13 touchdown receptions and just four drops. In his final two college seasons at Alabama, Bernard caught 114 passes for 1,656 yards and nine touchdowns.<\/p>\n Over the course of the last two seasons, Bernard caught 26 total passes that were thrown more than 15 yards in the air past the line of scrimmage. That total ranked him third overall on the list of the top 15 wide receivers in Dane Brugler\u2019s positional draft rankings. Only Ted Hurst (33) and Makai Lemon (27) totaled more over the course of the last two seasons.<\/p>\n While certainly not the best contested catcher in this year\u2019s draft class, Benard made several of them during his college career. Additionally, he\u2019s certainly not close to being the best blocking wide receiver in this year\u2019s draft class. He can and should improve some in those two areas in the NFL.<\/p>\n While Bernard was not used as a returner during his two years at Alabama, he does have some limited experience in that phase of the game during his college career. He would be a fine second round selection for the Steelers.<\/p>\n College Bio: https:\/\/rolltide.com\/sports\/football\/roster\/germie-bernard\/13766<\/a><\/p>\n Draft Profile: 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Alabama WR Germie Bernard<\/a><\/p>\n Others Considered: CB Chris Johnson,\u00a0DB Treydan Stukes, S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, G Keylan Rutledge<\/p>\n ROUND 3 (#76 OVERALL): MALIK MUHAMMAD \/ CB \u2013 TEXAS \u2013 6000, 182 LBS.<\/p>\n Assuming the Steelers choose offensive players with their first two selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, it\u2019s easy to predict a shift to defensive players starting in Round Three. The team needs more defensive backs in this draft and possibly one safety and one cornerback.<\/p>\n I started to put Arizona DB Treydan Stukes in this spot, but it seems like he probably won\u2019t make it out of the second round. Because of that, I have shifted gears and now turning to Muhammad as my first of three third-round mock selections.<\/p>\n The Steelers brought Muhammad in for a pre-draft visit \u2013 a good starting point. Additionally, Muhammed has some of the longest arms when it comes to the 2026 cornerback draft class. We know the Steelers love those long cornerbacks so Muhammed certainly checks that box.<\/p>\n In his three college seasons at Texas, Muhammad played in 41 games on his way to registering 97 total tackles, three interceptions, and 16 passes defensed. While he is a willing tackler and a cornerback that tries to be active as a run defender, Muhammad will need to work at improving in those two areas of his game at the NFL level.<\/p>\n Overall, Muhammed is probably not a cornerback that\u2019s ready to be an immediate NFL starter. He should, however, be able to see playing time as a rookie on special teams. Should he indeed land in Pittsburgh as a member of the 2026 draft class, he will have great mentors in the secondary in fellow cornerbacks Joey Porter Jr. and Jamel Dean.<\/p>\n Remember, Muhammad is an underclassman that declared for the draft this offseason and he hasn\u2019t even turned 22 years of age yet. If developed correctly, he could wind up being an eventual starter for the Steelers as early as 2027, especially if Dean doesn\u2019t play up to expectations in 2026.<\/p>\n The Steelers last several cornerback stabs in the draft, other than Porter \u2013 Corey Trice Jr. and Donte Kent, were both seventh-round selections. So far, it looks like neither are going to work out for the long-term. The Steelers must start taking earlier draft swings at the cornerback position, and that\u2019s another good reason to take a crack at Muhammad in the third round.<\/p>\n College Bio: https:\/\/texaslonghorns.com\/sports\/football\/roster\/malik-muhammad\/14370<\/a><\/p>\n Draft Profile: 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Texas CB Malik Muhammad<\/a><\/p>\n Others Considered: WR Antonio Williams, WR Elijah Sarratt, CB Colton Hood, OT Travis Burke<\/p>\n ROUND 3 (#85 OVERALL): MARKEL BELL\/ OT \u2013 MIAMI \u2013 6092, 346 LBS.<\/p>\n The Steelers certainly can\u2019t count on OT Broderick Jones as being the team\u2019s long-term answer at left tackle at this point. That should be evident soon by the declining of his fifth-year option days after the 2026 NFL Draft ends. Jones is also currently dealing with a neck issue and there\u2019s a good chance that he might not be able to participate until the start of training camp.<\/p>\n Behind Jones on the tackle depth chart is Dylan Cook, who played reasonably well last season when given a chance to take over because of Jones\u2019 neck injury. Even so, the Steelers can\u2019t rely on Cook to be the long-term answer at left tackle any more than they can with Jones.<\/p>\n With questions surrounding the Steelers\u2019 tackle depth chart beyond Troy Fautanu, it would be wise for the team to invest a Day Two selection in another young tackle. Particularly one who has played extensively on the left side.<\/p>\n The Steelers brought just a few tackles in for pre-draft visits this offseason and Bell was one of them. Spencer Fano out of Utah, a first round prospect, was also brought in for a pre-draft visit, as was Travis Burke out of Memphis. Bell and Burke are both huge tackles and they both figure to come off the board before the fourth round starts.<\/p>\n Because Bell is younger than Burke, I am going with him in this mock draft. Bell, however, much like Jones when he came out of Georgia, lacks big college playing time experience. In fact, Bell only played in 29 games at Miami, and he started just 21 of those contests. He did, however, play left tackle in his two seasons at Holmes Community College in Mississippi, for whatever that\u2019s worth.<\/p>\n The Steelers will need to develop Bell if they draft him and their rebuilt offensive line coaching staff would be tasked with that chore. Bell made great strides from his 2024 season to the 2025 season at Miami. In short, it seems like he has a way to go before he hits his ceiling.<\/p>\n Bell, unlike Burke, seems to be a left tackle-only player as he exits college so there is that to consider. At worst, perhaps Bell can develop into a trusted backup swing tackle in Pittsburgh. At best, he could become the Steelers starting left tackle as early as 2027. Maybe even sooner.<\/p>\n College Bio: https:\/\/miamihurricanes.com\/roster\/markel-bell\/<\/a><\/p>\n Draft Profile: 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Miami (FL) OT Markel Bell<\/a><\/p>\n Others Considered: WR Bryce Lance, QB Drew Allar, ILB Josiah Trotter, ILB Kyle Louis<\/p>\n ROUND 3 (#99 OVERALL): GENESIS SMITH \/ S \u2013 ARIZONA \u2013 6021, 205 LBS.<\/p>\n As previously mentioned, the Steelers would be wise to draft both a cornerback and a safety this year. When it comes to the Steelers drafting a safety this year, they need one who can possibly become the starting free safety for the team and as soon as 2027. Because of that notion, it\u2019s easy to slot Smith in this mock draft as the team\u2019s last of three third round selections.<\/p>\n Another one of the few underclassmen to declare for this year\u2019s draft, there\u2019s a lot to like when it comes to Smith. He is long and very explosive, as evidenced by his combine and Pro Day testing. His short shuttle and three cone times at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine and Pro Day were super impressive and better than many of the times posted by cornerbacks in this year\u2019s draft class.<\/p>\n Smith played all over in the Arizona secondary, including well over 400 defensive snaps as a slot cornerback. He logged over 350 snaps in the box over the course of the last three seasons as well.<\/p>\n All told, Smith registered 164 total tackles at Arizona to go along with five interceptions, 14 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. He played in 37 total contests.<\/p>\n Smith is regarded as a very smart defensive player as he exits college for the NFL and a strong defensive communicator. He was a team captain for several games in 2025 as well, another selling point on his resume. He also logged his fair share of special teams snaps at Arizona, a plus when it comes to mocking him here.<\/p>\n While the Steelers did not bring Smith in for a pre-draft visit this offseason, they reportedly did visit with him informally at the Combine. The Steelers, however, did bring in Smith\u2019s Arizona teammate, Treydan Stukes, for a pre-draft visit this offseason, so perhaps they questioned him some about Smith during his own visit.<\/p>\n Overall, this is a strong safety class from top to bottom, and that\u2019s probably why Smith hasn\u2019t received extensive buzz throughout the pre-draft process. Even so, he has the potential to become a starting free safety in the NFL and one that could even see playing time on defense as a rookie in sub0packages. In my opinion, Smith is one of the most underrated safeties in the 2026 draft class. I hope the Steelers draft him.<\/p>\n College Bio: https:\/\/arizonawildcats.com\/sports\/football\/roster\/genesis-smith\/18430<\/a><\/p>\n Draft Profile: 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Arizona S Genesis Smith<\/a><\/p>\n Others Considered: OT Dametrious Crownover, OG Billy Schrauth, OL Logan Taylor, CB Julian Neal<\/p>\n ROUND 4 (#121 OVERALL): CARSON BECK \/ QB \u2013 MIAMI (FL) \u2013 6046, 233 LBS.<\/p>\n Look, I\u2019m not thrilled about the prospects of the Steelers drafting a quarterback this year. I\u2019m guessing the same goes for most Pittsburgh fans reading this. That said, the Steelers brought four quarterbacks in for pre-draft visits this year and it seems like new HC Mike McCarthy and GM Omar Khan are planning on selecting one this weekend.<\/p>\n Why did I choose Beck? Because of everything McCarthy has said so far this offseason when it comes to what he looks for in young quarterbacks. He seems to want a bigger quarterback, one with a known and relatively high floor, and one who has experience playing from the pocket.<\/p>\n Beck is one of the more experienced college quarterbacks in this year\u2019s draft class. Heck, he\u2019s probably one of the most experienced and draftable college quarterbacks in the last five years. He checks all of the boxes when it comes to the old \u201cseven things to look in draftable quarterbacks\u201d that former NFL HC Bill Parcells regularly touted.<\/p>\n For his college career, Beck completed 966 of his 1,390 total pass attempts for 11,725 yards with 88 touchdowns and 32 interceptions. Most of that playing time came at Georgia. He played in 55 college games in total over a span of six seasons, the last of which came at Miami (FL) in 2025.<\/p>\n I\u2019m not a huge fan of Beck. Even so, I must put my bias aside because there\u2019s been a lot of buzz this offseason connecting him to the Steelers. Whether that buzz is real or not, who really knows for sure?<\/p>\n Beck, in my opinion, is not a day-one NFL starter. I doubt I\u2019m breaking any news there. Personally, I view him as longtime NFL backup prospect and one that could possibly spot start every now and again. Mike Glennon-ish, if you will.<\/p>\n Is the fourth round too early for Beck? Is it too late? I suppose I could see the Steelers taking Beck with their last third round pick, but I certainly won\u2019t be happy if that\u2019s the case. Heck, I thought Steelers QB Will Howard would be a third-round selection, fourth round at the latest. Perhaps Beck will remain on the board until the fifth round, and the Steelers can select him then. We shall see.<\/p>\n College Bio: https:\/\/miamihurricanes.com\/roster\/carson-beck\/<\/a><\/p>\n Draft Profile: 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Miami (FL) QB Carson Beck<\/a><\/p>\n Others Considered: DL Darrell Jackson Jr., WR Skyler Bell, QB Cole Payton, CB Tacario Davis<\/p>\n ROUND 4 (#135 OVERALL): MARLIN KLEIN \/ TE \u2013 MICHIGAN \u2013 6060, 248 LBS.<\/p>\n The Steelers currently have just two tight ends under contract who are locks to make the 53-man roster in 2026 in Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington. Because of that, the Steelers figure to address the tight end position at some point during the 2026 NFL Draft \u2013 likely on Day Three.<\/p>\n The Steelers seem to have a thing for Big 10 and SEC tight ends. I don\u2019t expect that change. Klein was one of the Steelers pre-draft visitors at the tight end position this offseason, along with Will Kacmarek out of Ohio State. Klein and Kacmarek are two of the best blocking tight ends in the 2026 draft class. That tells us a lot as far what the team is likely looking for this year.<\/p>\n At Michigan, Klein wasn\u2019t used a lot in the passing game as evidenced by his 38 total receptions for 364 yards, and one touchdown, 24 of which came in 2025.<\/p>\n While Klein wasn\u2019t used much in the Michigan passing during his four seasons there, it\u2019s not like he\u2019s totally worthless as a receiving option. That said, he will make his money in the NFL as a run blocker. Klein mostly will be asked to line up at the end of the line of scrimmage in the NFL. Even so, he was detached from the line of scrimmage quite a bit at Michigan. He also will likely be asked to play on a few special teams units, which is something he didn\u2019t much of at Michigan.<\/p>\n I really like Klein\u2019s NFL upside as an all-around tight end at the NFL. I think there is some untapped potential when it comes to his receiving ability. Remember, George Kittle didn\u2019t catch a lot of passes during his college career at Iowa.<\/p>\n While I would be foolish to suggest that Klein could become the NFL\u2019s next Kittle, I won\u2019t be surprised if he winds up being a longtime NFL asset for the team that drafts him. I enjoyed watching his college tape and I think he fits the Steelers well. He\u2019s certainly not a Zach Gentry clone. Remember him?<\/p>\n College Bio: https:\/\/mgoblue.com\/sports\/football\/roster\/marlin-klein\/26727<\/a><\/p>\n Draft Profile: 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Michigan TE Marlin Klein<\/a><\/p>\n Others Considered: TE Will Kacmarek, WR Kendrick Law, G Beau Stephens, S Jakobe Thomas<\/p>\n ROUND 5 (#161 OVERALL): JACK KELLY \/ ILB \u2013 Brigham Young \u2013 6015, 240 LBS.<\/p>\n Do the Steelers really need to draft another inside linebacker this year? Yeah, probably, especially with it looking like 2026 will be the final seasons in Pittsburgh for Patrick Queen, Cole Holcomb and Malik Harrison, who isn\u2019t even a lock to make the 53-man roster this year given his higher-than-ideal base salary.<\/p>\n Should the Steelers wait until the fifth-round to draft an inside linebacker, Kelly seems to be legitimate option for them. After all, the Steelers brought Kelly in for a pre-draft visit this offseason even though he is one of the cleanest players in this linebacker class when it comes to his character and leadership. Not sure what they really needed to talk to him about unless they needed to check out his 2025 shoulder injury.<\/p>\n Kelly is a better downhill linebacker than he is a coverage linebacker. He\u2019s a fierce competitor, very smart and instinctive, and team captain the last two seasons at BYU.<\/p>\n While Kelly is not characterized as a top hyper-athletic linebacker in this year\u2019s draft class, he still has some nice agility as shown in his Combine short shuttle time of 4.19-seconds and three-cone time of 7.12-seconds. He can cover some ground at the second level when it comes to his sideline-to-sideline play.<\/p>\n Heck, his pre-draft athletic testing numbers were comparable to those posted by Texas A&M inside linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, who is regarded as one of the top off-the-ball linebackers in this year\u2019s draft class. I\u2019m\u2019 not saying, I\u2019m just saying.<\/p>\n In total, Kelly registered 191 total tackles during his college career. His first three college seasons, however, came at Weber State. In his two seasons at BYU, Kelly registered 106 total tackles, of which 23.5 resulted in lost yardage. He also registered a whopping 15 sacks over the course of the last two seasons to go along with one interception, two passes defensed, four forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.<\/p>\n Once drafted, Kelly will need to improve his missed tackle rate, his coverage skills, and his ability to get off blocks. While he improves in those areas, Kelly figures to log plenty of playing time on special teams as a rookie. The Steelers could do a lot worse than Kelly when it comes to a day-three insider linebacker prospect. He would likely be rated much higher in his 2026 position group if not for this year\u2019s off-the-ball linebacker class being so good and deep.<\/p>\n College Bio: https:\/\/byucougars.com\/sports\/football\/roster\/player\/jack-kelly<\/a><\/p>\n Draft Profile: 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: BYU ILB Jack Kelly<\/a><\/p>\n Others Considered: WR Jeff Caldwell, ILB Harold Perkins Jr., CB Ephesians Prysock, QB Taylen Green<\/p>\n ROUND 6 (#216 OVERALL): MASON REIGER \/ OLB \u2013 WISCONSIN \u2013 6045, 251 LBS.<\/p>\n Much like the inside linebacker position this year, the Steelers don\u2019t necessarily need to draft an outside linebacker in 2026. Even so, adding another outside linebacker in the later rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft wouldn\u2019t necessarily be an awful thing, especially with Steelers OLB Nick Herbig likely about to play his last season in Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n On top of Herbig possibly leaving after the 2026 season, veteran outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith have both missed quite a few games over the course of the last several seasons due to various injuries or poorly placed needles. Carrying a fifth outside linebacker on the team\u2019s 53-man roster in 2026 might not be the worst idea if that player can contribute some on special teams.<\/p>\n Why Reiger for the Steelers? He began his career at Louisville but transferred to end it at Wisconsin. We know the Steelers have drafted plenty Badgers\u2019 defenders in recent years.<\/p>\n Reiger fits what the Steelers look for in outside linebackers when it comes to his overall measurables. In 2025, his only season at Wisconsin, Reiger registered 33 total tackles, six of which went for lost yardage, to go along with five sacks and pass defensed. He had 13 total sacks for his college career, which included him playing in 45 games. Reiger did, however, only start 11 games in college. All of those came in 2025 at Wisconsin.<\/p>\n Reiger received of attention during the East-West Shrine Bowl after tallying three sacks during the game. He posted explosive numbers in the vertical and broad jumps at the 2026 NFL Combine after his strong all-star game showing.<\/p>\n The Steelers selected OLB Jack Sawyer in the 2025 NFL Draft, and he went on to contribute some as rookie on defense and special teams. I would expect similar type of contributions out of Reiger as a rookie should the Steelers indeed wind up picking him this year. He\u2019s a fine developmental outside linebacker prospect, one who plays the run reasonably well in addition to rushing the passer with some effectiveness.<\/p>\n College Bio: https:\/\/uwbadgers.com\/sports\/football\/roster\/mason-reiger\/14178<\/a><\/p>\n Draft Profile: 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Wisconsin EDGE Mason Reiger<\/a><\/p>\n Others Considered: WR Kaden Wetjen, TE Khalil Dinkins, OLB Logan Fano, CB Domani Jackson<\/p>\n ROUND 7 (#224 OVERALL): JAMES THOMPSON JR. \/ DL \u2013 ILLINOIS \u2013 6055, 308 LBS.<\/p>\n As usual, there are very few defensive linemen in the draft class that fit what the Steelers usually look for when it comes to measurables. Thompson, along with Darrell Jackson Jr. out of Florida State, both fit the bill and both are seemingly great prospects that the Steelers have seemingly looked at closely as possible day-three selections.<\/p>\n While the Steelers did sign a nice offseason free agent addition in veteran DL Sebastian Joseph-Day several weeks ago, the bottom of their defensive linemen depth chart still needs attention. After all, that group at the bottom of the defensive line depth chart includes the likes of Logan Lee, Esezi Otomewo, and Anthony Goodlow, just to name a few.<\/p>\n The Steelers brought Thompson in for a pre-draft visit this offseason and that\u2019s a great sign overall. During his college career at Illinois and Wisconsin, Thompson also played up and down the defensive line throughout his six college seasons. A plus when it comes to his fit with the Steelers. Thompson, at least in his interviews I have watched, also seems to have the kind of strong character the Steelers value highly in their draft picks.<\/p>\n Overall, Thompson is regarded as a late round defensive lineman in this year\u2019s draft class. While most of the trusted draftniks project Thompson as being a seventh-round selection this year, he could possibly go off the board as early as the sixth round. I have the Steelers taking a shot at Thompson in the seventh round and being the first of the team\u2019s three scheduled selections in that final frame.<\/p>\n College Bio: https:\/\/fightingillini.com\/sports\/football\/roster\/james-thompson-jr-\/15193<\/a><\/p>\n Draft Profile: 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Illinois DL James Thompson Jr.<\/a><\/p>\n Others Considered: DT Tim Keenan III, S Skyler Thomas, WR J.Michael Sturdivant, OLB Aidan Hubbard<\/p>\n ROUND 7 (#230 OVERALL): RYAN ECKLEY \/ P \u2013 MICHIGAN STATE \u2013 6006, 200 LBS.<\/p>\n Is it crazy to suggest that the Steelers might select a punter during the 2026 NFL Draft? I don\u2019t think so knowing veteran Cameron Johnston is the only one at that position currently under contract ahead of the draft. You can count on Johnston to have competition during training camp this year. So why not draft a punter to provide that and thus avoid having to fight for one of the better ones in the undrafted free agent pool?<\/p>\n Eckley is one of the top punters in this year\u2019s draft class. Not only was he a combine invitee this past offseason, but he was also a Senior Bowl participant as well. That means a lot when it comes to both of those honors.<\/p>\n At Michigan State, Eckley registered a 47.3 career punting average. He also registered the highest career average in Big Ten history. In 2025, Eckley averaged 48.5 yards per punt. Eckley, according to Michigan State, placed 34 percent of his career punts inside the 20 (50 of 149), had 27 punts downed inside the 10 and also had 67 punts of 50-plus yards (45 percent).<\/p>\n The fact that several of Eckley\u2019s college games took place in the state of Michigan and thus sometimes in wintry weather is another positive when it comes to his overall pre-draft resume. He also is an experienced holder on place kicks and can be used to kickoff and attempt field goals in an emergency.<\/p>\n Should the Steelers indeed wind up making at least nine selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, hopefully a punter will be included in the choices.<\/p>\n College Bio: https:\/\/msuspartans.com\/sports\/football\/roster\/ryan-eckley\/15974<\/a><\/p>\n