The 2026 NFL Draft has come and gone, and the Pittsburgh Steelers\u2019 10-player draft class is complete.<\/p>\n
There were some highs in the draft, like the selection of Iowa offensive lineman Gennings Dunker, and an incredible moment to close the draft with the selection of Navy RB\/WR Eli Heidenreich with the 230th overall pick in the seventh round, leading to an unforgettable scene for the hometown kid.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n But outside of those two selections, the Steelers\u2019 draft class raises a lot of questions after what GM Omar Khan, assistant GM Andy Weidl, and head coach Mike McCarthy did across the three days.<\/p>\n In his post-draft team-by-team rankings, The Athletic\u2019s Dane Brugler had the Steelers\u2019 draft class right in the middle of the pack, ranking it No. 17 overall, right behind the Washington Commanders at No. 16, and just ahead of the Indianapolis Colts.<\/p>\n For Brugler, there was one clear selection in the Steelers\u2019 draft that was his favorite selection, and it\u2019s a pick that has drawn a lot of praise in recent days<\/a>. That would be the trade up in the second round to land Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard.<\/p>\n \u201cMax Iheanachor \u2014 despite being raw \u2014 has a high ceiling, but Bernard was my favorite pick because of the way he will complement DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr.,\u201d Brugler writes.<\/a> \u201cAside from Roman Wilson, the Steelers have a strong track record of drafting quality wide receivers in the second round; Bernard will continue that pipeline.\u201d<\/p>\n After missing out on USC\u2019s Makai Lemon in embarrassing fashion in the first round, leading to a viral moment that the Steelers were unfortunately on the wrong side of, Khan and the Steelers bounced back in a big way on Day 2, trading up to land Bernard at No. 47 overall.<\/p>\n Throughout the pre-draft process Bernard was a name heavily connected to the Steelers, especially after he came to Pittsburgh on a pre-draft visit after having a formal meeting with the Steelers at the Combine. He\u2019s not a flashy receiver, but he\u2019s so steady and dependable.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Bernard\u2019s a good route runner, plays a physical style of football, and consistently came up in the clutch for the Crimson Tide in recent years. That pairs well with DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. in McCarthy\u2019s offense, regardless of who is under center.<\/p>\n As for a Day 3 selection that Brugler liked for the Steelers, it\u2019s Indiana FB\/TE Riley Nowakowski, whom the Steelers landed at No. 169 overall in the fifth round.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cOne of my favorite players in the class, Nowakowski is an extremely useful player because of his ability to impact the offense as both a blocker and pass catcher,\u201d Brugler writes. \u201cHe is going to play in the NFL for a decade, thanks to that proven versatility. Eli Heidenreich could also surprise \u2014 hopefully the Steelers find a role for him.\u201d<\/p>\n With McCarthy now the head coach in Pittsburgh, the fullback is going to make a return in his West Coast-style offense. The Steelers simply did not have a fullback on the roster after losing Connor Heyward in free agency to the Las Vegas Raiders, so it makes a great deal of sense that they targeted a versatile fullback like Nowakowski.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n He can handle in-line tight end reps, is a punishing blocker on the move in a true fullback role, and he has great hands and can create plays after the catch, much like he did last season for the national-champion Hoosiers. He can be a key special teams piece, too, which is great value late in the fifth round.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll see how the roster shapes up entering training camp, but based on what the Steelers did in the draft, they plugged some holes and drafted players who fit McCarthy\u2019s vision, especially on offense. That matters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 2026 NFL Draft has come and gone, and the Pittsburgh Steelers\u2019 10-player draft class is complete. 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