The 2026 NFL Draft will give the Pittsburgh Steelers a chance to infuse some high-end talent to an aging roster.
Needs at quarterback, wide receiver and cornerback are major, and with five picks in the top 100, GM Omar Khan and the Steelers have a prime opportunity to address them in late April.
Though Khan didn’t rule out being aggressive in the draft and potentially moving up to secure a top talent, having a plethora of top-100 picks is a great starting point for Pittsburgh.
And Pro Football Focus has an ideal Steelers haul with those picks. In the PFF exercise, the Steelers would land USC wide receiver Makai Lemon, Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds, Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge, Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez and LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.
“Boasting five picks inside the top 99 selections, the Steelers are well-positioned to trade up in the first round. If they do, Lemon would be a perfect inside target as a complement to DK Metcalf on the perimeter. On the other hand, if Pittsburgh stays put at 21, then Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson or Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. would be great fits,” PFF’s Bradley Locker writes. “Meanwhile, the Steelers could select a cornerback in the second round with the team needing depth, and Ponds (86.0-plus PFF grades in run-defense, tackling and coverage) would be a sparkplug in the slot. Currently, Pittsburgh owns three third-round picks. Those selections should be used to accrue potential starters at positions that are weaker in both 2026 and moving forward — like guard, linebacker and quarterback.
“Rutledge (76.7 overall PFF grade) thrived in both the pass and run game with Georgia Tech and could take over if Isaac Seumalo leaves; Rodriguez would join a group where Patrick Queen’s future is tentative; and Nussmeier (77.1 overall grade) is a dart throw in middle rounds after an up-and-down college career.”
The Steelers landing those five players would be quite the haul.
They’d get a great receiver in Lemon, a guy who would be a terrific fit opposite DK Metcalf in Pittsburgh, and Ponds would be that physical cornerback opposite Joey Porter Jr., one who plays bigger than his size.
Lemon is one of the best receivers in the class. In fact, our own Devin Jackson ranked Lemon at No. 18 on his latest Steelers Depot Big Board, and the No. 3 receiver in the class.
As for Ponds, Jackson ranks him as the No. 36 player in the class, and after a starring run with the Hoosiers, the undersized cornerback could hear his name called very early on Day 2.
After Lemon and Ponds, getting the three of Rutledge, Rodriguez and Nussmeier would address additional Steelers needs. Nussmeier was once considered a first round-caliber quarterback, but a tough 2025 season caused him to fall down boards. Now, he feels more like a dart throw.
But with the connection to new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy through his father, Doug, and his likely draft value as a Day 2 guy, it would make sense for the Steelers to take a chance on him and try to develop him, continuing to take swings on the quarterback position.
Rutledge could theoretically step in to replace Isaac Seumalo, should the Steelers let the veteran left guard walk in free agency, though there would be a position battle with Spencer Anderson. Meanwhile Rodriguez would provide depth and upside at inside linebacker as a downhill thumper behind Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson.
If the Steelers came out of the first three rounds with that group of players, that would be the foundation of a great class under Khan.