The first two days of the 2026 NFL Draft steal all the headlines, but the third day is when good teams are built. Not every franchise consistently identifies contributors in the late rounds, but the Steelers have done that in recent years.

Since GM Omar Khan took over, the Steelers have drafted Nick Herbig, Spencer Anderson, Mason McCormick, Carson Bruener, Jack Sawyer, Yahya Black, and Will Howard on Day 3. Armed with five selections, did he do it again Saturday?

Let’s look at the draft grades from various experts and analysts around the NFL media landscape.

Draft Grades Day 1
Draft Grades Day 2

Round 4: Pick 121 – WR/RET Kaden Wetjen/Iowa

Most people did not seem to understand this pick or the value. Wetjen himself was on the golf course when the Steelers selected him, not expecting to be drafted until much later. But Pittsburgh needed a return specialist, and Wetjen proved that he has upside on offense during his excellent showing at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

CBS Sports’ Emory Hunt understands the pick and, in fact, really liked it. He gave it an A+ grade.

“He instantly helps you out on special teams. He’s one of the best kickoff and punt-return specialists in this draft class,” Hunt said. “And the Steelers get someone who helps them out right now, but also still growing as a slot receiver.”

Trevor Sikkema and Connor Rogers were back at it on the Bleacher Report livestream, and both gave this pick a C grade.

“Returner this early, you gotta believe that he can be an All-Pro returner. I had Wetjen more in the seventh round,” Rogers said. “He can be a dynamic returner, but I don’t think he’s ever gonna be more than that.”

Pittsburgh hasn’t had a dynamic returner in many years. It sure would be nice to steal a touchdown here and there, or at least give some great field position for the offense.

“I watched him at the Shrine Bowl,” Sikkema said. “Anytime there was any sort of off-coverage situation when he was coming from the slot, no one had a prayer.”

Wetjen told Steelers reporters that he thinks he has more to offer than just return duties.

CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards gave the pick a C grade as well.

“Wetjen’s selection is a perfect opportunity to remind everyone that this stage of the draft is used to address multiple objectives,” he wrote.

Round 5: Pick 169 – FB Riley Nowakowski/Indiana

Nowakowski was a versatile TE/FB at Indiana, but Pittsburgh sent out its RB coach to talk to the media after the pick. They view him as a fullback, though he will be used in a variety of ways as most fullbacks are these days. Think of him like Connor Heyward, though he has slightly more upside than the recently departed former Steeler.

His selection drew a big reaction from Sikkema and Rogers on Bleacher Report’s stream. Each gave the selection B+ grades.

“Nice! Fullbacks, baby,” Sikkema said. “I love the versatility he brings to the table. Now you have a true Swiss-army knife-type of player that could play in the backfield for you.”

Mike McCarthy discussed the evolution of offenses recently, and he’s always prioritized a fullback throughout the years with Hunter Luepke in Dallas and John Kuhn in Green Bay.

“I loved what this guy did in Indiana’s offense,” Rogers said. “Fernando Mendoza looked his way in some really, really big moments.”

Nowakowski can take handoffs, catch passes out of the backfield, and block anywhere on the field. That’s a win for the offense overall.

Edwards gave the pick a B grade on CBS Sports.

“Nowakowski is the unheralded piece of Indiana’s championship offense,” he wrote. “He could be this year’s Jackson Hawes in that he brings a lot of value to the run game as a blocker.”

Round 6: Pick 210 – DL Gabriel Rubio/Notre Dame

This pick caught everybody off guard. Rubio was a little-known prospect who didn’t get a Combine invite and spent part of the 2025 season dealing with a bad elbow injury. But he’s exactly the type of defensive lineman the Steelers are always looking with the size and length they like to develop.

The Steelers obviously like the prospect, but the value was unusual.

Sikkema and Rogers were like all of us when this pick came in. So confused, they didn’t even offer a grade.

“I did not scout this play[er]. A of an off-the-wall pick, and the Steelers don’t make too many of those,” they wrote. “This is another guy to get on that defensive line, so I don’t mind it.”

His dad was drafted by the Steelers in 1998, so perhaps they had a better window into him as a player than any other scouts would have.

Edwards gave the pick a C+ grade.

“Rubio is a big body who is just going to occupy space in that Pittsburgh defense. He does not have any pass rush production but fills a role for the team.”

For what it’s worth, a Notre Dame beat writer said Rubio always looked like an NFL-caliber run stopper when healthy but that the injury hampered him in 2025.

Round 7: Pick 224 – S Robert Spears-Jennings/Oklahoma

Pittsburgh looked at a lot of inside linebackers and safeties in the draft but waited all the way to the seventh round to address at least one of those positions. Spears-Jennings presented great value, and the Steelers were surprised he was still on the board. He has good measurables, and he ran a blazing-fast 4.32-second 40-yard dash.

He can develop into a contributor on defense, but he will immediately be able to help out on special teams.

Sikkema gave the pick an A grade while Rogers gave it an A-.

“I like this a lot,” Rogers said. “I think Spears-Jennings has kind of become an underappreciated player in this safety class. He is somebody to me that has pretty serious athleticism…He hits with a purpose. I had a fourth-round grade on him.”

In terms of pure value, Spears-Jennings may be the Steelers’ top pick of the draft. That’s exactly the type of pick you should be hunting for in the seventh round.

“This is a player that I had as a fringe top-100 player for a long time,” Sikkema said. “If he would have come out in last year’s draft, I think I had him at 95th overall.”

You can never have too many athletic safeties who can run and hit.

Edwards gave the pick a B+ grade via CBS Sports saying many of the same things as Sikkema and Rogers.

Round 7: Pick 230 – RB Eli Heidenreich/Navy

Heidenreich became perhaps the biggest story of Day 3. He walked the stage after his hometown Steelers selected him with their final pick. He is a do-it-all versatile running back with plus athleticism who can win through the air just as well as he can on the ground. Mike McCarthy was already hinting at opening up the playbook for his skill set.

Sikkema and Rogers forgot to give out grades on the steam for this pick, but they clearly liked it.

“I ended up pretty high on him,” Rogers said. “For me, he ended up as RB10. I loved his receiving skills. This is a strong pick by the Steelers, and a strong draft by the Steelers.”

Pittsburgh has its running backs in place but could find creative ways to use Heidenreich if he makes the 53-man roster. Sikkema thinks his best role is as a slot receiver.

“You need a lot of receiving production because no team threw to RBs more than the Steelers in 2025,” he said. “Aaron Rodgers is gonna love this guy.”

Edwards gave the pick a B+ grade via CBS Sports.

“Do not get hung up on the position listed next to Heidenreich’s name. He will run the ball. He will run routes and catch passes. Whatever the team needs, the Navy Midshipman will provide. It would not be a surprise if he became a special teams ace as well.”