Tag Archives: Drew Allar

5 Quick Takes on the Steelers Initial 2026 53-Man Roster

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It took 2 trades, cuts of four experienced veterans, 1 surprise injured reserve designation and an unorthodox quarterback decision, but Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy have assembled the Pittsburgh Steelers initial 53 man roster for the 2026 season.

Here are 5 quick takes on their roster decisions which come after a look at the initial roster in its entirety.

Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar at Steelers OTAs in the spring of 2026

Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar at Steelers OTAs. Photo Credit: Alysa Rubin, Steelers.com

The Initial Pittsburgh Steelers 53 Man Roster

Quarterbacks (4)

Aaron Rodgers
Mason Rudolph
Will Howard
Drew Allar

Running Backs (4)

Jaylen Warren
Rico Dowdle
Eli Heidenreich, Running Back/Wide Receiver
Riley Nowakowski, Fullback

Offensive Line (9)

Troy Fautanu
Mason McCormick
Zach Frazier
Spencer Anderson
Dylan Cook
Max Iheanachor
Gennings Dunker
Brock Hoffman
Ryan McCollum

Tight Ends (3)

Pat Freiermuth
Darnell Washington
Robert Tonyan

Wide Receivers (6)

D.K. Metcalf
Michael Pittman Jr
Roman Wilson
Germie Bernard
Ben Skowronek
Kaden Wetjen

Defensive Line (7)

Cam Heyward
Keeanu Benton
Derrick Harmon
Yahya Black
Sebastian Joseph-Day
Gabriel Rubio
Kevin Jobity Jr.

Linebackers (8)

T.J. Watt
Alex Highsmith
Patrick Queen
Payton Wilson
Nick Herbig
Jack Sawyer
Carson Bruener
Cole Holcomb

Cornerbacks (5)

Jalen Ramsey
Joey Porter Jr.
Jamel Dean
Asante Samuel Jr.
Brandin Echols
Daylen Everette

Safeties (3)

Jaquan Brisker
Robert Spears-Jennings
Rayshawn Jenkins

Specialists (3)

Chris Boswell, kicker
Cameron Johnston, punter
Christian Kuntz, long snapper

Injured Reserve Designated Return

DeShon Elliott, safety
Jack Driscoll, offensive line

1. Take Mike McCarthy at His Word on 4 Quarterbacks

When Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar were the only 3 quarterbacks during OTA’s Mike McCarthy affirmed that “4 quarterbacks would be awesome.” He meant it. For the third time in 21 years, the Steelers are keeping 4 quarterbacks on their initial roster. In 1995 they did it from a position of strength, in 1999 they did it from a position of weakness.

This time it is somewhere in between, but given the dynamics of the room, McCarthy is making the right move by keeping 4 quarterbacks.

2. There’s No Numbers in Safety

The most concerning personnel move the Steelers made was to put DeShaun Elliott on the injured reserve list. Sebastian Castro got cut while Donte Kent is on the PUP list.

That leaves the Steelers with 3 safeties, one of whom is a 7th round pick and another 9-year veteran on his 6th team.

Mike McCarthy has talked about using Jalen Ramsey as a Charles Woodson like chess-piece. I suspect he’ll start 2026 the way he finished 2025 – working as a strong safety.

Jalen Ramsey and DeShone Elliott at St. Vincents in the summer of 2025.

Jalen Ramsey and DeShone Elliott at St. Vincents. Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images, via SI.com.

3. Steelers Lean into the “Fail Fast” Principle

The first major move that Omar Khan and McCarthy made was to deal 2023’s first round pick Broderick Jones off to Dallas, after just 3 seasons with the Steelers. The duo didn’t stop there, shipping off 2025’s 3rd round pick Kaleb Johnson to Green Bay for a 6th round pick.

During the spring McCarthy promised Johnson a clean slate moving in 2026. And he clearly got a long-look early in training camp.

But he fell out of favor with the coaches and will now follow his NFL dream with the Packers. Clearly neither Omar Khan nor Mike McCarthy are allowing sentimentally to cloud their decisions.

Kaleb Johnson heads for the open field in the Steelers August 2026 preseason loss to the New York Jets at Acrisure Stadium.

Kaleb Johnson almost breaks won. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

4. Youth Over Experience

The entire Steelers 2026 draft class has made the final roster. Some of these guys could be headed to IR if veterans are re-signed and this may not be a first, but it is a rare occurrence.

  • Much has been made about the age of the Steelers roster.

And while the average age of the Steelers roster is a bit skewed by the presence of Aaron Rodgers and Cam Heyward, Mike McCarthy and his staff clearly opted for youth over experience.

Veterans such as Dean Lowry, Elandon Roberts, Malik Harrison, Travis Homer and Esezi Otomewo all got visits from The Turk.

Some of these players could be back either in the next few days or after the opener, but McCarthy clearly isn’t beholden to something that a player has done for the team or done in the league in the past, but instead is focused on what he believes players can do in the future.

5. The Ball is in Porter’s Court

The Steelers also had to decide to activate Joey Porter Jr. from the PuP list or keep him there for the first 4 games of the season. The Steelers activated him.

  • In doing so, they put the ball in Porter’s court.

The Steelers would like to extend Porter’s contract, and Porter purportedly wants to stay in Pittsburgh. But the two sides can’t agree on a number.

  • Mike McCarthy, unlike Mike Tomlin, doesn’t seem to have much use for “hold ins.”

Word is the Steelers want Porter to participate in practice before engaging in serious contract negotiations. Now that he’s off the PuP list he has to decide whether he’ll do that or not.

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Grounded: Steelers Shut Out by Jets 17-0 in Preseason

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The New York Jets came to Acrisure Stadium and blanked the Pittsburgh Steelers, winning 17-0 in the second preseason game of the 2026 season.

  • My what a difference 8 days can make.

After Pittsburgh pulverized the Packers in preseason last week, the talking heads on social media would have had you believe that Mike McCarthy had already not only cured, but expunged every emblematic Tomlin-era error.

  • Against the Jets, it felt like McCarthy was metastasizing those maladies in real time.

And that’s why it is wise to take both the highs and lows of preseason in stride.

The loss to the Jets was as ugly as the score suggests but, given that it is the second preseason game, there are a few legit negatives and positives we can begin to project forward towards the regular season.

Let’s see what those are.

Chase Wilson with one of several sacks of Drew Allar in the 2026 Steelers Jets preseason win at Acrisure.

Chase Wilson sacks Drew Allar. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

1. Worry on the Offensive Line, Encouragement for the Steelers Defensive Line

The two biggest indicators that Steelers fans needed to look for in preseason were the quality of offensive line play and the strength of the spine of the defense.

Two preseason games have seen the coaches test various offensive line configurations and each combination leaves us something to worry about.

Last season several members of the Steel City Insider message board agreed that Broderick Jones had been improving prior to suffering a neck injury in Chicago. I had the same feeling, and it felt good to get confirmation from a few gents who are far more knowledgeable about X’s and O’s than I.

But we’ve seen Broderick Jones give up sacks playing on the left side last week, and against the Jets he gave up two playing on the right.

  • And it isn’t just a question of Jones.

Preseason is often, (although not always), a good gauge of the play of individual units. And the Steelers pass protection has not been good, no matter who has been out there.

The Steelers have given up 7 sacks and 9 QB hits. And all three Steelers quarterbacks have evaded other would be sacks.

Aaron Rodgers safety, Khalil Mack, Aaron Rodgers, Steelers vs Chargers, Steelers vs Chargers SNF,

Khalil Mack sacks Aaron Rodgers for a safety. Photo Credit: IMAGN Images, via Tribune-Review

This is a problem. A big part of the premise behind bringing Aaron Rodgers back was that, behind a more mature offensive line, he could do some damage with an upgraded receiver corps.

  • Nothing we’ve seen means this still can’t happen, but we’ve seen scant evidence that it is.

On the flip side, the spine of the Steelers defense had a strong night.

Both Yahya Black and Gabriel Rubio made stout plays against the run. As did Patrick Queen and rookie Robert Spears-Jennings. Payton Wilson also logged a solid night. A little more on this group later.

2. Anyone Still Want to Run Rudolph Out of Town?

The play of both Will Howard and Drew Allar against the Packers had more than a few in Steelers Nation ready to send Mason Rudolph packing.

  • Such talk was always going to be nonsense regardless of how the quarterbacks performed against the New York.

But the performance of the quarterbacks against the Jets has-re-grounded talk about the young quarterbacks in reality.

To his credit, Will Howard looked poised in the pocket and at the line of scrimmage. He looked comfortable making decisions and threw the ball with confidence – and that includes the two interceptions he threw.

Many agree that his second interception was the fault of the receiver, but regardless, Will Howard looked to be every bit of the 6th round draft pick playing in his second NFL game.

Drew Allar is a little harder to evaluate, because he delivered several passes that were on target that his receivers could have and should have caught.

With that said, the play of both quarterbacks against the Jets sustained the prevailing narrative, that Howard has the intangibles but lacks some of the athletic skill, while Allar has the athletic pedigree but lacks the intangibles.

  • That doesn’t mean either man’s future with the Steelers or in the NFL is doomed.

Mike McCarthy explained that both men left multiple teachable moments on tape. The key is for both to take advantage of the learning opportunities in front of them.

3. Stat Sheet Deceives? A Word About Running Backs and the Running Game

The stat sheet delivered a surprise this morning on the running backs. None of them have averages which raise an eyebrow. Fair enough. Numbers don’t lie, but sometimes they can mislead.

Jaylen Warren logged several authoritative carries.

Watching Dowdle brought back memories of his last performance at Acrisure, where he did enough to help Dallas move the chains.

Kaleb Johnson heads for the open field in the Steelers August 2026 preseason loss to the New York Jets at Acrisure Stadium.

Kaleb Johnson almost breaks one. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Kaleb Johnson’s performance was also interesting. He led the team in rushing, and almost broke a long one. But Johnson showed the kind of scrappiness between the tackles that you like to see in a Pittsburgh Steelers running back.

4. Wonder and Worry on Wetjen

OK. Maybe “Wonder” is a bit to strong of a headline here, but hey I need to keep your attention. Seriously. During training camp we heard about Kaden Wetjen’s burning speed and ability to make seamless cuts as a returner.

  • We didn’t see any of that against the Packers, at least as a returner.

But against the Jets we saw some signs of it, and it was encouraging.

Kaden Wetjen fumbles during the Steelers 2026 preseason loss to the Jets at Acrisure.

Kaden Wetjen coughs up that ball. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

What isn’t encouraging was his ball security – he lost a fumble and bobbled another return. And watching him get tackled made me wonder whether someone of his size can withstand the pounding.

5. Of Carson Bruener and Bloodlines

When it came to picking players, Mike Tomlin loved his bloodlines.

The struggles of Terrell Edmunds and Devin Bush Jr. made it easy to wonder whether Tomlin wasn’t letting sentimentality get the better of him. (Funny, neither Cam Heyward or T.J. Watt ever prompted suggestions of sentimentality.)

Bloodlines were a factor in Tomlin’s final draft pick Carson Bruener. Carson Bruener is of course the son of Steelers scout and former tight end Mark Bruener, who made the team last year on special teams.

  • And this preseason he’s showing he belongs on the defense.

On consecutive plays Bruener deflected a pass and then sacked the quarterback. And overall this kid just looks like he belongs every time he sees the field.

6. Two More Who Belong: Skowronek and Roberts

Two more players who are showing that they belong are Ben Skowronek and Elandon Roberts. Skowronek had 3-catches against the Jets, adding to the two he had against the Packers.

Skowronek may never prove he’s the Yancey Thigpen in hiding as this site suggested in the spring of 2025, but he’s a special teams ace and shows that he can catch the ball when it is thrown to him.

The Steelers re-signed the “Tooth Chipper” Elandon Roberts earlier this week and he led the defense with five tackles, renewing the question: Why did Omar Khan and Tomlin let him walk last spring?

No matter. That’s an academic question now. But it certainly is good to welcome Elandon Roberts back as part of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Steelers-Packers Preseason Priorities: Focus on the Offensive Line and Defensive Spine

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When the Steelers begin their 2026 preseason campaign at Acrisure Stadium tonight against the Packers, all eyes will be on the two extremes of the offense, with the focus on answering two questions:

Mike McCarthy and his staff must gain clarity on both questions during preseason.

Finding out whether Howard and/or Allar has legit long-term potential as a starting quarterback is essential. And if the Steelers 2024 and 2025 seasons taught us anything, it is that a varsity offense requires varsity wide receivers.

Keeanu Benton, Steelers vs Packers

Kennau Benton tackles Aaron Jones. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

But if you really want to understand what will define the Steelers’ ability to not only reach but compete in the playoffs this year, you should keep your focus on the front and center.

  • The “front” being the offensive line, and the “center” being the middle of the defense.

To understand why, let’s look back the Steelers playoff debacle against the Texans and then peer further back into the bowels of Pittsburgh’s famed 3-4 defense.

The Offensive Line’s Eyesore Performance vs. the Texans

Watching the Steelers-Texans game in the cold at outside of Hibernia Bar in Manhattan, my gut reaction was simple:

  • This offensive line just isn’t ready.

The game reminded me of the 2014 playoff loss to the Ravens at Heinz Field. During the 2014 regular season Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin’s commitment to rebuilding the offensive line, after years of “plug and patch,” began to pay dividends.

That year, under Mike Munchak’s tutelage, the offensive line had transformed itself into an asset. But in the playoffs, the Ravens defense revealed that Pittsburgh’s offensive line still needed to mature more.

And so it was in 2025.

The Steelers line started the season a little shaky, and while they never dominated, they clearly improved as the year progressed. But in the playoffs they withered under the Texans’ pass rush, showing that more maturity was needed.

  • With the unit returning four out of five starters everyone expects improvement. But there’s a “but.”

Of the four returning starters, only Zach Frazier will play in the same spot. Troy Fautanu and Mason McCormick will move to the left side, Dylan Cook will move to the right and Spencer Anderson, who played primarily on the left, also moves to the right.

Steelers reserve center Ryan McCollum with Aaron Rodgers during the Steelers 2025 win over the Colts.

Ryan McCollum and Aaron Rodgers. Photo Credit: Ed Thompson, SteelersNow

That may not be the opening-day lineup, particularly with Broderick Jones back in the mix, but the coaching staff has established a clear pecking order.

Mike McCarthy, Brian Angelichio and James Campen have enthusiastically moved around the pieces. While nothing about the performance against the Texans screamed, “This isn’t broken, don’t fix it,” moving so many players into new positions still carries a bit of risk.

  • But it also carries potential upside.

My friend and Steel City Insider analyst Matt C. Steel has written extensively about the disservice that NFL coaches can do by moving offensive linemen away from their natural positions, pointing to neuroscience and citing Kevin Dotson as an example, who is playing much better at right guard in Los Angeles than he played on the left in Pittsburgh. (It should be noted that Alan Faneca switched sides in the pros, and his a Hall of Famer.)

But if reshuffling the offensive line deck is what allows the unit to take the next step forward, this decision will pay dividends both this season and beyond. Tonight against the Packers we’ll get our first taste of what’s to come.|

Steelers Piss-Poor Run Defense Hiding in Plain Sight

The ugly nature of the 30-6 home playoff loss to the Texans made it easy to forget an interesting factoid: the Steelers were still within one point early in the 4th quarter until Houston hustled the game away with two defensive scores.

The Steelers defense kept the team in the game while their offense didn’t look like it belonged on the field.

  • But there’s an unpleasant surprise hiding in the stat sheet.

Yes, the Steelers defense earned their stripes, keeping Pittsburgh in the game with turnovers by Brandin Echols, T.J. Watt, and Yahya Black. Sacks by Derrick Harmon, Keeanu Benton and Jack Sawyer made C.J. Stroud look lost.

  • But one player who found a groove was rookie Texas running back Woody Marks.

Marks ran for 112 yards – his previous best had been 69 yards. Nick Chubb added another 48 yards on 10 carries.

This is important, because Mike McCarthy made no bones about sticking with the 3-4 upon his return to Pittsburgh.

And to understand how alarming those run defense stats are, we need to go back to something former defensive coordinator Tim Lewis once told Jim Wexell: The strength of the Steelers 3-4 defense runs through its spine.

To visualize that, simply remember the days of Casey Hampton, James Farrior and Troy Polamalu and the (6) Super Bowl rings they own.

And the Steelers have questions to answer across the spine of their defense.

  • Can Benton, in a new system, show he’s a true run-stopping nose tackle?
  • If not, is Yahya Black that man, or perhaps even Gabriel Rubio?
  • Are Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson strong enough to man the middle?
  • And who will emerge at safety?

This last question is perhaps the most critical, because Omar Khan has already made several moves at safety.

After watching Kenny Pickett and Company look All World just three Augusts ago, Steelers fans need no reminder that preseason can be deceiving.

But preseason can still offer decent looks at individual position groups. And against the Packers, my focus will be on the spine of the Steelers defense.

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4 Solutions to the Steelers Quarterback Depth Chart “Math” Problem

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If there’s one thing you can say about the internet, it’s that it is predictable. Aaron Rodgers signing ended the daily “Will HE? Or Won’t HE?” “updates” that bombarded us.

But now that Aaron Rodgers is in the fold, fretters still have to fret, so on comes the next “crisis,” namely the Steelers quarterback depth chart math problem.

Aaron Rodgers’ return gives the Steelers four quarterbacks, with veteran backup Mason Rudolph, second year man Will Howard, and 2026 3rd round draft pick Drew Allar.

How in the world will the Steelers manage 4 quarterbacks?

What kind of monster have Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy created for themselves…?

  • OR something like that. And it’s all nonsense.

The Steelers have dealt with this situation before, as recently as 2018, when they had Ben Roethlisberger, Landry Jones, Joshua Dobbs and Mason Rudolph.

The answer to resolving this four quarterback quandary is the same now as it was then: Let reality unfold at its own pace.

With that understood, there are 4 possible outcomes, none of which should force anyone to fret.

Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar at Steelers OTAs in the spring of 2026

Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar at Steelers OTAs. Photo Credit: Alysa Rubin, Steelers.com

1. Attrition May Make Decisions for Mike McCarthy

Let’s be clear. No NFL coach or General Manager ever wants injuries to make decisions for him. But it happens all the time.

  • Omar Khan alluded to this in his post-draft press conference.

Even though quarterbacks don’t get hit in training camp, the Steelers have seen plenty of quarterbacks injured during the summer.

  • Summer injuries cost Charlie Batch both the 2004 and 2008 seasons.

The Steelers were planning to start Byron Leftwich during Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension in 2010, but Leftwich got hurt. Dennis Dixon started the season and got hurt, and up stepped Charlie Batch – So it was a good thing the Steelers had 4 quarterbacks at their disposal, wasn’t it?

A year later, the Steelers brought the same quartet to St. Vincents, only to have Dennis Dixon get injured and lost for the season – again, math problem solved.

Bruce Gradkowski got hurt in camp in 2015, leading Michael Vick’s stint with the Steelers. Depth is a luxury in the NFL, not a liability. Quarterback is no exception.

2. Let the Preseason Play Speak for Itself

Football isn’t like amateur wrestling, you can’t just wrestle off two quarterbacks to see who is better. But quarterback competitions can tell you a lot.

  • And right now, I’d guess that Mike McCarthy really wishes he was playing 4 preseason games.

[Cue the Dana Carvey-like Grumpy Old Man rant about how NFL errs by devaluing preseason.]

The upside to only having 3 preseason games is that Aaron Rodgers probably won’t play in any of  them, so it frees up reps for everyone else. That should be enough for Rudolph to get his feet wet with the McCarthy’s offense while giving the coaches a good look at Howard and Allar in varied situations.

Ben Roethlisberger, Landry Jones, Mason Rudolph, Joshua Dobbs, Steelers 4 quarterbacks

Can the Steelers keep 4 quarterbacks in 2018? Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Mike Tomlin let his 3 quarterbacks duke it out in summer of 2018 and at the end he decided to cut Landry Jones. Given that Jones was the only backup quarterback with NFL experience, the move raised eyebrows.

But Jones never threw another NFL pass, while Dobbs and Mason Rudolph have made a 34 NFL starts between them.

3. Steelers Have Kept 4 Quarterbacks Before. Why Not Again?

Keeping 4 quarterbacks is unorthodox. But it has been done before. The New England Patriots began the 1989 season with 4 quarterbacks on their active roster, and all four made starts.

The Steelers of course kept 4 quarterbacks in 1995, when they had Neil O’Donnell, Mike Tomczak, Jim Miller and Kordell Stewart. Less well-remembered is 1999, when they did it again keeping Stewart, Tomczak, Pete Gonzalez, and Anthony Wright,. the Steelers “forgotten 4th quarterback.”

Anthony Wright, Steelers

Anthony Wright the Steelers forgotten 4th String Quarterback. Photo Credit: Peter Diana, Post-Gazette

The roster math behind 4 quarterbacks is certainly complicated here in 2026, but Mike McCarthy will have an easier time today than Bill Cowher and Tom Donahoe did in 1995.

For starters, Bill Cowher kept Rod Woodson on the active roster throughout the Steelers 1995 season. And, unlike today, injured reserve ended a player’s season.

So Bill Cowher kept 4 quarterbacks AND an injured player on the active roster all season long and still made it to Super Bowl XXX. So keeping 4 quarterbacks can be done. And if not…

Speaking of injured reserve….

4. Follow the Washington Redshirts’ Example

In the pre-salary cap of the 1980’s Washington was notorious for stashing players on injured reserve. Joe Gibbs and Bobby Bethard had it down to a science.

One ESPN commentator went so far as to refer to them as the “Washington Redshirts.”

They did this with players at every position, but they excelled at doing it with quarterbacks. Both Mark Rypien and Stan Humphries had “Redshirt seasons” on Washington’s IR before going on to start Super Bowls.

So if both Howard and Allar show promise in the summer well then, one of them could end up pulling a groin in late August, couldn’t he….?

The Pittsburgh Steelers will arrive at St. Vincents with a quarterback math problem. But it is a good problem to have and one with several solutions. Let’s just let reality unfold at its own pace.

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Steelers 2026 Draft Class Emphasizes Offense and Versatility

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The 2026 NFL Draft is in the history books.

Record crowds came to Pittsburgh. We saw a veritable parade of Steelers Hall of Famers strut the stage, from Jerome Bettis, to Mel Blount, to Lynn Swann & John Stallworth to Hines Ward. Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger embraced.

Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy selected 10 players to form the Steelers 2026 Draft Class. Khan traded up twice, traded down once, made one rather infamous phone call, and closed the draft with a hometown hero story that Barry Levinson couldn’t have scripted better. (Hum, could Levinson, a Baltimore native, have had a hand in scripting the Lemon trade….?)

Steelers 2026 draft picks Germie Bernard, Daylen Everette, Drew Allar and Gennings Dunker.

Germie Bernard, Daylen Everette, Drew Allar and Gennings Dunker. Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham, Steelers.com

Before we can unpack what it all means, let’s take a look at the newest members of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Steelers 2026 Draft Class at a Glance:

Round 1: Max Iheanachor, Offensive Tackle, Arizona State
Round 2: Germie Bernard, Wide Receiver, Alabama
Round 3: Drew Allar, Quarterback, Penn State
Round 3: Daylen Everette, Cornerback, Georgia
Round 3: Gennings Dunker, Guard, Iowa
Round 4: Kaden Wetjen, Return Specialist/WR, Iowa
Round 5: Riley Nowakowski, Fullback, Indiana
Round 6: Gabriel Rubio, Defensive End, Notre Dame
Round 7: Robert Spears-Jennings, Safety, Oklahoma
Round 7: Eli Heidenreich, Running Back-Wide Receiver, Navy

So what grade do Khan and McCarthy get for this draft?

Ask me in 5 years.

Seriously. Chuck Noll waited 5 years to judge draft classes, and if that was good enough for him, it is good enough for me. With that said the Steelers 2026 draft class has already given us a few early lessons.

The obvious one is that Khan and McCarthy leaned in heavily on offense. Given the JVness of the Steelers offenses in 2023, 2024 and 2025 that’s logical. But there are other, deeper lessons to be found.

Putting the Malik Lemon Draft-Day Miss in Historical Perspective

As everyone knows, Omar Khan was on the phone with Malik Lemon while Dallas was on the clock, only to have the Eagles trade up and draft Lemon, leaving the Steelers to scramble and draft Max Iheanachor instead.

The social media general managers in Steelers Nation pounced, torching Omar Khan for mishandling the situation.

Let’s put this phone call and the draft day “miss” with Malik Lemon into perspective…

…Once upon a time the NFL had an 800 pound gorilla that dominated the draft. This gorilla used the draft to transform a team that won 4 games in two seasons into a team that won 3 Super Bowls in 4 years with only 3-year ramp. The gorilla’s name was Jimmy Johnson

During the 1992 NFL Draft, Johnson sent an assistant coach, contract in hand, to Leon Searcy’s home. The idea was to draft Searcy, sign him and get him on a plane before the ink dried.

Alas Jimmy Johnson ran into a little problem.

Tom Donahoe and Bill Cowher drafted Leon Searcy before he could. This was long before the digital age, yet the story dominated draft coverage on Big 3, CNN and especially ESPN….

…Except it didn’t.

The world had to wait for Jim Wexell’s On the Clock to tell that story.

Leon Searcy was an excellent tackle and, in the Heinz Field era, likely would have been a life-long Steeler. But after missing out on Searcy, Jimmy Johnson traded down and drafted Kevin Smith.

Emmit Smith, Levon Kirkland, Greg Lloyd, Carnell Lake, Steelers vs Cowboys, Super Bowl XXX, Super Bowl 30

Levon Kirkland and Greg Lloyd tackle Emmitt Smith in Super Bowl XXX. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

Kevin Smith played 103 games for the Dallas Cowboys, started 93 of them, made 19 interceptions, forced 7 fumbles and made UPI’s 2nd team All-Conference squad in 1996. He retired with 3 Super Bowl rings, including one for the Cowboys win over the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX.

The moral of the story is this: Judge not by who you missed, but who you picked after pivoting.

Why Versatility Defines the Steelers 2026 Draft Class

“Versatile.” “We won’t know exactly how he fits until we see him work with the group as a whole.” In some form or fashion, we heard those words from the Steelers coaching staff throughout the 2026 NFL Draft.

  • Yet, many Steelers commentators acted as if that’s a bad thing.

This started with the Eagles swooping in to draft Malik Lemon, forcing the Steelers to go back to their board and draft Max Iheanachor instead. Judging by his non-verbal behavior, Mike McCarthy was: 1. Glad to get Ihenachor and 2: Had little idea of how he’d fit into the Steelers line up.

  • Let’s embrace the elephant in the room.

Watching a beaming head coach or general manager explain exactly how a first round pick fits into their system breeds confidence.

But let’s acknowledge the flip side: The NFL Draft is a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get.

The point is that one of the worst things an NFL coaching staff can do is try to force players into a system that’s not suited for them. Bill Parcells drafted James Farrior as an outside linebacker where he was OK. Kevin Colbert brought him to Pittsburgh, Bill Cowher moved him inside, and he’s one of the best Steelers free agent signings ever.

By and large, forcing guys into systems they were unsuited for wasn’t a major issue during the Tomlin era.

But those who remember Joe Walton and Kevin Gilbride stints as offensive coordinator know just how caustic coaches trying to force square pegs into round holes can be.

Based on the post-draft press conferences, this won’t be an issue under Mike McCarthy.

The Draft = NFL’s Land of Hope and Dreams

It is fitting that the Steelers book-ended 2026 NFL Draft with Ben Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw hugging and drafting Mt. Lebanon native Eli Heidenreich because the draft is all about reconciling hopes with dreams.

Ben Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw hug at the 2026 NFL Draft.

Ben Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw hug at the 2026 NFL Draft. Photo Credit: Jared Wickerham, Steelers.com

It will be a while before we know how strong the Steelers 2026 Draft Class is. If 5 of the 10 newest Steelers “make it” as pro football players then that will make this draft an outstanding success.

Some guys won’t make the cut. Injuries will fell others. At least one will be a numbers game causality. That’s just the harsh reality of the NFL.

  • But let’s worry about that another day.

The NFL draft is a veritable “Land of Hopes and Dreams” (yes, that’s an intentional shout out to Springsteen.) Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy gave 10 men legitimate hope of realizing their NFL dream. Let’s let them enjoy that for a time, and as they continue to strive to be the best they can be.

And best of all? They’ll do it in Black and Gold.

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Steelers Draft Daylen Everette, Cornerback Georgia, in 3rd Round of 2026 NFL Draft

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The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Georgia Bulldogs cornerback Daylen Everette with their second third round pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Daylen Everette intercepts a pass against the Texas Longhorns

Steelers 2026 3rd round pick Daylen Everette intercepts a pass for the Georgia Bulldogs.

In drafting a cornerback, Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy leapfrogged inside linebacker on the Steelers 2026 Draft Needs Matrix and addressed the roster’s 5th most urgent area of need. The move pivoted Pittsburgh to defense, after addressing offense with the picks of Max Iheanachor, Germie Bernard and Drew Allar in the first 3 rounds of the draft.

Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham endorsed Everette’s physical attributes, and praised, “The seriousness he has about football, the focus he has as a young man. I was really impressed by that. And you could just tell there’s some grit there about him and a willingness to get better.”

Steel City Insider’s Roy Countryman listed Everette has the top corner on his third round value board.

Watch Daylen Everette Highlights: Steelers 2026 3rd Round Draft Pick

Over the last three years Everette started 41 games for the Georgia Bulldogs, pulling down 5 interceptions and batting away 20 passes. By all accounts his tackling improved, which boosted his draft status.

Everette told Steel City Insider’s Jim Wexell that he played press man coverage on “maybe 80, 85 percent of my snaps.” If the video above is indicative of his ability, he was quite effective at it.

How Daylen Everette Fits in the Steelers Secondary Depth Chart

As a 3rd round pick Daylen Everette won’t need to fight for a roster spot, but finding playing time could be a challenge, assuming Joey Porter Jr., Jamel Dean and Brandin Echols stay healthy, they should see the bulk of the work at cornerback, with Jalen Ramsey rotating in as a chess piece.

That being the case, special teams is likely Everette’s ticket to getting playing time, although Patrick Graham reminded reporters that “There’s no depth chart right now. It’s open audition for ballhawks.”

Welcome to Steelers Nation Daylen Everette.

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Steelers Draft Drew Allar, Quarterback from Penn State in 3rd Round of 2026 NFL Draft

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The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Penn State quarterback Drew Allar with the first of their 3 third round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

In doing so, Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy continued to stick close to the Steelers 2026 Draft Needs Matrix. Wide receiver was the top need, quarterback their second with offensive tackle coming in third.

Drew Allar quarterbacking for Penn State against North Western in his final collegiate game.

Steelers Drew Allar, the Steelers 2026 3rd round pick. Photo Credit: Barry Reeger, AP, via the Post-Gazette.

With their first pick the Steelers drafted offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, in the second round they traded up to take wide receiver Germie Bernard and now in the third round they’ve added a quarterback.

  • Just one year ago draft analysist touted Drew Allar as a potential first round prospect.

However, he injured his ankle while scrambling during the 4th quarter of Penn State’s October 11th 22-22 loss to Northwestern. The injury ended his season and cost Allar a chance to make up inconsistent performance which had already caused scouts to question his worthiness of first round status.

Roy Countryman of Big Country Scouting ranked Allar as one of his 4th round value picks, describing him as perhaps “the most enigmatic prospect in this year’s draft class.” Countryman praises Allar’s athletic traits and explains this enigmatic diagnosis this way:

…Is adept between the ears as he can process coverage schemes and reads at a quality rate and is a sturdy presence in the pocket who will stand tall and deliver passes to his receivers….

…What frustrates too often is that you see the flashes of Allar’s high points, but he makes some highly questionable decisions and his accuracy can wane under duress or when he’s out of rhythm. His footwork is a trainwreck, which causes some of his touch issues.

Steelers quarterback’s coach Tom Arth conceded that Allar’s footwork needs attention, while praising the Penn State signal caller as someone with the size and strength for “…playing the physical brand of football that it is in the AFC North.”

Steel City Insider’s Matt C. Steel share with Steel Curtain Rising the he also had Allar pegged as a 4th rounder explaining that he’s “Worth trying to develop his measurables by round four if the rest of these players are off the board.”

Watch Drew Allar Highlights: Steelers 2026 3rd Round Pick

Drew Allar was a three-year starter for the Nittany Lions and went 26-9 career in his 35 starts.

Here’s a look at his highlight reel, where you can see Allar’s impressive arm-strength, mobility and pocket presence on display.

Drew Allar’s flashes are easy to see. The question is whether the Mike McCarthy, Brian Angelichio Tom Arth can transform those flashes into consistent NFL quarterback play.

Does Drew Allar Reshape the Steelers’ 2026 Quarterback Room…?

By drafting Drew Allar, the Steelers have added a third quarterback to their roster in addition to Mason Rudolph and Will Howard. The proverbial “Elephant in the room” is of course Aaron Rodgers‘ absence.

Throughout the off season, the Steelers brass, from Art Rooney II to Omar Khan to Mike McCarthy have expressed optimism on the record that Rodgers will sign with the team. They’ve backed this up with obvious off the record assurances to reporters.

And Tom Arth doubled down on this narrative confirming, “I don’t believe that has any impact on Aaron.”

If Arth is right, that gives the Steelers a numbers problem. Before the draft the idea of having Rodgers backed up by a veteran (Rudolph) and a developmental prospect (Howard) was straightforward.

Now the Steelers have two developmental prospects. Mike McCarthy has already said he can manage the development of two young players simultaneously.

  • But keeping 4 quarterbacks present Pittsburgh with a math problem.

Yes, the Steelers have kept 4 quarterbacks twice before. In’95, they kept Neil O’Donnell, Mike Tomczak, Jim Miller and Kordell Stewart. The plan worked well, as all four quarterbacks threw passes that season, and the “Slash” phenomenon helped fuel the 1995 Steelers run to Super Bowl XXX.

Kordell Stewart, Mike Tomczak, 1999 Steelers

Kordell Stewart and Mike Tomlin in the late 1990s.

Moreover, Tomczak, Miller and Stewart all did stints as the Steelers starting QB following O’Donnell’s departure in free agency.

They also kept four quarterbacks at the end of the decade when they carried with Stewart, Tomcazk, Pete Gonzalez and Anthony Wright on their roster for the duration of the 1999 season. But after the ’99 neither Tomcazk, nor Gonzalez nor Wright ever wore a Steelers uniform again.

The Steelers kept 4 quarterbacks in 1995 because of their collective strength, whereas in 1999 it revealed the group’s weakness.

The challenge, for Drew Allar as well as Will Howard isn’t just to force Mike McCarthy into a difficult math problem, but to do so from a position of strength.

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