On Thursday night the Pittsburgh Steelers got embarrassed by the Cincinnati Bengals and really exposed the team’s biggest roster needs. We understand that in all likelihood quarterback Aaron Rodgers is riding off into the sunset after this season and the Steelers will have to bring in a quarterback but make no mistake, there are plenty of other current and pending needs on the roster.
We’ve updated our four-round mock draft for the 2026 NFL draft and this time around the Steelers miss out on all of the top six quarterbacks and go in a completely different direction in the first round which completely changes the dynamic of the entire draft.
Advertisement
First round – DL LT Overton – Alabama
Pittsburgh needs a succession plan for Cam Heyward, and Overton is the blueprint for a defensive lineman to pair up with Derrick Harmon for the long term. Overton is a monster who can line up inside and outside and might remind us more of Heyward than even Harmon did last year.
Second round – QB Garrett Nussmeier – LSU
After missing on the top quarterbacks in the first round, the Steelers stop the slide of LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier in the second round. We considered him in the first but it paid off to wait and still get him in the second. Just beware, there will be Kenny Pickett comparisons after the season.
Advertisement
Third round – CB Jermaine Mathews Jr. – Ohio State
Mathews is a high-ceiling cornerback who doesn’t have ideal size but is experienced and polished, and also brings elite track speed, which the Steelers are lacking.
Third round – WR Malachi Fields – Notre Dame
It’s a little like Deja Vu to see the Steelers take a shot on a raw Notre Dame wide receiver with a huge frame who excels at 50/50 balls. But Fields has far more polish to his game than Chase Claypool did coming out and by all accounts, is far more mature.
Fourth round – S Xavier Nwankpa – Iowa
It isn’t clear which veteran safeties won’t be back, but like with cornerback, we are planning for the future with Mwankpa, who brings elite measurables, including sub-4.4 speed.
Advertisement
Fourth round – OT Xavier Chaplin – Auburn
Massive strong-side tackle prospect with enough upside to develop for a team like the Steelers that wants to run the football.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers 4-round mock draft update after Bengals loss