The Pittsburgh Steelers are projected to have five picks through the first three rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft. Compared to the two they had a year ago, that gives them an opportunity to start a significant youth movement on an aging roster desperate for one. Pro Football Focus conducted a three-round mock earlier this week and opted for an offensive overhaul on Pittsburgh’s roster.

First Round
No. 20 – QB Ty Simpson – Alabama

Simpson fell off a bit at the end of the college season, but he could revitalize his draft stock with a strong performance in the College Football Playoffs. If he doesn’t return to college and the Steelers don’t use their 12 picks to move up, Simpson feels like a realistic option.

“I do think it’s realistic ’cause I think Simpson’s stock has actually fallen the last month or so in SEC play with the way that he’s played. But you then wonder, okay, is it a question of how desperate are the Steelers to find somebody,” Dalton Wasserman said via PFF’s YouTube.

The Steelers obviously want to be drafting a quarterback this year, but will one be available that makes sense? Are they going to be forced to take a flyer on a Day 2 prospect?

Simpson is intriguing as a one-year starter with 26 TDs and 5 INTs, but he isn’t a first-round slam dunk after a shaky end to the season for Alabama.

Second Round
No. 52 – WR Ja’Kobi Lane – USC

Lane would add another physically imposing body type to the Steelers’ WR room along with DK Metcalf. Listed at 6-4, 195 pounds, the Steelers would have one of the biggest groups of pass catchers in the league if they added Lane.

Most of the focus will be on his teammate Makai Lemon as a slot receiver in the first round, but Lane deserves a look on day two with 49 receptions for 745 yards and four TDs this year.

To pair with his size, he has elite ball-tracking abilities and a strong set of hands. While a similar size to Metcalf, he has a different skill set.

“Contested catch monster, that’s what you need to know,” Wasserman said. “You’re really talking about a guy who can go up and get ’em.”

Third Round
No. 72 – S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren – Toledo

After back-to-back picks to improve the offense and the passing game, the PFF crew have the Steelers hopping over to the defensive side of things to grab a talent that should never have fallen this far. Toledo has one of the best defenses in the country, and McNeil-Warren is the straw that stirs the drink.

The Steelers have both DeShon Elliott and Jalen Ramsey under contract, but I suppose they could move Ramsey back to a more hybrid role if they decide to grab a safety. They’d have plenty of options if they did.

“You want a tough football player?” Wasserman said. “He’s the king of the peanut punch in college football right now. He’s just an aggressive football player.”

The explosiveness of Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (6’2”, 200) doesn’t take long to pop on tape.

Long, rangy, defender that hopefully takes the opportunity to raise his stock further at a pre draft showcase. One of the premier G5 players in the class. pic.twitter.com/DgHLRzmXdJ

— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) November 21, 2025

No. 84 – OT Isaiah World – Oregon

Broderick Jones is on IR with just one year remaining on his rookie deal unless the Steelers opt to pick up his fifth-year option. They can’t afford to have their heavily-invested OL rebuild fall apart if Jones doesn’t pan out. World is a high-ceiling developmental guy who could be the perfect project in the third round.

“He’s got the athleticism. He’s got all the tools. It’s just a matter of this year, I think he’s been banged up a little bit…World is a good call if you’re trying to develop him behind the scenes,” Wasserman said.

No. 98 – CB Malik Muhammad – Texas

With the Steelers’ compensatory pick, the PFF crew had them grabbing help at cornerback. Waiting until No. 98 to address the position probably isn’t enough, but he’s got good size and length. They wondered if he could hold up in man coverage, which might disqualify him in the Steelers’ mind.