The Pittsburgh Steelers have a handful of options with the No. 21 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. If they decide not to go with a quarterback, there’s a good chance they could snag a defensive player instead.
A handful of defensive players could fit well into Pittsburgh’s defense. In a mock draft published on Saturday by USA Today’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, he has the Steelers selecting defensive tackle Caleb Banks from Florida at No. 21.
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“Another shift here, as the Steelers followed up their trade for receiver Michael Pittman Jr. by bringing aboard cornerback Jamel Dean,” Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote. “With those two positions handled, why not turn to a defensive line that’s been far too reliant on soon-to-be 37-year-old Cameron Heyward?
“Banks isn’t a finished product yet, but Heyward could mentor the 6-6, 327-pounder and help him make the most of his disruptiveness off the line of scrimmage. A broken foot suffered at the combine, however, could complicate his assessment by teams.”
The 23-year-old defensive tackle played five seasons of college football, starting with two years at Louisville before transferring to Florida for three seasons. Over the course of 34 games, he recorded 6.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss. Unfortunately, he was limited to just three games last season due to a foot injury he sustained during training camp, which ultimately affected him throughout the season.
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