{"id":874237,"date":"2026-04-25T11:48:44","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T11:48:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/874237\/"},"modified":"2026-04-25T11:48:44","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T11:48:44","slug":"the-best-available-players-for-the-steelers-on-day-3-of-the-2026-nfl-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/874237\/","title":{"rendered":"The best available players for the Steelers on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"

The first two days of the draft are in the books, with the Steelers wheeling and dealing on Day 2 to complete their haul in the top 100: tackle Max Iheanachor, receiver Germie Bernard, quarterback Drew Allar, corner Daylen Everette, and guard Gennings Dunker.<\/p>\n

Up later today are Rounds 4-7, where there\u2019s still some good value to be had, but teams will start looking not just for future starters, but strong depth and special teams options. The Steelers have remaining picks at Nos. 121, 161, 224, 230, and 249.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s where your knowledge of draft prospects might start to falter, but there are still plenty of interesting names across several positions for Pittsburgh to consider:<\/p>\n

\"FARGO,<\/a><\/p>\n

FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA – NOVEMBER 19: Bryce Lance #5 of the North Dakota State Bison catches a pass prior to the game against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks at FARGODOME on November 19, 2022 in Fargo, North Dakota. (Photo by Sean Arbaut\/Getty Images) Getty Images<\/p>\n

Bryce Lance, North Dakota StateSkyler Bell, UConnElijah Sarratt, IndianaDeion Burks, OklahomaKevin Coleman Jr., MissouriMalik Benson, OregonBrenen Thompson, Mississippi StateJeff Caldwell, CincinnatiCyrus Allen, CincinnatiKendrick Law, Kentucky<\/p>\n

RB: The only carryover from yesterday\u2019s top 10 is Lance \u2014 who was always going to be a dart throw as a high-upside FCS product \u2014 as there was a substantial wide receiver run on Day 2. Still, there is some intriguing variety here, from a back-shoulder specialist such as Sarratt to a speed threat such as Benson or a slot weapon such as Coleman. Keep an eye on Steelers pre-draft visits Bell, Caldwell, and Law, as this is a position Pittsburgh could easily double up on with its remaining picks.<\/p>\n

\"MANHATTAN,<\/a><\/p>\n

MANHATTAN, KS – NOVEMBER 29: Kansas State Wildcats safety Vj Payne (7) in the snow before a Big 12 football game between the Colorado Buffaloes and Kansas State Wildcats on November 29, 2025 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, KS. (Photo by Scott Winters\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n

VJ Payne, Kansas StateKyle Louis, PittsburghGenesis Smith, ArizonaJalon Kilgore, South CarolinaZakee Wheatley, Penn StateKamari Ramsey, USCLouis Moore, IndianaSkyler Thomas, Oregon StateMichael Taaffe, TexasCole Wisniewski, Texas Tech<\/p>\n

RP: VJ Payne has been a \u201cMy Guy\u201d for me this cycle. I\u2019ve thought he\u2019d be available at least into the fourth round, and there\u2019s a chance he\u2019s around longer. If you were a fan of Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Payne is of a similar ilk. Kyle Louis is a linebacker\/safety hybrid and is featured in both lists for us here. He was a pre-draft visit, and we know the Steelers love a guy with local ties. I\u2019ll also shout out Ryland\u2019s guy, Oregon State\u2019s Skyler Thomas, who could fill in on special teams early and has shown the ball skills that could contribute to a secondary in some capacity.<\/p>\n

\"CINCINNATI,<\/a><\/p>\n

CINCINNATI, OHIO – OCTOBER 04: Domonique Orange #95 of the Iowa State Cyclones walks off the field after losing to the Cincinnati Bearcats 38-30 at Nippert Stadium on October 04, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell\/Getty Images) Getty Images<\/p>\n

Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida StateGracen Halton, OklahomaZxavian Harris, Ole MissRayshaun Benny, Michigan Kaleb Proctor, Southeastern LouisianaJordan van den Berg, Georgia TechDeMonte Capehart, ClemsonDontay Corleone, CincinnatiZane Durant, Penn StateJames Thompson Jr., Illinois<\/p>\n

Steelers top-30 visit Darrell Jackson Jr. headlines a list that isn\u2019t all that exciting after Day 2, but still offers some intrigue. Van den Berg tested off-the-charts athletic (10\/10 RAS) and is a sky\u2019s-the-limit late-round option. Proctor and Durant are undersized but also testing wonders, while Capehart is a sixth-year senior with translatable length, athleticism, and run stuffing ability. Thompson, another Steelers visit, rounds out the list as an experienced defender who can play all over the line.<\/p>\n

\"UNIVERSITY<\/a><\/p>\n

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – SEPTEMBER 23: Penn State Nittany Lions Tight End Khalil Dinkins (16) makes a catch for a touchdown during the first half of the College Football game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and Penn State Nittany Lions on September 23,2023, at Beaver Stadium in University Park, PA. (Photo by Gregory Fisher\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Justin Joly, North Carolina StateJack Endries, TexasCarsen Ryan, BYUKhalil Dinkins, Penn StateRiley Nowakowski, IndianaDallen Bentley, UtahDae\u2019Quan Wright, Ole MissJosh Cuevas, AlabamaLake McRee, USCBauer Sharp, LSU<\/p>\n

RP: Dinkins was a pre-draft visitor and could be set to reunite with college teammate Drew Allar on the Steelers. He was not involved much in the passing game, but was a plus-blocker and converted roughly 19% of his receptions into touchdowns. A lot of the better blocking tight ends came off the board surprisingly early on Day 2, but Nowakowski is a player I\u2019ll highlight for his blocking and potential to convert to a fullback. With the Steelers\u2019 offensive line trending more toward a gap\/power scheme, having a bully at fullback feels like a must.<\/p>\n

\"MIAMI<\/a><\/p>\n

MIAMI GARDENS, FL – JANUARY 19: DB Keionte Scott #0 of the Miami Hurricanes lines up for a play during the Indiana Hoosiers versus the Miami Hurricanes College Football Playoff National Championship Game Presented by AT&T on January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL. (Photo by David Rosenblum\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Jermod McCoy, Tennessee Keith Abney II, Arizona StateKeionte Scott, MiamiMalik Muhammad, TexasWill Lee III, Texas A&MDevin Moore, FloridaEphesians Prysock, WashingtonHezekiah Masses, CalCharles Demmings, Stephen F. AustinChandler Rivers, Duke<\/p>\n

RB: The cornerback class remains remarkably deep even after quite a few went on Day 2. McCoy is still the headliner \u2014 his injury has clearly scared teams \u2014 but there\u2019s still plenty of value behind him. After selecting a lengthy corner in Daylen Everette in the third round, Pittsburgh might pivot to smaller slot types if they decide to double up on Day 3. With that mold in mind, Abney presents great value as a compact, instinctual cover corner, while Scott brings an infectious downhill mentality. Rivers is a quick, athletic talent who will probably slide to the slot due to size worries. Muhammad is the lone Steelers pre-draft visit on the list, but he projects as a boundary corner in the NFL.<\/p>\n

\"TEMPE,<\/a><\/p>\n

TEMPE, AZ – SEPTEMBER 26: Arizona State Sun Devils linebacker Keyshaun Elliott (44) reacts to a big play during the college football game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Arizona State Sun Devils on September 26, 2025 at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Keyshaun Elliott, Arizona StateKyle Louis, PittsburghBryce Boettcher, OregonHarold Perkins, LSUJack Kelly, BYUDeontae Lawson, AlabamaKaleb Elarms-Orr, TCURed Murdock, BuffaloJaden Dugger, LouisianaAiden Fisher, Indiana<\/p>\n

RP: Elliott didn\u2019t sneak into Round 3, which was his projected ceiling, but as a run-stuffing backer with Green Dot experience and good explosion metrics, he could become a steal on Day 3. Bryce Boettcher and Harold Perkins are both undersized but athletic players who could be starters if developed correctly. Boettcher has the better instincts of the two, while Perkins, a pre-draft visitor, has the better athletic upside. Red Murdock is an Elandon Roberts-style thumper who could be an interesting pick in Round 6 or 7.<\/p>\n

\"KNOXVILLE,<\/a><\/p>\n

KNOXVILLE, TN – SEPTEMBER 13: Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Joshua Josephs (19) rushes at Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) during the college football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Georgia Bulldogs on September 13, 2025, at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN. (Photo by Bryan Lynn\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Joshua Josephs, TennesseeMax Llewellyn, IowaNadame Tucker, Western MichiganDani Dennis-Sutton, Penn StateLT Overton, AlabamaMason Reiger, WisconsinTrey Moore, TexasTyreak Sapp, FloridaQuintayvious Hutchins, Boston CollegeZach Dufree, Washington<\/p>\n

RB: The Steelers are not pressed to take an edge, but if they are trying to plan ahead for any future moves at the position, they have a few options on the board. Joshua Josephs is a twitchy athlete who is probably only a designated pass rusher at this point in his development. Max Llewellyn is a solid edge with a sick spin move, and the Steelers seem to have an affinity for Iowa players in recent years. Nadame Tucker is an older prospect with great production in 2025. And Mason Reiger is an older prospect with freaky athleticism that could be a fun ball of clay to mold.<\/p>\n

\"SEATTLE,<\/a><\/p>\n

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – SEPTEMBER 21: Jonah Coleman #1 of the Washington Huskies leaps over Evan Smith #12 of the Northwestern Wildcats during the third quarter of the game at Husky Stadium on September 21, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. The Huskies defeated the Wildcats 24-5. (Photo by Alika Jenner\/Getty Images) Getty Images<\/p>\n

It\u2019s Day 3, so don\u2019t be surprised if the Steelers select just about any position. As a result, here are the best players not listed above \u2014 except at quarterback, because the odds are incrementally low Pittsburgh adds another one \u2014 still on the board. <\/p>\n

Connor Lew, center, AuburnJonah Coleman, running back, WashingtonMike Washington Jr, running back, ArkansasSam Hecht, center, Kansas StateEmmett Johnson, running back, NebraskaBilly Schrauth, guard, Notre DameBrian Parker II, offensive tackle, DukeJalen Farmer, guard, KansasKaytron Allen, running back, Penn StateDametrious Crownover, offensive tackle, Texas A&M<\/p>\n

RB: The Steelers certainly don\u2019t have a need on the offensive line anymore after selecting two in the top 100, but you can never have too much depth and I wouldn\u2019t rule out the team returning to the well if the value is good in Round 7. The same could be said of running back, where it looks like there will be good value late with few coming off the board in the first two days of the draft.<\/p>\n

Steelers pre-draft visits still available <\/p>\n

\"PITTSBURGH,<\/a><\/p>\n

PITTSBURGH, PA – AUGUST 30: Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Kyle Louis (9) celebrates after making a sack during the first quarter off the college football game between the Duquesne Dukes and Pittsburgh Panthers on August 30, 2025, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Frank Jansky\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Read our scouting reports on each player on BTSC\u2019s pre-draft visitor big board HERE<\/a>. <\/p>\n

CB Malik Muhammad, Texas<\/a>OT Travis Burke, Memphis <\/a>LB Kyle Louis, Pitt<\/a>OG Beau Stephens, Iowa DL Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State<\/a>WR Skyler Bell, UConn<\/a>QB Taylen Green, Arkansas<\/a>QB Cole Payton, North Dakota State<\/a>LB Jack Kelly, BYU<\/a>CB Ephesians Prysock, WashingtonLB Harold Perkins Jr., LSUTE Khalil Dinkins, Penn State<\/a>WR Kendrick Law, Kentucky<\/a>LB Jaden Dugger, LouisianaWR Jeff Caldwell, CincinnatiDL James Thompson Jr., Illinois<\/a><\/p>\n

Who are your top targets for the Steelers on Day 3? Join the BTSC community and let us know in the comments!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The first two days of the draft are in the books, with the Steelers wheeling and dealing on…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":874238,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[2055],"tags":[7,6,520,57,2376,2360,426],"class_list":{"0":"post-874237","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-pittsburgh-steelers","8":"tag-football","9":"tag-nfl","10":"tag-pittsburgh","11":"tag-pittsburgh-steelers","12":"tag-pittsburgh-steelers-draft","13":"tag-pittsburghsteelers","14":"tag-steelers"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116465193720325060","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/874237","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=874237"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/874237\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/874238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=874237"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=874237"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=874237"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}