Through 11 weeks of the college football season, you have been introduced to a variety of prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft set to be hosted in Pittsburgh.
For the 12th week, I'll introduce some familiar names, whether by position, locale, or heritage who might help the Steelers next year.
All games mentioned in this article will be played today, Saturday, and all times Eastern Standard.
QUARTERBACK
Jayden Maiava, USC (vs No. 21 Iowa, 3:30 p.m.)
Last week's matchup versus the Los Angeles Chargers was the first time thisl season that Aaron Rodgers looked like a passer closer to retirement than a player who could be in the equation to start games next year. That has no doubt been the scouting approach the front office has taken, and it can now ratchet up the search by looking west today at one of the most efficient passers in Southern Cal's Maiava.
He's a former three-star recruit who didn't get the recruiting buzz he deserved because of transferring schools numerous times in high school. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, but moved stateside for his freshman season where he played in Las Vegas. He then moved back to Hawaii playing his next two seasons there, and then finally decided to move back to Nevada where he helped lead his team to a state title appearance.
His familiarity with the area led to him committing to UNLV, where he redshirted his freshman year. In 2023 he won the starting job and put together a strong season as he passed for over 3,000 yards (3,085) and totaled 20 touchdowns (17 pass/3 rush). His play helped the Rebels reach their first Mountain West Championship game in program history.
After his breakout campaign, Maiava jumped into the transfer portal, where he garnered a ton of interest from prominent programs. He initially committed to Georgia before ultimately deciding to flip his commitment to USC.
Maiava proved his patience as he sat behind Miller Moss the first nine games during the 2024 season, but with a 4-5 record, coach Lincoln Riley changed QBs and named Maiava the starter.
He made the final four starts of the season leading them to a 3-1 record, including a victory over Texas A&M in a bowl game. The way he helped end the season on a positive note gave the Trojans great confidence in him as the starter going into 2025.
He has delivered upon that promise by leading the team to a 7-2 record up to this point of the season, putting the Trojans on the periphery of a Big Ten title opportunity. His play has been at the forefront of college passers, as he ranks second in ESPN's QBR rating (90.6), behind Ohio State's Julian Sayin (91.1).
On tape you see a passer who is most effective within the confines of the pocket. He can stand tall and cycle through progressions, has a quality frame (6-4, 230) that can withstand the rigors of getting hit in the pocket, and also has shown the ability to navigate a muddy pocket and keep his eyes downfield.
Has the arm strength to challenge all three levels of the field with quality velocity to fit it into tight windows. He has a strong grasp of throwing his receivers open and trusts his targets to make a play on the ball, sometimes to his own detriment.
His accuracy is generally solid at all three levels, but when under duress or when his footwork gets sloppy it tends to wane. His lower-body mechanics need refinement as he has a bad tendency to throw flat-footed or to not continue to mesh his lower half to his upper half.
Gritty competitor who has enough athleticism to scramble and isn't afraid to drop a shoulder and try to run through a defender. Has shown a propensity for clutch throws in big games and in key situations. Teammates seem to gravitate to him.
Maiava is a player whom I think could see his stock continue to elevate if he finishes the season strong. To me he is a Day Two prospect built in the Daniel Jones mold with his combination of athleticism and arm talent, but one who has a promising future.
While Jayden Maiava was far from perfect against Illinois, I loved his display of touch in the intermediate game. Whether it was hook zone defenders wedged between deep zones, or getting it over curl flats, he layered the ball extraordinarily well.pic.twitter.com/HK0qTcUFj4
— Nick Martin (@themicknartin) October 3, 2025
OFFENSE
Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia (vs No. 10 Texas, 7:30 p.m.)
Even with Rodgers having an off night, Roman Wilson made another play as he scored his first touchdown. Can he build off it? The Steelers clearly need help opposite DK Metcalf at wide receiver.
One player I am supremely intrigued by is Branch of the Bulldogs. He has interesting NFL bloodlines in that his great-uncle is Cliff Branch, the Hall of Fame former Raider (and Steelers nemesis) wide receiver.
Young Branch has been a bottle of electricity all the way back to his high school years where he starred alongside his brother Zion at Nevada's powerhouse program Bishop Gorman. Zach not only was a star on the gridiron but also was a legendary presence on their track team where he won the Nevada Regional championship in the 100 meters, 200 meters and long jump as a sophomore in 2021, included in that performance he ran a blazing 10.33 100.
Branch was a consensus five-star recruit, and number-one ranked wideout by a host of recruiting sites who had the pick of scholarship offers, and he decided that he and his brother Zion would both attend USC.
While he put together a modest season as a pass-catcher as a true freshman with 31 catches for 321 yards, and 2 receiving touchdowns, he had a historic impact as a returner which led him to be named USC's first true freshman First Team All-America selection. Branch became one of just three Trojans to have a punt return and kickoff return for a TD, as well as at least one receiving TD in the same season.
In 2024, Zach was still a dangerous return threat, but teams largely kept the ball away from him in that aspect. He took a step forward as one of the key pass-catchers in Riley's offense as he finished second on the team in receptions (47) with just over 500 receiving yards (503).
After the season, Branch wanted to maximize his draft stock so he transferred to Georgia, where he has already eclipsed his career highs in catches (53), receiving yards (542), and receiving touchdowns (3) through nine games.
The first thing you see on tape with Branch is his video-game like explosiveness and ability to elude defenders. While he isn't the biggest wideout (5-10, 180), his speed and agility allow him to be utilized on the perimeter, even though he has primarily been aligned from the slot.
He is not a slight player though, as he plays the ball in the air with the tenacity of a much bigger statured wideout and will fight through arm tackles. His ability to stop and start is elite, as is his ability to create separation in and out of his breaks.
If Branch continues to string together strong performances this season for the Bulldogs, he has a chance to clip 1,000 receiving yards, while also using his dynamic return ability in an effort to get Georgia into the college football championship game.
#Georgia WR Zachariah Branch (5-10, 180, JR)
A prospect to circle vs. Alabama. Leads UGA in receiving yards this year (181). Averaging 16.2 yards after the catch – the best among all FBS WRs. pic.twitter.com/k5SOLpyvLr
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) September 25, 2025
DEFENSE
Kyle Louis, LB, Pitt (vs No. 9 Notre Dame, noon)
The Steelers would seem to be set at the inside linebacker positions considering their depth. It's been tested at times with injuries and uneven performances; however, there are a few things to keep in mind as far as how the team views the position for the 2026 season and ahead with Cole Holcomb's contract up after this season and Patrick Queen heading into the final season of his contract and, while only 26, he's leads the NFL with 20 missed tackles this season, according to Pro Football Focus. The next closest is 13.
He has youth on his side (26), but the front office will have to consider his propensity for missing a ton of tackles as he leads the league this season with 20 (next closest is 13).
The Steelers no doubt know about Pitt's Louis. The East Orange, New Jersey, native was an overlooked three-star recruit who played in four games and then redshirted his first season before contributing sparingly his next season for the Panthers.
But the 2024 season was a revelation as he became Pitt's first sophomore defensive player to be named a first-team All-America since Hugh Green in 1978. Louis produced a gaudy stat line that included 101 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, and 4 interceptions.
The 2025 season has been somewhat up and down for Louis as he has missed a few games with injury, but his playmaking ability has still been evident when he's on the field.
On tape, Louis is the modern-day version of what defensive coordinators want in their linebackers as he seems to have GPS on ball carriers. He possesses a solid frame (6-1, 220) and terrific length to shrink throwing windows, while displaying the speed and lateral agility to track down players to the far hash.
He's a leader on defense on and off the field and helped coin the linebacking corps as the "Sharks." Consistently around the ball and is a secure tackler who utilizes sound pursuit angles and tackling mechanics.
If Pitt is to upset Notre Dame today, Louis will need to play a key role in keeping Heisman frontrunner Jeremiyah Love in check.
Pitt LB Kyle Louis is undersized for NFL standards, but he plays with a really nice combination of speed and anticipation. Underrated prospect pic.twitter.com/mxpAlSjfuJ
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) October 11, 2025
(Follow Roy Countryman on Twitter at @PreacherBoyRoy.)
Jayden Maiava of USC leaves the field after beating Northwestern (Photo: Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports)