Focus across the NFL landscape centers on the legal tampering window opening, which opened Monday at noon/EST, ahead of the start of the new league year and free-agent signing period. But there is still plenty of attention on the 2026 NFL Draft, which is 45 days away.
For the Pittsburgh Steelers under GM Omar Khan, a lot of what happens in the next week or two ahead in free agency will help shape their draft plans.
Right now, some of those needs are crystal clear for the Steelers, such as wide receiver, cornerback, and quarterback. For Pro Football Focus’ Max Chadwick, he addressed those needs in his latest three-round mock draft, providing some new names for the Black and Gold.
Chadwick paired the Steelers with Alabama offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor at No. 21 overall before adding Louisville wide receiver Chris Bell in the second round. His three third-round picks provided the Steelers with Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley at No. 76 overall, LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier at No. 85 overall, and Duke cornerback Chandler Rivers at No. 99 overall.
All those picks addressed major needs for the Steelers, though not in the order many would probably like.
“Neither Troy Fautanu nor Broderick Jones was among the 40 highest-graded tackles in the league this past season, and Jones, in particular, is firmly on the hot seat after three below-average years in the NFL,” Chadwick writes. “Proctor’s 86.1 PFF overall grade in 2025 ranked fourth in the country.”
Proctor is a big-time athlete at offensive tackle, and the Steelers have concerns at the position beyond Broderick Jones’ health. With a lack of depth behind him — Dylan Cook is the only experienced offensive tackle on the roster following the release of Calvin Anderson — the Steelers quietly have a need at the position.
The Steelers have emphasized building through the trenches in recent years, and Proctor would fit that. He measured in at 6065, 352 pounds at the NFL Combine and put up some impressive testing numbers with a 5.21 40-yard dash and a 32.5-inch vertical.
He’s raw, but his athletic traits and play style are intriguing.
Bell would be a nice addition at receiver due to his work after the catch. But he’s coming off a torn ACL that raises questions about his availability for training camp. He measured 6017, 222 pounds at the Combine with 10-inch hands and had 72 receptions for 917 yards and six touchdowns before tearing his ACL.
Wheatley would plug a hole at safety, giving DeShon Elliott a versatile piece to play alongside and allowing Jalen Ramsey to remain in the slot, while head coach Mike McCarthy’s connection to Nussmeier is known. The Steelers have looked hard at the quarterback class in the 2026 NFL Draft, and though they wait for an answer from Aaron Rodgers, they could draft a developmental quarterback for McCarthy to work with.
After reportedly re-signing Asante Samuel Jr. on Monday morning, the desperate need for a corner opposite Joey Porter Jr. has lessened ever so slightly, so landing Rivers at the end of the third round is good value.
Chandler Rivers has a fantastic feel for carrying receivers and the depth he needs to get while maintaining eyes on the QB. He drops off his carry at the right time, disrupts the catch point, and creates a turnover for the defense. pic.twitter.com/kMOm0YoFIC
— Daniel Harms (@InHarmsWay19) October 9, 2025
He comes in a bit undersized at 5094, 185 pounds with just 29 3/8-inch arms, but he clocked a 4.40 40-yard dash and had a 39-inch vertical at the Combine. Rivers recorded 59 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and eight pass breakups last season for the Blue Devils.
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