The NFL draft is a month away, and the Pittsburgh Steelers still have several weaknesses that need addressed. Thankfully, they also have a lot of draft capital to work with. While they have 12 total picks, their first-round selection still remains the most important. And analyst Pete Prisco has them replacing left guard Isaac Seumalo with Oregon offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon in the first round of his latest mock draft.
“This kid is really talented,” Prisco said recently on CBS Sports HQ. “Emmanuel Pregnon is a bully when it comes to playing the offensive line. He mauls guys in the run game. What do the Steelers need to do better? Run the football better. It would just be a plug-and-play for them at left guard, and it would make all the sense in the world.
“This might seem high by some mock drafts around the country, but when I talk to people around the league, I think this kid has a real shot to go in at the back end of the first round… He just looks like a Steelers player.”
Prisco is right that Pregnon hasn’t been receiving a lot of first-round buzz, especially to the Steelers at pick 21. That’s not necessarily a knock against Pregnon, though. He’s a guard, and that position usually isn’t valued as highly as others in the draft. Some of the best guard prospects tend to fall a little further than they should.
Because of that, some Steelers fans are hoping that Penn State’s Olaivavega Ioane, the top guard in this year’s draft, will slip to Pittsburgh. Ioane is arguably not just the best guard, but also the best offensive lineman in the class.
If he’s off the board, then the Steelers will have to look elsewhere if they want to take a guard in the first round. Pregnon could be the next-best option. He spent five years in college, playing at Wyoming from 2021-2022, USC from 2023-2024, and Oregon in 2025. During that time, he displayed great durability and consistency, suiting up in at least 10 games in all but his first year.
Still, Pregnon might not be worth spending a first-round pick on. If the Steelers take a guard at 21, that player should be able to instantly earn the starting job and boost their offense. Pregnon might need a little time before he can reach that level.
Landing him in the second round would be much more ideal and provide great value for the Steelers. However, if Prisco is correct, then Pregnon might not last that long. The Steelers have had quality offensive linemen fall to them in the draft before, such as David DeCastro. Perhaps Pregnon will be follow a similar path.
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