The Pittsburgh Steelers still need to add at least one wide receiver to continue their efforts at bolstering the position. While WR Michael Pittman Jr. was a welcome (and much-needed) addition, they still need more. The 2026 NFL Draft presents a big opportunity for them to do just that.
So, who could the Steelers be looking at with the draft less than three weeks away? Well, earlier this offseason, I took a look at all the wide receivers Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy drafted during his coaching career with the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys. That gave us some clues as to what McCarthy is looking for.
The majority of the wide receivers McCarthy drafted were:
Between 6-0 and just under 6-3
Between 190 and 220 pounds
Ran the 40-yard dash in 4.40 to 4.60 seconds
Recorded at least 34 inches in the vertical jump
Had a broad jump between 120 and 130 inches
Ran the three-cone drill in under seven seconds
Ran the 20-yard short shuttle in under 4.3 seconds
So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at the wide receivers who tested at the NFL Scouting Combine and see how they measure up. In the following table, green cells represent positive results outside of the ranges (taller, faster, more explosive) while orange cells represent results outside the range in a negative fashion (shorter, slighter, slower, less explosive).
Image from Gyazo
Only a few wide receivers in this year’s draft who tested at the Combine checked all the boxes from the study. Georgia’s Dillon Bell, Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., and Ohio State’s Carnell Tate did so. However, Cooper and Tate only ran the 40-yard dash at the Combine and didn’t do any of the other drills. So, we’ve got pretty incomplete data on them. Bell at least did the vertical and broad jumps.
There are also a few wide receivers who fail to meet a number of the range requirements. Louisville’s Caullin Lacy didn’t fall inside any of the ranges he tested for. Clemson’s Antonio Williams was shorter, slighter, and slower in the three-cone drill. LSU’s Chris Hilton Jr. was slighter and slower in both the three-cone drill and 20-yard short shuttle.
On the flip side, North Dakota State’s Bryce Lance was taller, ran a faster 40-yard dash, and jumped farther in the broad jump. He did fall outside the range in terms of the three-cone drill, but just barely. Check out Nate Kosko’s scouting report on Lance to get a greater understanding on his strengths and weaknesses.
Tennessee’s Chris Brazell Jr. is taller than the range while also running a faster 40-yard dash. Florida’s J. Michael Sturdivant and Incarnate Word’s Jalen Walthall both narrowly missed out on checking all the boxes, both outjumping the broad jump range with matching 131-inch jumps.
Also of note, Miami (FL) WR CJ Daniels did not do any testing at the Combine, just measuring in at 6-2 and 202 pounds. However, at his Pro Day, he checked some boxes. He ran a bit slower than preferred with a 40-yard dash of 4.58 seconds and a three-cone drill of 7.03 seconds. However, he did run a 4.27 short shuttle. He also jumped 34.5 inches vertically and had a broad jump of 123 inches.
What about some of the other wide receivers the Steelers have shown interest in?
Pre-Draft Visitors
At the time of this writing, the Steelers have brought in four wide receivers for pre-draft visits or plan to do so: Cincinnati’s Jeff Caldwell, Kentucky’s Kendrick Law, Washington’s Denzel Boston, and Alabama’s Germie Bernard. Boston checks all the boxes except for height, where he clocks in just shy of 6-4. Caldwell actually positively exceeds the ranges for height (6-5), 40-yard dash (4.31 seconds), and broad jump (134 inches). Law just narrowly misses on checking all the boxes, measuring in at 5-11. Bernard also narrowly misses out with a vertical jump of 32 1/2 inches.
What Does It Mean?
Obviously, Mike McCarthy has drafted wide receivers outside of these ranges. Both Greg Jennings and Randall Cobb were shorter than the lower end of the range. In fact, Cobb missed a number of the ranges in a negative way. So, if there is a wide receiver on there who you love and puts out good tape but fails to meet the ranges, it doesn’t automatically mean McCarthy will ignore him. However, over time, we’ve seen what McCarthy likes. That’s why he and the Steelers have brought in or plan to bring in wide receivers like Denzel Boston and Germie Bernard for pre-draft visits.
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