I host a Pittsburgh Steelers Town Hall on the Clubhouse App every Monday at 8:30 PM/ET. During the season, folks review Steelers games and opine on moves made. We transition to the draft prospects, signing free agents, and other Steelers offseason moves.
Last Monday, we conducted a mock draft using the NFL Mock Draft Database Simulator. Our strategy was to entertain trade offers since we had 12 picks. We would not trade out of the first or second rounds. We aimed to give up some draft capital in 2026 to accumulate picks in 2027 while strengthening the overall roster.
Our targets in the first two rounds were guard, defensive tackle, and possibly a wide receiver in the second or third round due to the Michael Pittman Jr. trade. Inside linebacker and offensive tackle were other positions we wanted to reinforce. We believed the quarterback should wait until Day 3 if at all. Here is how we did:
Round One – 21 Overall: Vega Ioane/G Penn State
We were pleasantly surprised that our favored guard from Penn State was available. We briefly discussed others, but the need to fill the hole at left guard with a player projected as a long-term starter excited us. Ioane is a long-term left guard solution; we were surprised he was available.
No trades were offered.
Vega Ioane Scouting Report Steelers Depot Grade 8.9 (Longtime Starter)
Others Considered: OT Spencer Fano/Utah, T/G Kadyn Proctor/Alabama, WR Omar Cooper/Indiana, S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren/Toledo
Round Two – 53 Overall: Jacob Rodriguez/ILB Texas Tech
It was a long wait to Pick 53. We talked right up to our time limit. We went back and forth between defensive line and inside linebacker. Some felt the linebacker depth was deeper and that others, like Jeremiah Trotter, could be available in later rounds. Ant Hill was also mentioned, but we did not think he’d last much longer. The debate came down to two Texas Tech players: Rodriguez and DL Lee Hunter. We settled on Rodriguez since he is a three-down linebacker with strong instincts and is the best available to bolster LB depth.
No trades were offered.
Jacob Rodriguez Scouting Report Steelers Depot Grade 8.1 (Longtime Starter)
Others Considered: Lee Hunter/DL Texas Tech, Eli Stowers/ TE Vanderbilt, Chris Bell/WR Louisville, Christen Miller/DL Alabama, Emmanuel Pregnon/IOL Oregon, Anthony Hill/LB Texas
Round Three – 76 Overall: Traded to Green Bay
Safety A.J. Haulcy is available with the first of three third-round picks, as well as several wide receivers and offensive tackles. Defensive lineman Domonique Orange is also available.
However, Green Bay’s offer of its 2026 fourth- and fifth-round picks, plus picks in Rounds 4, 5, 6, and 7 in 2027 is too bountiful to ignore. Ken Sterner believed Orange would be available later in the third. Green Bay selected SE Louisiana DL Kaleb Proctor with Pick 76.
Players Considered: A.J. Haulcy/S LSU, Domonique Orange/DL Iowa State, Keylan Rutledge/IOL Georgia Tech/ Treydan Stukes/CB Arizona, Caleb Tiernan/OT Northwestern, Zachariah Branch/WR Georgia, Malachi Fields/WR Notre Dame
Round Three – 85 Overall: Domonique Orange/DL Iowa State
Orange was waiting for us 10 picks later. We discussed wide receivers and tackles. But looking to have a strong defensive front to free up the linebackers. we went with a massive run-stuffing nose tackle to anchor the defensive front.
Domonique Orange Scouting Report Steelers Depot Grade 7.3 (Spot Starter)
Others Considered: Treydan Stukes/CB Arizona, Caleb Tiernan/OT Northwestern, Zachariah Branch/WR Georgia, Malachi Fields/WR Notre Dame
Round Three – 99 Overall: Zakee Wheatley/S Penn State
We debated between safety and wide receiver for this selection. But we felt the available safeties were better overall players than the available receivers. It came down to Wheatley or Bud Clark among the group. Wheatley’s strong character is the deciding factor as the Steelers get an athletic, high-character safety with versatile coverage skills.
Zakee Wheatley Scouting Report Steelers Depot Grade 8.5 (Longtime Starter)
Others Considered: Jalon Kilgore/S South Carolina, Bud Clark/S TCU, Bryce Lance/WR North Dakota State, Jeff Caldwell/WR Cincinnati, Kevin Coleman Jr./WR Missouri, Davison Igbinosun/CB Ohio State
Round Four – 120 Overall (from Green Bay): Traded to Tampa Bay
The Green Bay trade left us with two picks in a row. We took Tampa’s offer of its fifth-round choice (No. 155 overall) plus sixth- and seventh-round picks in 2027. We decided to focus on wide receivers with the next selection.
Tampa Bay takes Alabama CB Domani Jackson with the pick we traded to them.
Players Considered: None
Round Four – 121 Overall: Ja’Kobi Lane/WR USC
Fourteen wide receivers have already been selected. We went over some of the remaining receivers and settled on Lane, who can win in contested-catch situations. We discussed Roman Wilson developing under new coaching and vying for an increased slot role. Lane is a big-bodied, contested-catch receiver to complement Metcalf and Pittman.
Ja’Kobi Lane Scouting Report Steelers Depot Grade 8.0 (Longtime Starter)
Others Considered: Deion Burks/WR Oklahoma, De’Zhaun Stribling/WR Mississippi, Josh Cameron/WR Baylor, Kendrick Law/WR Kentucky
Round Four – 135 Overall: Drew Allar/QB Penn State
We were going to look at available running backs with this pick. But when our turn came up both Drew Allar and Carson Beck were on the board. We didn’t want to wait until the fifth and risk losing both of them. The debate went back and forth, but we concluded that Beck has a higher floor while Allar has a higher ceiling. The concern with Beck was turnovers. At the same time, Allar’s recovery from an ankle injury is still a question. Nonetheless, he is a high-ceiling developmental quarterback with elite arm talent to pair with Will Howard.
Drew Allar Scouting Report Steelers Depot Grade 8.2 MED (Longtime Starter)
Others Considered: Carson Beck/QB Miami (FL), Emmett Johnson/RB Nebraska, Justin Joly/TE NC State
Round Five – 155 Overall from Tampa Bay: Tacario Davis/CB
Carson Beck was still available in the fifth round. Maybe we reached for Allar in the fourth. But we soon got into a discussion between cornerback Tacario Davis and OT Kage Casey. Adam watched him play and said he is tall (6-4) and fast (4.44 40) with good recovery speed. Davis also has Mel Blount-like length and recovery ability. His pre-draft visit to Pittsburgh sold us, and other OTs like Trey Zuhn III are available with the next pick.
Tacario Davis Scouting Report Steelers Depot Grade 7.6 (Spot Starter)
Others Considered: Kage Casey/OT Boise State, Zxavian Harris/DL Mississippi, Justin Joly, Billy Schrauth/IOL Notre Dame, Trey Zuhn III/OT Texas A&M
Round Five – 160 Overall from Green Bay: Traded to Green Bay
Bizarrely, the Packers re-acquire the pick they traded to us earlier in the draft. We have the next selection, so it’s a no-brainer to take a sixth-round choice originally owned by the Giants and sixth and seventh-round picks in 2027.
Green Bay selects Mississippi DL, Zxavian Harris.
Round Five – 161 Overall: Kage Casey/OL Boise State
We finally settled on offensive tackle. Well, sort of. Trey Zuhn III is big and an elite pass blocker but a weak run blocker. Kage Casey is projected to shift to guard, but that versatility could be an asset even with short arms. He is a versatile swing tackle/guard with solid pass-blocking skills.
Kage Casey Scouting Report Steelers Depot Grade 7.8 (Spot Starter)
Others Considered: Trey Zuhn III, Billy Schrauth, Austin Barber/OT Florida, Isaiah World/OT Oregon
Round Six – 216 Overall: Eli Heidenreich/WR-RB Navy
We like Heidenreich’s special teams ability, including as a returner: A versatile special teams contributor and returner with Julian Edelman-like toughness is the pick here.
Eli Heidenreich Scouting Report Steelers Depot Grade 7.4 (Spot Starter)
Others Considered: Tyreak Sapp/Edge Florida, George Gumbs/Edge Florida, Seth McGowan/RB Kentucky, Reggie Virgil/WR Texas Tech
Round Seven – 224 Overall: Tyreak Sapp/Edge Florida
We started looking at players with potential special-teams skills at positions we had not filled. Surprisingly, Tyreak Sapp is on the board in the seventh round. We also talked about Indiana RB Kaelon Black and Michigan TE Marlin Klein before picking a late-round edge rusher with special teams upside.
Tyreak Sapp Scouting Report Steelers Depot Grade 7.2 (Spot Starter)
Others Considered: Kaelon Black/RB Indiana, Marlin Klein/TE Michigan, Charles Demmings/CB Stephen Austin
Round Seven – 230 Overall: Marlin Klein/TE Michigan
A few picks later, Marlin Klein was still available, so we took him. He is a reliable, rotational tight end with good hands and blocking potential.
Marlin Klein Scouting Report Steelers Depot Grade 7.4 (Rotational Player)
Others Considered: Jaden Dugger/LB Louisiana, Eric McAlister/WR TCU, Jack Kelly/LB BYU
Round Seven – 237 Overall: J’Mari Taylor/RB Virginia
For the last pick, we discussed the remaining running backs before settling on Taylor, who seems to have the most upside.
We briefly considered drafting a punter. But since none had been selected up to this point, we decided to sign an undrafted free-agent punter just after the draft. We wanted a punter who could handle the cold so we favored Syracuse’s Jack Stonehouse and Michigan State’s Ryan Eckley over Georgia’s Brett Thorson and Florida’s Tommy Doman.
J’Mari Taylor Scouting Report Steelers Depot Grade 6.4 (Pure Backup)
Others Considered: Jalon Daniels/RB Kansas, Adam Randall/RB Clemson, Brett Thorson/P Georgia, Jack Stonehouse/P Syracuse, Tommy Doman/P Florida, Ryan Eckley/P Michigan State
Conclusion
So, that was our second mock draft. We gave ourselves seven minutes between rounds for debate. We will do a couple more before the draft.
We ended up drafting 12 players, but the three trades netted us eight additional picks in the 2027 draft. We did not intend to select 12 but believe that it will just result in the Steelers signing fewer undrafted free agents.
We may have reached with the Orange and Allar picks. But with Aaron Rodgers currently unsigned, it was prudent to add a player with a potential high ceiling.
Thanks to Ken Sterner, Ted Webb, Brandon, Marc Mosley, Scratch, Adam, and Kayla, all of whom contributed to the conversation.
Your Song Selection
I always like to include some music. We had a plan going into this mock draft. But one thing led to another. Here is One Thing Leads to Another performed by The Fixx.
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