The Pittsburgh Steelers have historically loved prospects and draft picks with NFL and athletic bloodlines. Literal DNA of a player’s background. Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt, Devin Bush, Terrell Edmunds, Connor Heyward, and Carson Bruener are all examples.
Who from the 2026 NFL Draft has bloodlines, especially ones with connections to Pittsburgh? Below is a list of notable names. This is not an exhaustive list and not every name is listed here. I’d be writing for days otherwise. But these are ones who stood out largely compiled from our scouting reports and some sourced from Dane Brugler’s excellent “The Beast” draft guide.
Max Tomczak/WR Youngstown State
Tomczak is one of the few prospects with a direct connection to the Steelers. His uncle is Mike Tomczak, who played quarterback for Pittsburgh from 1993-1999, starting 27 games. In 1996, he posted an 8-5 record with more than 2,700 passing yards and 15 touchdowns while starting both playoff games: a win over Indianapolis and loss to New England.
Max is an undersized receiver who became one of the FCS’ top receivers. With sure hands and good routes, he’s received plenty of Wes Welker/Julian Edelman comps. Our official parallel was Griff Whalen. Tomczak doesn’t have great odds to be drafted, though late Day 3 can’t be ruled out, but he should sign as an undrafted free agent. It would make plenty of sense for him to ink a deal with Pittsburgh.
Rashul Faison/RB South Carolina
A light connection here but one worth mentioning as noted in Brugler’s draft guide. Faison’s older cousin is LB Rian Wallace, a Steelers fifth-round pick in 2005. He won a Super Bowl ring with the team as a rookie and made his biggest individual play in 2006. A 30-yard pick-six in a blowout win over the Kansas City Chiefs that we noted all the way back in 2018.
Certainly, Pittsburgh won’t draft Faison on that basis but it’s a fun nugget to include in this conversation. Faison is built well (5-11, 208) but ran a slower 4.62 40 at his Pro Day. He could be drafted late but is more likely an UDFA.
Caleb Downs/S Ohio State
As if Downs needed to bolster his resume beyond his on-field play, Downs’ father, Gary, played running back in the NFL from 1994-2000. Downs’ older brother is Indianapolis Colts WR Josh Downs, who has had a steady three-year career.
Caleb is a first-round pick. It’s just a question of how high he guys. The pre-draft process projected him as a top-10 pick. Now, it’s possible he falls a little outside of it.
Josiah Trotter/LB Missouri
Trotter has father and brother bloodlines, too. His dad is Jeremiah, an excellent linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles who made four Pro Bowls throughout the 2000s. In 2024, brother Jeremiah Jr. became an Eagles fifth-round pick.
Josiah is a physical and impressive off-ball linebacker lost in a deep class. He should be selected on Day 2.
Nolan Rucci/OT Penn State
The Rucci family is a decorated one. Father Todd started 75 games along the offensive line for the New England Patriots in the 1990s. Mother Stacey was a stellar field hockey player for Penn State. She’s now the Executive Director of the National Wrestling and Performance Center (NWPC) in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Nolan’s older brother Hayden spent 2025 with the Miami Dolphins, appearing in four games at tight end.
Nolan is one of three Nittany Lions offensive linemen who could be drafted along with guard Vega Ioane and tackle Drew Shelton. Nolan is a possible late Day 3 selection. If he falls out of the draft, he’ll quickly sign a contract.
Sonny Styles/LB Ohio State & Lorenzo Styles Jr./DB Ohio State
Father Lorenzo Sr. played linebacker for Atlanta and St. Louis from 1995-2000, mostly seeing time as a backup. Sonny, a top-15 pick who could crack the top 10, is a former safety who transitioned to linebacker during his time in Columbus. Lorenzo offers plenty of speed but is a lesser prospect who could be selected in the final two rounds.
Max Bredeson/FB Michigan
Bredeson comes from an athletic family with Michigan roots. Older brother Ben is entering his seventh NFL season as an offensive lineman, drafted by the Ravens but spending most of his time with the New York Giants and currently with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Another brother, Jack, pitched for Michigan and currently works in the New York Mets’ front office.
Max is an old-school fullback with aggressive and successful blocking. He was almost invisible catching the ball and never notched a carry while his special teams resume is light. A borderline draft pick later this month.
Avieon Terrell/CB Clemson
His older brother is excellent Atlanta Falcons CB A.J. Terrell. Avieon will hope to have the same successful career. Viewed as a first-round prospect entering draft season, his stock has slumped due to injury and a 4.6 40-yard dash during a recent private workout. A lack of size that gets him outmuscled on jump balls compound concerns, though his eight forced fumbles and aggressive mentality stand out positively. He could make a full-time move to the slot.
Garrett Nussmeier/QB LSU
Nussmeier doesn’t have a direct connection to Pittsburgh, but his NFL ties could bring him to the Steelers. His father is Doug Nussmeier, who played quarterback in the 90s for the New Orleans Saints. Doug became an NFL coach and worked under Mike McCarthy in Dallas from 2020-2022 as the Cowboys’ quarterbacks coach.
Garrett is rebuilding his draft stock after battling through a core-muscle injury throughout the 2025 season. He’s attempting to be the third quarterback drafted behind Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson.
Khalil Dinkins/TE Penn State
Dinkins, from the area and brought in for a local pre-draft visit with Pittsburgh, is trying to follow in his father’s footsteps. Darnell Dinkins played tight end in the NFL from 2002-2009, winning a Super Bowl ring in his final NFL season with the New Orleans Saints.
Khalil didn’t post big numbers in college but served as a trusted in-line blocker. Like his dad, there’s special teams value here.
Zachariah Branch/WR Georgia
Branch’s uncle is Pro Hall of Fame wide receiver Cliff Branch, who starred in the 70s and 80s with the Raiders. A four-time Pro Bowler, he finished his career with nearly 9,000 receiving yards and 67 touchdowns.
Zachariah is a little shorter but like Cliff, plenty fast. In college, the Bulldogs manufactured touches for him that produced a low ADOT. Still, there’s enough tape to show Branch as a downfield threat willing and able to make catches in traffic. He also has return value. Pittsburgh dined with him, and likely teammates, at Georgia’s Pro Day, and he’s likely to be taken on Day 2.
Bryce Lance/WR North Dakota State
Lance is the younger brother of former Fargo star and NFL quarterback Trey Lance, the No. 3 pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. Bryce went over 1,000 yards a season ago, catching passes from QB Cole Payton, a potential Pittsburgh target. At the Combine, Lance flashed with a 4.34 40, 41.5-inch vertical, and 11’1″ broad. He could be taken as early as the second round and should be the first FCS player selected later this month.
Lander Barton/LB Utah
Barton has plenty of bloodlines. His brothers, Jackson and Cody, have gone on to play in the NFL. Cody started 17 games for the Tennessee Titans last season. Barton’s parents were also stellar collegiate athletes: his father in football and baseball, his mother in basketball. All of them attended Utah, making the Barton name revered in Salt Lake City.
Lander is a mid-late Day 3 selection.
Vinny Anthony II/WR Wisconsin
Anthony’s grandfather played RB at Michigan State, in the NFL, and had a brief stint in Canada with Montreal. His father played defensive back at Western Kentucky and got a cup of coffee with the Denver Broncos. Older brother VJ played tight end in college at the small-school level.
Vinny had a strong 2024 season (39 receptions, 672 yards, four touchdowns) before seeing his production fall off in 2025 thanks to poor quarterback play. He’s hoping to be drafted late but is more likely an UDFA.
Max Klare/TE Ohio State
Lots of athletic bloodlines here, mostly on the college level. His grandfather, father, and brother, all played college football at various levels. A couple of cousins played basketball while another ran track.
Transferring from Purdue to Ohio State for 2025, Klare caught 43 passes for 448 yards and two scores a year ago. He’s one of the top tight ends and should be drafted on Friday.
Sam Roush/TE Stanford
Roush comes with a big-name bloodline. His grandfather is football legend Merlin Olsen, a 14-time Pro Bowl, five-time All-Pro defensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams from 1962-1976. It’s Sam’s most notable athletic bloodline but hardly his only one. His uncle was drafted by the Kanas City Chiefs in the mid-70s, another played college football at Ohio, and multiple cousins played college football, too.
Joe Fagnano/QB UConn
Joe’s father, Phil, was a 39th-round pick of the Philadelphia Phillies and pitched in the organization’s minor league system. He’s now a fire chief in their hometown of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Older brothers Jacob and Jared played college football and eventually played together at Penn State: Jacob a safety, Jared a wide receiver. The two were profiled as the first siblings of the Bill O’Brien era.
Fagnano began his career at Maine and transferred to UConn where he posted an absurdly good touchdown/interception ratio in 2025. He’s got a chance to be drafted late, but he’ll soon turn 26 and is one of the draft’s oldest prospects.
Langston Jones/OG Lehigh
One of the prospects we profiled during our annual “small school week,” Jones’ father is Keith Jones. Keith spent four years as an NFL running back, playing for the Atlanta Falcons from 1989-1992. In his first year, he rushed for six touchdowns.
Langston is a sure bet to go undrafted but will be in a training camp somewhere.
Jalen Stroman/S Notre Dame
He’s the younger brother of NFL cornerback Greg Stroman, drafted by Washington in 2018 and last appearing in an NFL game in 2024 with the Giants. Transferring from Virginia Tech to Notre Dame for the 2025 season, our Ross McCorkle noted him as a late Day 3 draft pick. Medical concerns centered on multiple surgeries to fix a shoulder injury could drop his stock.
J. Michael Sturdivant/WR Florida
His dad, Michael, briefly played in the NFL, while his mother, Melodie, was a track star at Bradley. His biggest connection comes as the nephew of Hall of Fame RB Floyd Little, who played for the Denver Broncos throughout the 60s and 70s.
J. Michael is a potential Day 3 pick but could fall out of the draft and sign as an UDFA.
EJ Smith/RB Texas A&M
EJ has some of the strongest bloodlines in the NFL Draft. His father is Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith. Unfortunately, EJ struggled to carve out a big career in College Station. He recorded just 98 combined carries over the last two years, a backup who tried to make his mark with four rushing touchdowns in 2025. EJ began his career at Stanford where he spent four seasons.
It makes him old for the position with thin production. Couple that with a 4.59 40 at 208 pounds, he may only garner a tryout/invite to a rookie minicamp.
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