Jan 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) warms up before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pittsburgh Steelers 7-Round Mock Draft: Updated Projections for Mike McCarthy and Co

April 14, 2026 | 12:56 PM EDT

The Pittsburgh Steelers are rounding into a new era under Mike McCarthy. With Mike Tomlin out the door, the Steelers are looking to prove that it can take the loss of the coach and at least tread water.

The team has been active in free agency, but many questions surround how the team will load up on players in the NFL draft. Aaron Rodgers’ status for 2026 is still (at least publicly) unknown. McCarthy, just like any incoming veteran head coach, is expected to want to put his mark on the roster in a way he wants to do it.

The NFL draft will be a big first step to building his roster. Here’s a look at what to expect from the team’s draft haul, which includes a whopping 12 picks, per a recent count by ESPN, nearly double what a team typically has.

Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 NFL Mock Draft For All Seven Rounds

#1 – Round 1, Pick 21: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana

DK Metcalf had plenty of hype surrounding him, but the former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver slowed down somewhat in 2025 with just 59 catches for 850 yards. Heading into an age 29 season, he is not the long-term answer for the team.

As such, the Steelers will draft a receiver at No. 21 in the form of Omar Cooper Jr. Cooper arrives armed with college playoff experience, including a national championship, which will help keep a playoff culture if and when McCarthy’s team needs it in January. His 21.2 yards per reception in 2024 led the Big Ten, so expect plenty of deep shots in his career in yellow and black.

#2 – Round 2, Pick 53: Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas

Jaylen Warren seemingly barely made it to 2026 after his touches struggled to keep pace with Kenneth Gainwell down the stretch. That, plus the fact that he is heading into an age 28 season, gives Pittsburgh plenty of reason to reset the running back room.

The Steelers acquired Rico Dowdle, which could set up the team for 2026, but adding Mike Washington Jr. will take the team to the next level and start the transition away from Warren, who would be an August trade option.

Washington earned 6.4 yards per carry, which spiked after leaving New Mexico State, where he earned 4.6 yards per carry. It’s clear that Washington needs a stable offensive line to have his best shot, and Pittsburgh could provide that.

#3 – Round 3, Pick 76: Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati

With offense settled, the Pittsburgh Steelers will transition to beefing up a defense that finished 26th in the NFL in yards allowed per game. For a team that has prided itself on defense through its history, dropping near the bottom called for big changes, and the team answered them with Jake Golday.

Golday showed the ability to do a little bit of everything at Cincinnati with an impressive 105 total tackles in 2025. That, coupled with five sacks and 13 tackles for loss over his last 24 games, shows he can make a team think twice before ignoring him on the field. He also showed the ability to do some work in pass coverage, with five passes defended against in his last two seasons.

#4 – Round 3, Pick 85: Domonique Orange, DT, Iowa State

Keeping in the theme of rebuilding the defense, the Steelers elected to go with defensive tackle Domonique Orange out of Iowa State. Orange jumps off the tape and serves as a perfect way to support Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt, blocking holes up front to buy time for Watt and Heyward to get to the running back.

Orange has shown the ability to blow up plays by himself as well, which beats the expectations of the job, with seven tackles for loss and a sack in his college career. He also has shown the ability to bat passes at the line with two defended passes in his last two years.

#5 – Round 3, Pick 99: Tacario Davis, CB, Washington

While the team’s rushing defense was mortal, its secondary was dead on arrival. The unit finished 29th in passing defense, allowing at least 350 yards in four of its six final games of the season. The Steelers decide to take the highest value cornerback prospect available in the form of Tacario Davis.

Davis showed the ability to pop in two different programs, which proves he has a solid shot of showing up in 2026. The cornerback showed the ability to cover as well as blitz from time to time, delivering 3.5 tackles for loss in his college career. He also logged two interceptions in his final season.

However, the biggest show of proof for his game was between 2023 and 2024. In 2023, he was forced to defend 15 passes. In 2024, he was forced to defend against six and that number dropped to three in 2025. Teams learned not to throw his way.

#6 – Round 4, Pick 121: Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU

With Aaron Rodgers’ fate a complete mystery today and even more of a question with every passing month, the Steelers decide they can’t rely on Mike Tomlin’s favorite, Mason Rudolph, and instead go with a quarterback that aligns with Mike McCarthy’s desired skillset.

Garrett Nussmeier didn’t finish his college career like he wanted, but he showed that in the right system, he can be more than productive with 29 touchdowns in 13 games in 2024. As such, with essentially every quarterback popping under McCarthy’s tutelage, the team gives an option that not only should not get in the way of Rodgers but also gives a fighting chance when he inevitably steps away, whether it is this offseason or next.

#7 – Round 4, Pick 135: Michael Taaffe, S, Texas

Michael Taaffe will help bolster the team’s secondary further. The presumptive fourth-round pick was dominant in coverage after teams targeted him in 2024, finishing with 10 passes defended. In 2025, teams learned their lesson, leaving him with the need to make just one pass defense in 10 games.

#8 – Round 5, Pick 161: Jaeden Roberts, OG, Alabama

Whether it’s Aaron Rodgers or another quarterback, the offensive line needs to be a wall to keep him upright. The team’s first attempt will not be its only one, going with Jaeden Roberts, who was reliable in college, logging snaps in double-digit games in every non-freshman game of his college career.

#9 – Round 6, Pick 216: Caden Barnett, OG, Wyoming

This late in the NFL draft, nothing is guaranteed. As such, needing a boost on the offensive line, the Steelers go with Caden Barnett out of Wyoming. Barnett will compete with Jaeden Roberts to start for the team. The other will be a backup or otherwise released, giving the Steelers a solid shot at finding a solution at a time in the draft when not many exist.

#10 – Round 7, Pick 224: Collin Wright, CB, Stanford

Collin Wright will help round out the secondary as a player with a chance to catch fire. However, if he doesn’t, the team won’t miss out on much. Still, after such a rough season on defense in 2025, the cornerback out of Stanford could end up with a season to prove his stuff.

#11 – Round 7, Pick 230: Owen Heinecke, LB, Oklahoma

Owen Heinecke will help offer an additional chance to give the Steelers a solution at linebacker if Jake Golday doesn’t work out. Heinecke had 74 combined tackles in 2025, showing he can get players on the ground and get into the backfield, where he had 12 tackles for loss and 3 sacks.

#12 – Round 7, Pick 237: Eric McAllister, WR, TCU

Eric McAllister offers a certain amount of insurance if Omar Cooper Jr. doesn’t pan out. McAllister led the Big 12 in receiving yards and earned 10 touchdowns in 13 games. Frankly, it is the type of pick that could change everything for the offense if he destroys expectations.