The 2026 NFL Draft didn’t come with much star power, at least not by the way most media outlets sized it up. The quarterback group was thin, the premium positions didn’t exactly pop, and plenty of the top names came with enough questions to make teams think twice. Even so, the Steelers came away with a class that includes a few high-upside swings and some players who look ready to help sooner rather than later.
That doesn’t mean all 10 picks are walking into meaningful roles right away. In a class this big, some rookies are almost guaranteed to fade into the background in 2026, maybe even before camp ends. But this is the time of year for optimism, so here’s the best-case version of what each Steelers rookie could become in year one.
Max Iheanachor has the kind of frame and raw talent that gets attention fast. At nearly 6'6" and 321 pounds, the Arizona State tackle looks the part of a high-end lineman, and the Steelers used a first-round pick on him as their third offensive tackle drafted in the first round since Omar Khan took over in 2023.
He’s still relatively new to football, which is why a redshirt-style approach would make sense. But if he simply outplays everyone in camp, there’s a path where Dylan Cook and an injured Broderick Jones are the only real competition and Iheanachor opens the season as the starting right tackle.
Germie Bernard’s ceiling is a little different. On paper, it’s easy to peg him as the Steelers’ third receiver behind DK Metcalf, who is entering his second season in Pittsburgh, and Michael Pittman Jr., who arrived in a trade with the Colts.
Aaron Rodgers is back as the starting quarterback, so the target share already looks spoken for. Still, Bernard could blow past expectations early, earn Rodgers’ trust, and carve out a much bigger role than expected.
If that happens, a rookie line of 70+ catches and 800+ yards is on the table.
Drew Allar’s best-case rookie season is the simplest one: sit, learn, and don’t get rushed. The Penn State quarterback should be active in meetings, take every rep he can, and soak up everything Rodgers has to say - at least the football part. For him, a true redshirt year is the ideal outcome.
Daylen Everette’s route to playing time is much more crowded. Pittsburgh keeps adding big, athletic cornerbacks like him, but there are veterans ahead of him and that limits the opening he has in 2026.
Unless injuries hit the depth chart, his snaps could be confined to nickel and dime packages. The most realistic best-case outcome may actually come on special teams, where he can win trust and make himself valuable quickly.
Gennings Dunker is the kind of lineman fans tend to latch onto right away. He’s big, bruising, and looks every bit like the sort of player who can impose his will at the point of attack.
The questions around him center on whether the move from tackle to guard will translate smoothly at the NFL level. His best outcome is straightforward: show that the switch isn’t a problem and beat out Spencer Anderson and free-agent addition Brock Hoffman for the starting right guard job.
His run-blocking power could be the thing that tips the battle his way.
Kaden Wetjen comes into the league with a very specific job description. As a kick returner and wide receiver, he has almost no college offensive production to lean on from Iowa, which means the value has to come from the return game right away.
The good news is that the two-time Jet Award winner has a real chance to do that. If he can give the Steelers a major boost in average field position in 2026, his draft slot will feel a lot easier to justify.
Riley Nowakowski looks like the safest roster bet among the later picks. His best-case rookie season is also pretty clear: step in as the team’s fullback and backup tight end, replacing Conner Hayward, while bringing a little more juice as both a runner and a blocker. The ceiling may not be huge, but the role fits him.
Gabriel Rubio was one of the bigger surprises in the sixth round, mostly because of the injury history that followed him out of Notre Dame. If he stays healthy, his rookie year probably tops out as a reserve interior defender and a likely inactive on game days. Down the line, his size and strength could make him a factor at nose tackle, but 2026 may be more about adjusting to the speed of the game after missing so much time in college.
Robert Spears-Jennings fits the mold of the late-round safety teams bet on for athletic upside. The Steelers are likely hoping he can eventually fill the void left by Miles Killebrew, who followed former special teams coordinator Danny Smith to the Buccaneers in free agency. Becoming the next special teams ace would be a tall ask in his first season, but that’s the best possible version of his rookie year if he makes the roster.
Eli Heidenreich, the hometown kid, may be the toughest player in this class to pin down. His Navy role makes him a unique offensive weapon, but his path is crowded at both running back and receiver. For now, the best-case outcome might still be modest: he sticks around long enough to stay in the picture, even if that ends up meaning a practice squad spot during his rookie season.
In Other News...
Steelers Rookie Is Suddenly Crashing A Roster Battle Nobody Saw Coming
A seventh-round pick usually arrives in Pittsburgh with a long road ahead, but Robert Spears-Jennings has made enough of an impression early to get his name into the conversation. After OTAs and minicamp, an insider from The Athletic pointed to the rookie safety as a player who showed promising traits and could push for a spot on the 53-man roster in the kind of role the Steelers always seem to value, contributing on special teams while providing depth on the back end.
Spears-Jennings comes to the NFL after four seasons at Oklahoma, where he built a reputation for production and consistency across 47 games. His path is still steep, as it is for most late-round defensive backs, but the early buzz is notable because it suggests the Steelers may already be seeing more than just a developmental project as training camp approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Fans Wont Love This Surprise Trade Buzz On Defense
The Steelers are still sorting out what their defense is supposed to look like under Patrick Graham, and that includes a secondary that has already seen its share of movement. Pittsburgh brought back Asante Samuel Jr. on a one-year deal after his spinal fusion surgery, then added Jamel Dean and Jaquan Brisker to a group that is trying to mesh new pieces with the teams familiar 3-4 leanings.
Now comes the kind of chatter fans usually do not love this time of year: a Sports Illustrated report casting Samuel Jr. as a possible trade candidate. It is only speculation, but it adds another layer to a defense that is already balancing health, depth and scheme changes, with any move depending on whether Pittsburgh thinks the back end is crowded enough to justify it. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Are Already Zeroing In On A Future Defensive Anchor
The Steelers are already looking ahead to the 2026 NFL Draft as they start sorting through a middle linebacker class that could eventually shape the heart of their defense. Among the names on the radar are Auburns Xavier Atkins, Texas linebacker Biles, Indianas Rolijah Hardy and Notre Dames Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, a group that stands out for athleticism, versatility and the kind of range teams look for when theyre trying to find a long-term defensive centerpiece.
Biles is an especially interesting watch because he once played in Pittsburgh before transferring to Texas, and he arrives with a strong production track record that will keep evaluators paying attention. Hardy brings a different kind of profile, with impact plays that raise the question of how hell be deployed at the next level, while Viliamu-Asa already looks like the sort of bigger, sturdier presence that can hold up in the middle. For now, its just a scouting exercise, but it is a clear sign the Steelers are thinking about who might be next in line to anchor the defense. [Read more 🡒]