{"id":276472,"date":"2026-04-19T10:00:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T14:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=276472"},"modified":"2026-04-19T06:01:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T10:01:16","slug":"pittsburgh-steelers-2026-7-round-mock-draft-2-0","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2026\/04\/19\/pittsburgh-steelers-2026-7-round-mock-draft-2-0\/","title":{"rendered":"Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 7-Round Mock Draft 2.0"},"content":{"rendered":"

With only a handful of days to go before the 2026 NFL Draft, excitement has reached a fever pitch. Months of planning and evaluating are finally about to pay off. All the guessing and speculating finally come to an end. We get to find out which storylines about teams\u2019 interests and strategies were true and what was just a smokescreen. The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering their first season of the Mike McCarthy era.<\/a> How will the team approach its first draft in 20 years without Mike Tomlin? We will find out very soon. While we wait, it\u2019s a great time for my Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 7-round mock draft 2.0.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 7-Round Mock Draft 2.0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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\nRound 1, Pick 21: TRADE!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Steelers come into this draft armed with 12 total picks. They have plenty of ammo to be aggressive and get their guys. Pittsburgh wastes no time getting the hometown crowd riled up.<\/span><\/p>\n

Trade Details:<\/span><\/h3>\n

Pittsburgh Steelers receive: Pick 17<\/span><\/h3>\n

Detroit Lions receive: Picks 21, 85, and 230<\/span><\/h3>\n

Anyone who has read my mock drafts for the Lions<\/a> knows I believe Detroit will try to pick up a third-round pick in this draft. With this trade, the Lions get their extra pick and the Steelers get their guy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Round 1, Pick 17: Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Few picks in this first round make as much sense as the Steelers’ selection of Vega Ioane. It is very unlikely that the massive 6\u20194, 325-pound guard makes it past Pittsburgh. The only question is whether the Steelers stay put and hope he makes it to pick 21, or go get their guy. GM Omar Khan won\u2019t leave it to chance.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Vega Ioane, Pittsburgh is getting a day-one starter at left guard. Vega has the talent to become a perennial Pro-Bowler and is by far the top guard in this draft. Vega is a \u201cmauler\u201d who utilizes his immense grip strength to wipe defenders out of the play. An outstanding pass blocker, Vega didn\u2019t allow a sack or QB hit at Penn State in 2025. Vega will help the Steelers get back to winning at the line of scrimmage. Hearing Vega\u2019s name called should get the fans in Pittsburgh whipped up into an elated frenzy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Round 2, Pick 53: Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sticking with Bernard in round two, as Pittsburgh\u2019s first two stay the same as my first mock.<\/a> A WR trio of Bernard, DK Metcalf, and newly acquired Michael Pittman would take the Steelers\u2019 offense to a brand new level.<\/span><\/p>\n

After running a 4.48 forty at the Combine, there was no doubt left that Bernard is one of the top WR prospects in this class. There might not be a more reliable pair of hands in this draft. Expect the Steelers to target Bernard, who was incredibly productive at Alabama. Last season, Bernard finished with 64 catches, 862 yards, and seven TDs. Aaron Rodgers, should he return in 2026, will certainly enjoy his new weapon.<\/span><\/p>\n

Round 3, Pick 76: TRADE!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

After making a splash in the first round, the Steelers again dip into their war chest to make a potential franchise-shifting selection on day two.<\/span><\/p>\n

Trade Details:<\/span><\/h3>\n

Pittsburgh Steelers receive: Pick 67<\/span><\/h3>\n

Las Vegas Raiders receive: Picks 76 and 135<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Raiders already got the new face of their franchise when they took (presumably) QB Fernando Mendoza first overall. The Steelers give up a late fourth-rounder to move up for someone who could become the same down the road.<\/span><\/p>\n

Round 3, Pick 67: Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU<\/strong><\/h3>\n

For the first time since Ben Roethlisberger retired, the Steelers may have a young franchise QB. Moving up nine spots to get Nussmeier (and saving the LSU product from the curse of becoming a Cleveland Brown<\/a>) is a smart move. Sure, Pittsburgh may wait and hope the young signal-caller is there at 76, but why take the chance? Nussmeier will look great in the Black & Gold, and he is a tier up from fellow QBs Drew Allar, Carson Beck, and Cole Payton, all of whom could become targets if the Steelers miss out on Nussmeier.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Garrett Nussmeier, Pittsburgh is getting a 6\u20192, 205-pound leader who is pro-ready. Nussmeier is a pocket passer who will greatly benefit from learning from Aaron Rodgers (probably) for a year before taking the reins in 2027. Instead of waiting to draft a QB in 2027, the Steelers shoot their shot now. Developing Nussmeier correctly will become the top priority of the entire organization. The success of this pick likely dictates how successful the Steelers will be over the next five to ten years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Round 3, Pick 99 (Compensatory Selection): Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State<\/strong><\/h3>\n

After selecting Vega Ioane in round one, the Steelers go back to the Penn State well for Zakee Wheatley, who has been consistently rising up draft boards. With Jalen Ramsey on the wrong side of 30 and new acquisition Jaquan Brisker<\/a> signed only for 2026, Pittsburgh would be wise to infuse some youth into its safety room.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wheatley is known for making big plays. Over his final two seasons in Happy Valley, Wheatley recorded 169 total tackles, 4 interceptions, and three fumble recoveries. The Defensive MVP of the 2024 Fiesta Bowl possesses the range to be a true \u201ccenterfielder\u201d for Pittsburgh. Wheatley has terrific size at 6\u20193 and 202 pounds, and is a willing tackler against the run.<\/span><\/p>\n

Round 4, Pick 121: Ephesians Prysock, CB, Washington<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Pittsburgh double-dips at secondary and takes Ephesians Prysock from Washington. Prysock put on a terrific showing<\/a> at the Combine. Standing over 6\u20193 and weighing 196 pounds, the former Husky ran a 4.45 and showed plenty of explosiveness with his 39-inch vertical and 10\u20194\u201d broad jump.<\/span><\/p>\n

The experienced Prysock (42 collegiate starts) shows terrific flexibility and effectively uses his power to jam receivers at the line. Able to succeed in both man and zone schemes, Prysock has terrific upside and is a tremendous value at this spot in the draft.<\/span><\/p>\n

Round 5, Pick 161: Harold Perkins Jr., LB\/EDGE, LSU<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Steelers bolster their pass rush with Perkins Jr., who began his career at LSU with a bang. In his first two years, Perkins Jr. totaled 146 tackles and racked up 13 sacks. The former Tiger looked like a future star<\/a> and potential first-round pick.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, he has not been able to duplicate that success during his final two seasons in Baton Rouge. After a knee injury ended Perkins\u2019 2024 campaign after only four games, there were high hopes heading into 2025. However, after only recording four sacks in his final year, the buzz surrounding Perkins Jr. has faded significantly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pittsburgh should bet that pass-rushing ability is still in there. Teams can never have too many sack artists, and Perkins Jr. has shown he has that ability. The 6\u20191, 222-pounder, while undersized, can develop into an important piece for the Steelers\u2019 defense.<\/span><\/p>\n

Round 6, Pick 216: Eric Gentry, LB, USC<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Steelers, after selecting an undersized LB, take a supersized one. Standing at a towering 6\u20197 and weighing 221 pounds, there really has never been a linebacker prospect like Gentry before. At the Combine, Gentry\u2019s hands measured 10.5 inches, and his arms measured 35 inches. Built like a basketball player, Gentry is viewed as a \u201cunicorn.\u201d<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While his physical traits are off the charts, Gentry will need time and patience to reach his high ceiling. However, if he is developed properly, the Steelers will be getting one of this draft\u2019s biggest steals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Round 7, Pick 224: Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston<\/strong><\/h3>\n

After releasing TE Jonnu Smith,<\/a> the Steelers have room for a young, developmental tight end. Koziol, from Houston, has the potential to be a solid TE2. At 6\u20197, Koziol has an impressive catch radius, making him a perfect target in the red zone. Koziol is a solid route runner as well. Needing to improve his run blocking, the 245-pound TE will need time before finding a consistent role on offense. With Pat Friermuth and Darnell Washington already on the roster, the Steelers can give Koziol the time he needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Round 7, Pick 237: Bryson Eason, DT, Tennessee<\/strong><\/h3>\n

With their final pick of the 2026 Draft, the Steelers add some beef to their interior defensive line. Bryson Eason is 6\u20192 and weighs 323 pounds. While he doesn\u2019t offer much as a pass rusher, Eason is a stout run-stuffer who can also eat up blocks and space.<\/span><\/p>\n

A former linebacker,<\/a> Eason moves well in short spaces for a man of his size. An impressive 1.80-second 10-yard split shows good explosiveness. Eason can become a solid depth piece for Pittsburgh\u2019s defense while also contributing on special teams.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 2026 NFL Draft is a huge event for the host Pittsburgh Steelers. As the Steelers enter a new era without Mike Tomlin, this draft will provide plenty of insight into how the team will be constructed going forward under Mike McCarthy.<\/span><\/p>\n

What do you think of my draft? Let me know in the comments below.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With only a handful of days to go before the 2026 NFL Draft, excitement has reached a fever pitch. Months of planning and evaluating are finally about to pay off. All the guessing and speculating finally come to an end. We get to find out which storylines about teams\u2019 interests and strategies were true and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5722,"featured_media":276490,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":true,"sfio_embed_code":"<\/smartframe-embed>","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1647,33761,6431,9],"tags":[33533,34231,34214,34086,32799,33724,34173,33892,7568,34536,34279],"class_list":["post-276472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-draft","category-mock-drafts","category-nfl-teams","category-steelers","tag-2026-nfl-draft","tag-bryson-eason","tag-ephesians-prysock","tag-eric-gentry","tag-garrett-nussmeier","tag-germie-bernard","tag-harold-perkins-jr","tag-olaivavega-ioane","tag-pittsburgh-steelers-draft","tag-tanner-koziol","tag-zakee-wheatly"],"modified_by":"Mike Roberts","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/276472","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5722"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=276472"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/276472\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":276495,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/276472\/revisions\/276495"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/276490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=276472"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=276472"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=276472"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}