With the 2026 NFL Draft now within the rearview mirror, I needed to have a look at how the information from my curiosity and athletic rating research held up with the Pittsburgh Steelers new teaching workers, and supply some takeaways as properly. Here’s a fast assessment of what the scores measure:
Curiosity Rating: Right here, I configured a factors system for the next vital elements: school efficiency, physique sort, expertise, age, place, competitors stage, professional day attendance, pre-draft assembly(s), and Senior/Shrine Bowl invites/participation.
Athletic Rating: Merely 11 mix metrics, excluding wingspan, and whether or not or not they have been inside a threshold in every metric of any participant drafted at their place by the Steelers since 2013.
Whereas I rating each place (for a number of years), we solely launched the primary positions of want in article kind pre-draft. Listed here are the hyperlinks to these articles:
Vast ReceiversOffensive LineDefensive Again
For readability, no changes have been made to the scoring from the Mike Tomlin period. Let’s see the scores for the 2026 Steelers draft class.
One of many main variations on this draft concerned Pittsburgh’s first-round choice – Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor. A longstanding pattern was damaged, having a head coach or GM on the professional day, and/or bringing the participant in for a pre-draft go to. Neither occurred with Iheanachor, therefore a decrease 7.8 curiosity rating than previous first rounders (DL Derrick Harmon: 9.1, OL Troy Fautanu: 9.8, OL Broderick Jones: 9.8).
McCarthy talked about planning to attend extra professional days, however many fell by way of as he was constructing his imaginative and prescient and assembling a brand-new workers. He additionally talked about he’ll in all probability attend extra professional days sooner or later, in order that will likely be fascinating to watch transferring ahead.
One other issue is the bad-look telephone name, with Pittsburgh talking to WR Makai Lemon earlier than they have been on the clock and getting jumped by Philly in a commerce to pick out him. Lemon had a 9.7 curiosity rating, tying for seventh out of all 2026 draft picks. He had a number of conferences, together with a pre-draft go to, but additionally lacked HC pro-day attendance. I needed to incorporate that context, contemplating the storyline.
Regardless that the collection of Iheanachor stunned many, significantly not understanding the severity of Broderick Jones’ standing (which might have boosted sort out place want rating), he was comfortably above the common curiosity rating of 6.6 within the 2026 draft class. That quantity was a bit decrease than previous drafts, primarily attributable to McCarthy’s lack of professional day attendance.
Iheanachor checked many different curiosity packing containers, beginning with a proper mix assembly. Different pluses have been school efficiency, age, school expertise, above-average professional day attendance, stage of competitors, and Senior Bowl. His seven athletic rating additionally set new precedents, with shorter 3378 arms and 900 fingers than previous thresholds (3428, 948), and didn’t take part in agility (shuttle, three-cone).
In any other case, the curiosity scores fared quite properly for earlier alternatives. All six alternatives the Steelers made within the first 4 rounds had above-average curiosity scores.
Alabama WR Germie Bernard was the second-round choice, with a 9.3 curiosity rating, tied for 14th within the draft class. A number of conferences (pre-draft, mix), robust expertise, stage of competitors, and professional day attendance. Good school efficiency and age, too. Ten athletic rating lands him on the highest proper of the charts, checking all of the packing containers he participated in (no bench press).
The Steelers made three alternatives within the third spherical: Penn State QB Drew Allar (7.8 curiosity rating), Georgia CB Daylen Everette (9.9), and Iowa OL Gennings Dunker (7.4).
Everette highlights the curiosity scores, tying for third-best in all the draft class. Formal mix assembly, professional day attendance (together with HC Mike McCarthy), age, expertise, stage of competitors, Senior Bowl, and certified in Alex Kozora’s most up-to-date “What The Steelers Look For” examine. Faculty efficiency was the bottom (however nonetheless common) mark. Eight athletic rating, with three DNPs (bench, agility).
Allar had the third-ranked curiosity rating at QB, behind North Dakota State’s Cole Payton and Taylen Inexperienced of Arkansas, who have been additionally pre-draft guests. Allar met with Pittsburgh on the mix too, and was above common or stronger throughout the curiosity scores except for Bowl sport participation (invited, recovering from ankle surgical procedure).
Dunker was among the finest values for Pittsburgh’s class at choose 96, in my private opinion. On this examine, the shortage of conferences and gentle professional day attendance with the Steelers lowered his curiosity rating. Robust checking of all different curiosity packing containers: school efficiency, stage of competitors, place want, Senior Bowl participation, expertise, and above-average age. Ten athletic rating, checking every little thing he did (bench DNP).
Iowa WR/return specialist Kaden Wetjen was Pittsburgh’s fourth-round choice, filling an enormous want and function, however stirring up controversy over it being too early. 7.4 curiosity rating – formally assembly with Pittsburgh on the mix. Expertise, professional day attendance, and stage of competitors have been pluses, whereas efficiency (at WR), age, and Shrine Bowl have been decrease marks.
Pittsburgh’s final 5 picks (spherical 5 and after) are the place the curiosity scores waned: Indiana FB Riley Nowakowski (5.2), Notre Dame DL Gabriel Rubio (5.3), Oklahoma S Robert Spears-Jennings (5.1), and Navy RB Eli Heidenreich (5.5). Robust athletic scores have been extra outstanding, apart from the fullback.
Nowakowski was launched at that place, filling the void of former Steeler Connor Heyward. The place hasn’t been chosen usually, so my primary takeaway is to have a extra full athletic profile for it transferring ahead.
Nowakowski’s school efficiency, expertise, and stage of competitors have been his finest curiosity scores. Age, lack of professional day attendance, and Shrine Bowl (not Senior Bowl) have been decrease scores. Seven athletic rating, with a bench DNP, however setting new arm (3148), hand (868), and shuttle (4.61) thresholds.
Rubio had many followers saying, “Who?” He landed on my radar with an ideal 11 athletic rating, actually within the mould of a Steelers defensive lineman. Robust curiosity scores have been physique sort, school efficiency, age, and professional day attendance. No conferences, expertise (accidents), stage of competitors, and lack of Senior/Shrine Bowl have been decrease marks.
Spears-Jennings was one other good 11 athletic rating and had worth that fell later than his draft projections. Age, expertise, and stage of competitors have been his finest curiosity scores. Faculty efficiency, no Professional Day attendance, and the Shrine Bowl have been decrease marks.
Heidenreich is a chess piece within the Steelers’ offensive-heavy draft. One other robust athletic rating (ten) within the later rounds in McCarthy’s first draft class.
No matter place label (RB/WR), Heidenreich missed only one athletic rating, with smaller 2928-inch arms that set a brand new threshold at both place. Spectacular to do at each positions. Faculty efficiency, age, and expertise have been robust curiosity scores. No professional day attendance, stage of competitors, and Shrine Bowl have been decrease marks.
As anticipated, some new issues got here with the Pittsburgh Steelers first draft class with HC Mike McCarthy. It’s thrilling to lastly see how issues panned out within the draft and to have a baseline for these research transferring ahead.
I can’t wait to see the rookies in motion and the way the scores fare sooner or later. I hope you loved the draft festivities as a lot because the Steelers Depot crew.
What are your ideas on Pittsburgh’s 2026 draft class? What concerning the curiosity and athletic scores? Thanks for studying, and let me know your ideas within the feedback.
