Kiper: Steelers Completely Change Their Offense With Perfect First-Round Pick In 2026 NFL Mock Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers will be in a familiar position on 2026 NFL Draft night, with the 21st overall pick yet again. This often happens when you've had the history of consistent success, like 22 straight non-losing seasons, including 19 straight under former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. This is also a landmark draft for the Steelers, the first in almost two decades without Tomlin, and with whoever the new coaching regime will be. 

A good NFL Draft will set the Steelers up for future success. A bad one will set whoever the next Steelers coach is up for failure. The 2026 NFL Draft will be the first impression of the new coaching regime for Steelers fans and the new era of Steelers football, its importance is difficult to overstate.

The Steelers have several positions of need, including the most important in football: quarterback. 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers did an admirable job for the Steelers last season. His future with the Steelers is up in the air however, given his age and noted relationship with Tomlin. Rodgers provided stability at a position the Steelers haven't had since Ben Roethlisberger retired before the 2022 season, after 18 seasons with the Steelers and two Super Bowl championships.

ESPN's senior NFL Draft analyst, Mel Kiper's latest mock draft has the Steelers making a drastic move that could change the course of their offense, selecting 6'4" Washington Huskies receiver Denzel Boston.

"We saw what happens when this offense loses [DK] Metcalf, as the Steelers managed just one passing touchdown over Weeks 17 and 18 while Metcalf was suspended," said Kiper. "But Boston runs strong routes and uses his physicality to box out defenders and make plays on the ball. He had 11 touchdowns this past season, including seven in the red zone. He'd elevate the unit right out of the gate and take some weight off Metcalf."

Boston and Steelers star receiver DK Metcalf have the potential to be among the most dynamic receiving duos in the NFL. For starters, Boston and Metcalf are both 6'4" and provide the physicality that you rarely see at the wide receiver position. As Kiper mentioned, when the Steelers were without Metcalf for two games after Metcalf's altercation with a fan during the Detroit Lions game in Week 16, the Steelers' passing offense was anemic, with just one passing touchdown across two games. 

Boston gives the Steelers a legitimate number-two option across the field from Metcalf, a role they lacked throughout the 2025 season. In his past season with Washington, Boston had 881 yards and a staggering 11 touchdowns. Boston and Metcalf could theoretically make the Steelers' red zone offense unstoppable, with the defense having to account for both red zone targets.

Kiper also mentioned wanting to take a quarterback with the Steelers' first-round pick, but this quarterback draft class leaves much to be desired.

"I really wanted to get a quarterback to the Steelers in this spot," Kiper admitted. "It's possible Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss finds himself in the first-round conversation, obviously depending on what happens with his NCAA eligibility lawsuit. But the other QBs in this class would be big reaches. I don't know what Pittsburgh will do under center or whether Aaron Rodgers will play another season, but there doesn't appear to be an easy fix in Round 1 this year.

Indiana Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza is a lock to go with the first overall pick to the Las Vegas Raiders. Besides Mendoza, this is a very underwhelming quarterback draft class with no other quarterbacks that you can justify drafting in the first round besides, potentially, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. Chambliss is not a slam-dunk prospect by any means and is also currently suing the NCAA over his draft eligibility, in hopes of playing another season at Ole Miss and entering the 2027 NFL Draft rather than this year's.

Steelers Could Have Special Receiving Duo With Metcalf And Boston

Given the uncertainty with the 2026 quarterback class, the Steelers taking a receiver with their first-round pick, especially one with the upside of Boston, makes a ton of sense. Teams will not be able to load up on Metcalf as they did this past season, as Boston gives the Steelers the versatility that any coach would dream of, with two imposing 6'4" receivers. 

Who do you want the Steelers to draft in the first round? Let us know in the comments! 

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