Steelers' First-Round Pick In 2026 NFL Draft Seems Clear With Mike McCarthy In Charge

The Pittsburgh Steelers have strictly employed defensive-minded head coaches for decades. This specific approach led to six Super Bowl championships, a mark that remains tied for the league's most — despite the fact that it could change with a New England Patriots victory in the coming weeks. Overall, the decision to hire Mike McCarthy shocked a lot of fans, specifically because a 39-year-old defensive coordinator in Chris Shula was considered the favorite to land the job. Now, McCarthy will be tasked with finally putting together a consistent offensive product on the field week-in and week-out.

First and foremost, the Steelers need to figure out who will be playing quarterback in 2026 and beyond. Aaron Rodgers returning for one more year is possible, but that doesn't solve the franchise's issue for the long-term. Regardless of who is under center, Pittsburgh needs to figure out a way to be more dynamic in the receiving game moving forward.

Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette went into detail about McCarthy's history and is confident that things will soon change on offense. The veteran head coach relies on wide receivers when it comes to his offense, which will be a nice mix up from previous seasons.

"McCarthy leaned heavily toward three-receiver groupings when he was the head coach of the Packers from 2006-18," Fittipaldo wrote. "His usage of two-tight end sets ranked near the bottom of the league in almost every season he coached the Packers. However, during his five-year stint as head coach of the Cowboys, McCarthy adjusted his system and took advantage of the personnel he had at his disposal."

The challenge with McCarthy's past affinities for using the wide receiver position so much is that DK Metcalf is really the only trusted threat at that spot currently. This will almost certainly lead to the organization investing in the position, and the most likely scenario is making a splash pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, which will be held in the Steel City.

"Luckily for the Steelers, this is a strong draft for receivers. They can easily select a running mate for Metcalf who might someday take over as the No. 1 receiver."

The top three names to pay attention to are Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon and Jordyn Tyson. However, it's very possible that none of the options from that trio are available when the Steelers are on the clock with the 21st overall selection. Barring a trade-up, some other prospects to follow in the coming months include Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion.

The quarterback draft class is rather weak, and while the Steelers could use some help at safety, cornerback, and linebacker, an updated wide receiving corps with some youth seems to be a priority. If Pittsburgh can select the right play-maker, there's a strong chance that he and Metcalf could be a lethal combination. The franchise hasn't taken the position in round one since 2006 when Santonio Holmes was the choice.

McCarthy has been known to use plenty of receiver set-ups throughout his NFL head-coaching career. It won't be a surprise in the slightest if the organization heavily invests in this area specifically. It all starts in the first round, and with how deep the class is supposed to be at the position, the Steelers, McCarthy and General Manager Omar Khan could be targeting a big name early.

Steelers Are Hoping To Unleash Metcalf In 2026

The addition of a true threat at the wide receiver position opens up the offense in more ways than one. First, the newcomer will be expected to play immediately, and perform at a high level. Additionally, Metcalf having the opportunity for more one-on-one matchups could seriously alter the amount of success he has. Connecting the dots, it seems like Pittsburgh will be eyeing a first-round wide receiver selection in 2026.

Do you think that the Steelers need to draft a wide receiver in round one? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation