Latest 2026 Mock Draft Has Steelers Making Exciting First-Round Trade To Fix Big Problem

The Pittsburgh Steelers will embark on an interesting journey in the 2026 offseason. Not only will one of the main decision-makers be Mike McCarthy, instead of Mike Tomlin, but there are still glaring needs on the roster that have to be addressed. General Manager Omar Khan will have his hands full once the draft commences in the Steel City, and it's not going to be easy because of the lack of quarterback talent. Overall, the team is expected to have over 10 total selections, which should help with bringing some new faces in that could surprise throughout the course of regular-season preparation.

Another area that is going to be heavily judged is the wide receivers' room. While DK Metcalf possesses incredible talent, he needs more consistent weapons around him so that opposing defenses take some attention off of him. That is why a lot of pundits believe that the Steelers could look to address the position sooner rather than later once the big event occurs at the end of April.

Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette follows the organization closely and released his first seven-round mock draft of the offseason on Thursday morning. Not only did he have the franchise taking a wideout in round one, but he had the front office making a crucial decision to trade the 21st and 121st overall picks to the Detroit Lions for the 17th slot. This led to the Steelers getting one of the best pass-catchers available in the 2026 class: Jordyn Tyson.

"This is a deep draft for receivers, but if the Steelers want one of the premier players at the position, they might have to part with some of their draft capital to make it happen," Fittipaldo wrote. "Tyson is well worth the investment. He was a touchdown machine the past two seasons at Arizona State, where his receivers coach was Hines Ward. He had eight touchdowns last season and 10 in 2024. He’s dealt with some injuries throughout his career, but he’s also known for his toughness. Sounds a little like his position coach."

Tyson will be linked to the Steelers a lot in the coming months, but it's possible that he won't make it to 21, or even 17 for that matter. He would be a great fit for Pittsburgh's offense, and he can be linked to the Steel City because of team legend Hines Ward and his presence at Arizona State University as the wide receivers coach. Fans would be thrilled to move up four spots and essentially just give up one of the other 12 expected picks to land someone of Tyson's caliber.

Regardless of who is playing quarterback for Pittsburgh, more weapons will be needed when it comes to the receiving game. It's even possible that the Steelers select multiple pass-catchers to really try to revamp the unit. Any additions that can help break Metcalf open, while also having their own contributions, would be looked at as a massive win.

Fittipaldo could be a little ambitious hoping that Tyson falls all the way to the 17th overall pick. There's a strong possibility that he doesn't make it out of the Top 12 or so. If he does slightly begin to fall, the Steelers would have a perfect opportunity to move up.

Steelers Need A More Dynamic Offense

Despite having solid moments in 2025, Pittsburgh needs to have a more consistent approach on offense. Sure, that starts with quarterback play, but bringing in new weapons will also be a crucial piece to the puzzle. These factors, along with McCarthy's incoming presence, should allow for the team to be more formidable on that side of the ball. Someone like Tyson would be perfect, and well worth a low-risk, high-reward trade up.

Do you think the Steelers should target Tyson in the 2026 NFL Draft? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation