Steelers Now Have A Chance To Replace What They Lost In George Pickens

The Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eyes set on the wide receiver position in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The franchise has the 21st overall pick in the event, and there should be some decent wide receivers on the board for the Steelers to consider by the time they are on the clock. This is an area the Steelers have been hurting in recent years, but the need isn't nearly as pressing as it was prior to trading for Michael Pittman Jr. Despite that addition, Pittsburgh needs youth in the room, which is why many fans are rooting for the team to go that route on Day 1.

The Steelers' issues at wide receiver have been going on for quite sometime. The organization has always had a talented player at the position, but only having one of those guys makes things easy on an opposing defense, especially with a subpar offensive line. In 2024, George Pickens was the star receiver in Pittsburgh, but he was easily eliminated from some games due to there being not enough threats in the passing game for the Pittsburgh offense outside of him. He and the organization had a fractured relationship, and that led to him being traded to the Dallas Cowboys during the 2025 offseason. Pittsburgh received a third-round pick, and Pickens went on to be an All-Pro in a pass-heavy offense with reliable quarterback play.

Fans were upset, and still are upset, about the organization trading away Pickens. He went on to have the best season of his young career in Dallas, but that would likely not have happened in Pittsburgh. The Cowboys are pass-heavy as mentioned, with Dak Prescott under center, and Pickens also got to play alongside CeeDee Lamb. 

ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller might have good news for Pittsburgh fans though, as he believes wide receiver prospect Jordyn Tyson is a lot like Pickens. He named Pickens as Tyson's player comparison in a recent article.

"Tyson is an X receiver prospect with size, speed, and route-running savviness that scouts love," Miller wrote. "He can take the top off a defense with his vertical-stretch speed, but is also adept at adjusting mid-sprint to the ball in flight. Despite missing four games and part of another because of a hamstring injury, Tyson had 61 catches for 711 yards and eight touchdowns last season after posting 75 catches, 1,101 yards and 10 TDs in 2024. He also reduced his drops, with only one on 100 targets after dropping eight passes the previous season."

Tyson has been mocked to the Steelers heavily with the 21st overall pick. He was originally thought to be a sure-fire top-12 selection, but some injury concerns have changed that. The young wideout's stock is hard to predict, but there is definitely a chance that he may still be on the board with Pittsburgh on the clock.

Having the chance to draft a player that is comparable to Pickens would be great for Pittsburgh, as all fans can probably agree that the offense was missing a player of his caliber during the 2025 season. His presence was missed, but the two sides moving on from one another was the best move for both parties. Pickens is now somewhere where he can flourish as a player and be extremely productive, while Pittsburgh was able to bring in more draft capital.

Steelers Should Be Confident In Drafting Jordyn Tyson

The most interesting part about Tyson as a prospect for the Steelers is the fact that he has been getting coached by Hines Ward for the past two seasons. That means he probably has high character, and there shouldn't be any concerns in that regard. Some analysts have questioned his effort in recent weeks, but fans need not worry.

He played through injury in his final season of college, and he should be a great player in the NFL.

What do you think about Tyson being compared to Pickens? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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