Steelers President Art Rooney II Believes Team's Offensive Line Is Extremely Strong After 2026 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a huge splash in round one of the 2026 NFL Draft when they selected Arizona State University tackle Max Iheanachor with the 21st overall pick. The team has been speculated to add an offensive lineman at some point in the draft; however, they surprisingly took a tackle early. It seems as though this was a response to the Broderick Jones injury uncertainty. The Steelers' 2025 starting left tackle had neck surgery, and his status remains unclear. The Black and Gold didn't stop at just Iheanachor, as they traded up in the third round to nab an Iowa Hawkeyes tackle, who will more than likely play guard, Gennings Dunker. 

Pittsburgh desperately needed a starting left guard, as the franchise lost its starter from the 2025 season. In response, they drafted one of the most physical guard prospects in the draft. The Steelers adding more offensive line talent is nothing new. Over the past few drafts, the front office has made it a priority to add in the trenches. After Iheanachor's pick, they have invested three first-round picks on tackles since 2023. The group remains young, but seems to be growing as a unit. The Steelers lost their left guard, and based on the big investment in round one, Jones looks like a big question mark. 

Despite this, Steelers President Art Rooney II has a lot of confidence in his young line and believes they got better post-draft. He pointed to position flexibility amongst his players, too -- another mantra that has been repeated throughout the 2026 offseason by the Steelers brass. Rooney appeared on 102.5 WDVE for an interview. 

"We'll have some flexibility on the line now that I don't think we had
going into the draft. Obviously, we picked up Dunker, who is probably gonna move to guard. So, I think we came out stronger on our offensive line, which, as you know, is very important," Rooney said. 

Dunker came out of Iowa as a tackle, but his size allows him to move to guard. He also started his career as a guard. But, once again, his positional versatility makes him valuable. The Steelers' offensive line has become a strength over the past few seasons. They even have more of a youth movement with high-value pick investment, which could create an extremely strong unit long-term. The offensive line will be under rookie contracts for the next couple of seasons, and if they can become an elite unit and play on the cheap, then that's just another positive of the team. 

Iheanachor and Dunker may not be immediate starters, but they have a ton of potential. The Steelers hope that their rookies can be involved when they're ready. The run game and protecting either a young quarterback or 2025's 43-year-old starter, Aaron Rodgers, will be very important. The new coaching staff will benefit heavily from a stable offensive line, which will help open up the playbook. The Steelers' depth there will allow them to be comfortable even with any injuries. Pittsburgh will hope to go back to winning in the trenches, like they did in previous years. 

The Steelers Are Known For Finding Hidden Gem Offensive Linemen

Finding an elite offensive lineman in the mid-rounds of the NFL Draft isn't something new for the Steelers. Just recently, the front office found a starting right guard in Mason McCormick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Since becoming a starter, he has carved a spot for himself on the offensive line. The Black and Gold found starting center Zach Frazier in the second round of the same draft. 

The hope is that the Steelers continue their trend of drafting and developing starting linemen. This could be no different this go-around, and Rooney seems to be confident in what his front office has constructed.

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