Steelers' Draft: High Risk, High Reward

0:00On April 29, Pittsburgh Steelers just wrapped their 2026 NFL draft and is looking like one of the riskiest classes in years. They grabbed offensive tackle Max Ihanakor from Arizona State at pick 21 in the first round, wide receiver Jeremy Bernard from Alabama in. The second after trading up and quarterback Drew Allor from Penn State early in the third. The team leaned hard on their scouts, snagging guys who slid lower than expected on most boards. A few picks stood out as smart moves, like guard Jennings Dunker from Iowa late in the third, who many thought would go much earlier. Cornerback Dalen Everett from Georgia and Titan Riley Noah Kowski from Indiana also fit knees without much reach. But they traded up for some gambles, betting on potential over consensus rankings. Fans as Steelers nation had mixed feelings, especially after missing out on hot prospects like wide receiver McCoy Lemon. Daily reaches like Allor drew some side eye, and picking return guy Kaden wet gin so

1:00high, felt off to a lot of folks. Still, the local vibe peaked with Navy's Eli Hydenreich, going in the seventh right in Pittsburgh. Later rounds brought more questions, like sixth round defensive tackle Gabriel Rubio from Notre Dame, who barely cracked radars and battled injuries. Safety. Robert Spears Jennings from Oklahoma offered lay value, but overall, this group's got that boom or bust energy. Only time will show if these risks pay off or flop, like some past classes, but Omar Khan's crew is all in on their board. Keep an eye on training cam for the real test.