Pittsburgh a winner with NFL Draft production
How well the host team Steelers did in the 2026 NFL Draft, like any draft, won’t be determined until years down the road.
One grade you can give right now, though, is on the production itself.
The NFL Draft in Pittsburgh gets a rousing “A” for that.
As for the picks themselves, here’s a wrap up of who the Steelers took each round and my initial reaction to each, admittedly after some quick research on the later-round selections.
Round 1, 21st overall, Max Iheanachor, offensive tackle, Arizona State: “Wait … what? Are you kidding? Yeah, the Eagles stole Lemon the pick before but what about all those other talented wide receivers available?”
Round 2, 47th overall, Germie Bernard, wide receiver, Alabama: “There we go. Nice trade up. That’s what I’m talking about. Fits great with Metcalf and Pittman.”
Round 3, 76th overall, Drew Allar, quarterback, Penn State: “Aaaaaaaaaugh. Nooooooooo.” (Banging head against wall).
Round 3, 85th overall, Daylen Everette, cornerback, Georgia: “OK, good rebound after Allar pick, needed another good corner.”
Round 3, 96th overall, Gennings Dunker, offensive tackle, Iowa: “Mullet man, love it, tough guy, run blocker, move him to guard.”
Round 4, 121st overall, Kaden Wetjen, wide receiver, Iowa: “Reach. Yes, best return specialist in the draft which Steelers need, but wouldn’t this guy still be there like two rounds later?”
Round 5, 169th overall, Riley Nowakowski, tight end, Indiana: “Thumbs up, from winning team, moves into the departed Connor Heyward’s role, actually a fullback.”
Round 6, 210th overall: Gabriel Rubio, defensive tackle, Notre Dame: “Who? Fighting Irish guy, fine, didn’t even get invited to the NFL combine? Couldn’t you have signed him as a free agent afterwards?”
Round 7, 224th overall: Robert Spears-Jennings, safety, Oklahoma: “Depth in the secondary never a bad thing.”
Round 7, 230th overall: Eli Heidenreich, running back, Navy: “Outstanding final selection, versatile local guy from Mt. Lebanon, great moment, how can you not like this pick?”
There were a few entertaining moments during the draft announcements on stage and here are two that stood out.
The Ravens sent out one of the many “international fan of the year” nominees who read off picks and she delivered a real zinger to Steelers fans who were, not surprisingly, booing the representative of their biggest rival.
“I’ll keep this short, like your postseason,” she said slyly.”
Ouch. A clever line that had me chuckling along with a few Steelers fans, although most others just booed even louder.
I guess the obvious response from a Steeler fan would be, “Hey, better to have a short postseason than none at all.” The Steelers beat the Ravens in the final game of the regular season to snatch the last playoff spot from Baltimore.
A highlight for Steelers fans as far as draft selection announcements was actor Michael Keaton, a Pittsburgh native and huge fan of the Steelers, Pirates and Penguins, who came on stage for his team’s fifth-round pick and delivered it in entertaining fashion.
Walking out wearing a Steelers hat and twirling a Terrible Towel, Keaton said, “With the 169th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft … I hope it’s me, I hope it’s me, I hope … the legendary Pittsburgh Steelers select Riley Nowakowski, tight end from Indiana. Go Steelers. Beat ’em Bucs.”
The crowd roared its approval.
Outside of the draft, there was much more to do in the vicinity of Acrisure Stadium if you wanted to entertain yourself in between your team’s picks.
If you like tasty food, there was a wide variety available at the many stands, from traditional American fare such as hot dogs and hamburgers to more extravagant international options. The lobster sliders found at one such place were outstanding.
You could actually wander inside Acrisure Stadium onto the field where one could try their hand at kicking field goals or visit the massive card shop that had sections for each NFL team.
Inside the NFL Museum were various Hall of Fame busts, a replicant locker for a top player from each team among other items with the biggest draw being a display showing a Super Bowl ring from each year’s champion.
I couldn’t help but torment my Chargers fan brother-in-law with a photo along with a text that read “Do the Chargers ever put their Super Bowl rings on displ- … oh, sorry, never mind.”
The Bolts have never won a Super Bowl. The Steelers, of course, have a record-tying six Lombardi Trophies.
There was much more, too much to take in in one day. Fans from all over the country and world seemed to be having a positive experience wherever you went.
Overall the event, which drew an incredible record crowd of over 320,000 people for Thursday night’s first round, clearly was a rousing success.
So now the next question is, when is Pittsburgh going to host the Super Bowl?
Hey, unlikely as that may seem, the odds just got much better thanks to the success of this production.
Rob Burchianti is sports editor of the Herald-Standard and can be reached at rburchianti@heraldstandard.com.