2026 NFL Mock Draft: Steelers make bold move for QB to begin Mike McCarthy Era

The Pittsburgh Steelers have announced their intent for Pittsburgh native and Super Bowl winning head coach Mike McCarthy to succeed Mike Tomlin as the leader of the team. While Steelers fans may not be overly pleased with the potential hire, it appears that the 62-year old will become just the fourth Pittsburgh head coach since 1969.

Pittsburgh Steelers replace one Super Bowl winning coach with another

McCarthy won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers with Aaron Rodgers at the helm. Could this hire help coax Rodgers back to Pittsburgh for one more NFL season? Time will tell, but the Steelers' front office will soon shift its focus to the franchise's future as the 2026 NFL Draft approaches.

With McCarthy's offensive background and reputation as a quarterback developer, will the Steelers look to add a young quarterback for their new head coach to take under his wing? Or do they think that guy is already on their roster? How will they address the other needs on the roster to position themselves to "win now" with the veteran head coach? We take a look at how things could play out in this Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 NFL Mock Draft.

Full seven-round Pittsburgh Steelers 2026 NFL Mock Draft

Round 1, Pick 21: Kevin "KC" Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

Regardless of who will be under center for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026 and beyond, they will need some more (and better) weapons to throw the ball to. DK Metcalf is under contract through 2029 and fits the mold as the big-body, "number-one", X-type receiver. However, the team needs some more dynamic pass catchers around him. Enter Kevin "KC" Concepcion.

Calvin Austin is set the be an unrestricted free agent after never truly making a big impact for the Pittsburgh offense. Concepcion can be that shifty playmaker that they had hoped Austin would become. Concepcion is electric with the ball in his hands, making him a valuable asset in the return game as well.

Concepcion is very effective in the red zone, with 7 of his 10 offensive touchdowns coming from inside the 20 in 2026. McCarthy could deploy him as he often did with Davante Adams in Green Bay near the goal line as a perfect complement to the bigger-bodied Metcalf and a great fit with the Steelers.

TRADE

Round 1, Pick 28: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

After opting for a wide receiver with their own first-round pick in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, the Steelers move back into the first for a quarterback. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is likely to be the second QB off the board and may be selected before the Steelers even pick at 21. But in this mock, Simpson fell towards the end of the round so the Steelers jump ahead of the Los Angeles Rams to grab the young gunslinger.

Simpson doesn't have a ton of playing experience under his belt, but is already 23 years old, so he made the decision to enter the 2026 NFL Draft. Simpson had quite the rollercoaster season in 2025 for the Tide, showing flashes of greatness at times but failing to play consistently enough to solidify himself as a true top target in the draft.

Simpson has a lot of tools that NFL teams value and Pittsburgh will likely believe that there isn't anyone better to get the most out of such a prospect than McCarthy, Especially if Rodgers does come back and Simpson has the chance to sit a year and learn behind one of the best to ever do it, this trade up could pay big dividends for the Steelers in the long run.

Round 3, Pick 76: Julian Neal, CB, Arkansas

The Steelers have a long, physical cornerback that they drafted in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft in Joey Porter Jr. Arkansas corner Julian Neal is built from the same mold at 6-foot-2 and over 200 pounds and plays as physical as anyone on the boundary.

While James Pierre actually graded as the second-best corner in the NFL by Pro Football Focus for 2025, that was only from 408 total snaps and just 255 in coverage. Adding another outside corner as a potential long-term running mate for Porter would be smart for the Steelers, and Neal has the traits to be just that.

Round 3, Pick 99: Genesis Smith, S, Arizona

Continuing to revamp the secondary in the third round of this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, the Steelers select safety Genesis Smith from Arizona. As Daft and Draft's Cory Kinnan explains here, Smith may be the best "single-high" free safety in the 2026 NFL Draft, which is a position that the Steelers are in desperate need of. Jabril Peppers and Kyle Dugger are both set to become free agents and are more effective around the line of scrimmage. Adding a ballhawking, centerfield-type safety should be a priority for the Pittsburgh defense.

Round 4, Pick 121: J.C. Davis, OT, Illinois

In the same 2023 NFL Draft that the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Joey Porter Jr. in the second round, they went with Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones in the first. Jones has not immediately held things down at left tackle as the Steelers had hoped, and is now working through a potential career-altering neck injury.

Adding another option at left tackle would be smart for Pittsburgh, and J.C. Davis has started every game at the position for four straight years (with New Mexico and Illinois) to finish his college career. An experienced prospect like Davis could come in and compete to start right away for the Steelers in 2026.

Round 4, Pick 135: Jalon Kilgore, DB, South Carolina

The Steelers traded for defensive back Jalen Ramsey last offseason, who ended up playing a couple of different roles this season in his first with Pittsburgh. Ramsey seems to be most effective around the line of scrimmage, but ended up playing quite a bit of free safety throughout the year based on need.

After adding a free safety in Smith, selecting a slot corner like South Carolina's Jalon Kilgore could prevent the Steelers from getting into another predicament that would cause them to pigeonhole a dynamic player like Ramsey into one position. Kilgore could also learn a lot from Ramsey while finding a role early with the Steelers.

Round 5, Pick 159: Aiden Fisher, LB, Indiana

The Steelers did not have a single linebacker ranked in the top 60 players at the position for 2025, according to PFF. Patrick Queen was a big free agent signing from the division rival Baltimore Ravens at the time, but has been up-and-down in Pittsburgh. Payton Wilson was drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, but he hasn't become an every-down MIKE linebacker.

Aiden Fisher from the national champion Indiana Hoosiers was the heartbeat of their defense and could be an early contributor at the next level. Fisher played under head coach Curt Cignetti at both James Madison and Indiana and could be a coach's best friend at the next level with his leadership and tackling ability.

Round 6, Pick 213: Logan Fano, EDGE, Utah

Logan Fano, brother of top tackle prospect Spencer Fano, could provide some depth for the Pittsburgh Steelers edge group. After beginning his career at BYU, Fano had a solid 2025 season for the Utah Utes totaling five sacks and 21 hurries while earning a 78.7 grade from PFF. With T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, and Jack Sawyer, Fano could learn and earn a role down the line in his professional career.

Round 6, Pick 214: Gracen Halton, DL, Oklahoma

Oklahoma's Gracen Halton could be a steal late in the 2026 NFL Draft. Like Fano, Halton racked up 5 sacks in 2025 and earned an impressive PFF grade of his own at 84.7. As an interior defensive lineman, Halton also totaled 22 hurries and was graded 86.9 against the run. Halton could learn from, and potentially eventually take over for, veteran Cam Heyward and become a stalwart on the Pittsburgh defensive line for years to come.

Round 7, Pick 224: Riley Nowakowski, TE, Indiana

Another national champion Indiana Hoosier, Riley Nowakowski could prove to be a versatile and valuable asset at the next level. With Conner Heyward set to hit free agency, Nowakowski could come in and fill a very similar role as an "H-back" who can line up at fullback, tight end, on special teams, or even quarterback for QB sneaks.

Round 7, Pick 237: Brett Thorson, P, Georgia

An overlooked need for the Pittsburgh Steelers is at punter. Corliss Waitman did not rank near the top of the league in yards per punt or touchback percentage in 2025 and is a restricted free agent this offseason. The Steelers could look to add whichever they have as the top punter on their board in the 2026 NFL Draft who, in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, is Georgia's Brett Thorson.