The Pittsburgh Steelers had what was, for them, a standard season in 2025.
The team won just enough games to run Mike Tomlin’s streak of seasons without a losing record to 19 en route to the playoffs.
But as has also become the norm, the Steelers were one-and-done in the playoffs for the sixth consecutive time, which led to a parting of ways with Tomlin. In his place is head coach Mike McCarthy, who hasn’t done much in the postseason since leading the Green Bay Packers to the Super Bowl in 2010.
McCarthy is not the only new face in town, of course, as the Steelers added 10 players in the 2026 NFL Draft:
- Offensive tackle Max Iheanachor (Round 1)
- Wide receiver Germie Bernard (Round 2)
- Quarterback Drew Allar (Round 3)
- Cornerback Daylen Everette (Round 3)
- Offensive tackle Gennings Dunker (Round 3)
- Wide receiver Kaden Wetjen (Round 4)
- Tight end Riley Nowakowski (Round 5)
- Defensive tackle Gabriel Rubio (Round 6)
- Safety Robert Spears-Jennings (Round 7)
- Running back Eli Heidenreich (Round 7)
To get an idea of where the Steelers stand with their rookie class, we turned to Jarrett Bailey at Behind the Steel Curtain for a Q&A.
Q: Overall, what is the general feeling about the rookie class?
Jarrett: I’m neither ecstatic nor underwhelmed by the rookie class. I’m a big fan of the Drew Allar pick and love what he could become, but the Makai Lemon debacle* will loom large for a long time if he ends up being a star. Hopefully, Max Iheanachor and Gennings Dunker turn into quality starters. Germie Bernard should be the No.3/slot receiver right away.
Q: Which rookie are you most excited to see in action?
Jarrett: Allar won’t see the field in the regular season unless something bizarre happens, but I’m looking forward to watching him in the preseason. If Mike McCarthy, Brian Agelichio, and Tom Arth can clean up his mechanics, he can be a good starter.
Q: Who is one rookie that may surprise people?
Jarrett: I don’t particularly see any of the rookies being massive surprises. If Germie Bernard does end up being the No. 3 receiver, I think he can put up solid numbers behind DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman.
Q: Is there one area that you wish the team had focused on more in the draft?
Jarrett: I would have liked to see an off-ball linebacker. Kyle Louis and Jacob Rodriguez were both big wishes, but both ended up in Miami.
Q: Who is the one rookie that had you scratching your head when the team selected him?
Jarrett: Taking Daylen Everette in the third round didn’t make sense to me. They have Joey Porter Jr, Asante Samuel, and signed Jamel Dean in free agency. Plus, Brandin Echols played well when called upon last year. Corner wasn’t a position of need, in my opinion.
Thanks to Jarrett for his insight.
*The Steelers were on the phone with Lemon during the first round of the draft, letting him know they intended to select him with the No. 21 overall pick. But the Philadelphia Eagles jumped ahead of Pittsburgh via a trade and selected Lemon at No. 20 overall.