The lights were perfect. The stage was set. And for a few hours, the city of Pittsburgh reminded the football world exactly why it sits at the heart of the sport.
Inside the building, the franchise’s past stood shoulder to shoulder with its future. Hall of Fame icons like Ben Roethlisberger and Terry Bradshaw drew thunderous ovations, their presence a reminder of what championship standards look like in this city. By all accounts, it was the largest crowd ever assembled for a draft night—a statement moment for both Pittsburgh and the league.
And then the pick came in. Holding a prime first-round selection, the Pittsburgh Steelers had an opportunity to match the energy of the night with a defining move for their future. Instead, they left the fanbase stunned, with the pick of Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor, moments after the Philadelphia Eagles sniped them for WR Makai Lemon.
The Pittsburgh Steelers still walk into day two of the NFL Draft with something most teams don’t: volume. Eleven total picks. Ammo. Flexibility. A chance to turn frustration into redemption. Here’s how I see it shaking out.
33. San Francisco 49ers — Denzel Boston, WR, Washington34. Arizona Cardinals — Emmanuel Pregnon, OG, Oregon35. Buffalo Bills — Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri36. Las Vegas Raiders — Chase Bisontis, OG, Texas A&M37. New York Giants — Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee38. Houston Texans — Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State39. Cleveland Browns — Sam Hecht, OC, Kansas State40. Kansas City Chiefs — Chris Bell, WR, Louisville41. Cincinnati Bengals — Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee42. New Orleans Saints — Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee43. Miami Dolphins — Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia
TRADE: Steelers Trade Picks, 53, 85 and 161 to the New York Jets for Picks 44 and 103
After a puzzling first-round decision, the Pittsburgh Steelers came out swinging to open day two of the NFL Draft—and this time, with conviction.
In a clear sign that urgency had replaced hesitation, Pittsburgh strikes a deal with the New York Jets, packaging picks 53, 85, and 161 to move up to No. 44, while also acquiring pick 103.
Bernard brings a completely different profile to a receiver room that suddenly looks far more dynamic than it did 24 hours ago. Polished, explosive, and battle-tested in the SEC, he offers immediate versatility—capable of stretching the field, working underneath, and contributing right away in multiple alignments.
GERMIE BERNARD DESTROYS ARM TACKLES FOR SIX pic.twitter.com/sR7uzv0osk
45. Baltimore Ravens — Christen Miller, DT, Georgia46. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech47. Indianapolis Colts — CJ Allen, LB, Georgia48. Atlanta Falcons — Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson49. Minnesota Vikings — Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo50. Detroit Lions — T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson51. Carolina Panthers — Treydan Stukes, CB, Arizona52. Green Bay Packers — Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina53. New York Jets — Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas54. Philadelphia Eagles — Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M55. Los Angeles Chargers — Gennings Dunker, OG, Iowa56. Jacksonville Jaguars — Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech57. Chicago Bears — Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois58. San Francisco 49ers — Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern59. Houston Texans — Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt60. Chicago Bears — Skyler Bell, WR, UConn61. Los Angeles Rams — Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson62. Denver Broncos — A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU63. New England Patriots — Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri64. Seattle Seahawks — D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
65. Arizona Cardinals — Dametrious Crownover, OT, Texas A&M66. Buffalo Bills — Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame67. Las Vegas Raiders — Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana68. Philadelphia Eagles — Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia69. Tennessee Titans — Keionte Scott, CB, Miami (FL)70. Cleveland Browns — Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati71. Washington Commanders — Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State72. Cincinnati Bengals — R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma73. New Orleans Saints — Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State74. Cleveland Browns — Ja’Kobi Lane, WR, USC75. Miami Dolphins — Genesis Smith, S, Arizona
The theme of aggression continued—but this time, it came with a hometown twist.
With their next selection in the third round, the Steelers stay right in their backyard, selecting linebacker Kyle Louis out of Pitt.
Louis isn’t the flashiest name on the board, but he’s the type of player this franchise has built its identity on for decades—physical, instinctive, and comfortable playing downhill. At Pitt, he developed a reputation as a tone-setter, someone who thrives in traffic and brings consistency to the middle of a defense.
77. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas78. Indianapolis Colts — Joshua Josephs, EDGE, Tennessee79. Atlanta Falcons — Brenen Thompson, WR, Mississippi State80. Baltimore Ravens — Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State81. Jacksonville Jaguars — Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska82. Minnesota Vikings — Julian Neal, CB, Arkansas83. Carolina Panthers — Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington84. Green Bay Packers — Drew Shelton, OT, Penn State85. New York Jets — Carson Beck, QB, Miami (FL)86. Los Angeles Chargers — Kamari Ramsey, S, USC87. Miami Dolphins — Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU88. Jacksonville Jaguars — Max Klare, TE, Ohio State89. Chicago Bears — Bud Clark, S, TCU90. San Francisco 49ers — Jalon Kilgore, S, South Carolina91. Houston Texans — Connor Lew, OC, Auburn92. Dallas Cowboys — Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State93. Los Angeles Rams — Austin Barber, OT, Florida94. Miami Dolphins — Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas95. New England Patriots — Kendrick Law, WR, Kentucky96. Seattle Seahawks — Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State97. Minnesota Vikings — Parker Brailsford, OC, Alabama98. Philadelphia Eagles — Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma
And now, the draft has officially turned into a gamble.
Allar is the prototype. Big frame, live arm, natural tools that scouts have been intrigued by since his days at Penn State. But he’s also one of the more polarizing evaluations in this class—a quarterback whose flashes are undeniable, but whose consistency has remained a question.
That’s exactly why this pick feels less like a certainty and more like a calculated bet. For Pittsburgh, though, the logic is clear. They have the picks. They have the roster infrastructure. And most importantly, they have the flexibility to take a shot without forcing the outcome. Allar doesn’t have to be the savior. He doesn’t even have to play right away.
In many ways, this is the kind of move teams make when they understand the reality of the position: if you don’t have a long-term answer at quarterback, you keep taking swings until you find one.