It’s a tale as old as time. You read about the NFL Draft for months, do some mock drafts, and maybe even watch some YouTube cutups of guys you want to learn more about. You feel prepared, and then inevitably, your team picks a player on Day 3 you didn’t even know existed.
The Pittsburgh Steelers made five picks in Rounds 4-7 of the 2026 Draft, and a few of their selections were deep sleepers on most boards. While we’ll have more in-depth coverage on every Steelers draftee this offseason, here are some quick breakdowns — and cutups — of Pittsburgh’s Day 3 picks:
Wetjen is a 5’9, 193-pound wide receiver who scored a 6.03 RAS with a 4.47-second 40-yard dash. In his final collegiate season at Iowa, he recorded just 197 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.
That, of course, is not why the Steelers drafted him.
Wetjen was the premier return man in college football last year, returning three punts and one kickoff for touchdowns in 2025, including a 26.8-yard average on punt returns. I’ll admit that I don’t believe Wetjen is quite the human joystick some seem to advertise him as — check out the lanes his teammates were blocking for him in the cutup below — but his open field vision and short-area acceleration are excellent.
There is no justification for ever kicking/punting the ball to Kaden Wetjen lol pic.twitter.com/Z2ZEA8wkSj
On offense, Wetjen wasn’t much of a featured player, which you can either see as a cause for concern (didn’t outperform a lackluster Iowa wide receiver room) or a reason for upside (the offensive system at Iowa… wasn’t great).
However, Wetjen often saw manufactured touches to give him the ball in space, and his quickness resulted in some solid routes. He has some slot potential, but his lack of long speed and length/catch radius are pretty obvious and cap his ability as a pure receiver. He was more of a gadget/ball carrier type at his best on offense, where he managed two touchdowns and 79 yards as a runner for Iowa in 2025.
New #Steelers WR/KR Kaden Wetjen vs. USC. One of his best games on offense in 2025 pic.twitter.com/ULBL0TVkAU
Nowakowski was a tight end/H-back for the National Champion Hoosiers in 2025, and if he was [enter your ideal tight end size here], he’d probably rate a lot higher in the 2026 draft class.
Still at 6’2, 250 pounds with a 7.34 RAS (4.66-second 40-yard dash), Nowakowski is a solid athlete who can certainly find a role in the right NFL scheme. He’s a lot of fun to watch as a run blocker, with great punch and drive even if his sustain can be iffy due to his size. And as a pass catcher, he sets up his breaks surprisingly well on routes even if his change of direction isn’t particularly special.
The Steelers are going to use Nowakowski as a fullback first and foremost, which should fit his skill set perfectly. The strengths of his game lend well to being a lead blocker, and his ability to fill in as a TE3 only enhances his value to the team.
New #Steelers FB/TE Riley Nowakowski vs. Penn State pic.twitter.com/oadfTjPtC6
Rubio ranked at No. 635 on Wide Left’s excellent consensus big board on draft day — he’s not a name who was on the radar of many. He was on the Steelers’, however, and it’s not a big surprise. He played football at a prestigious school, and his father, Angel, was a Steelers draft pick in 1998.
On paper, Rubio’s draft profile isn’t all that inspiring. His RAS is just 4.82, and he recorded 0.5 sacks and 13 combined tackles in 2025 — his fifth year in college football. He also missed six games with an arm injury last season.
However, some numbers do stand out — Rubio is a large individual even by NFL standards at 6’5, 321 pounds, with over-33-inch arms. On the field, he uses that length to keep defenders at bay and even shed some blocks. That, combined with his size, makes him a plus run defender even if his upside isn’t the best.
Rubio actually grew on me a bit watching his games after the pick. He’s not an A+ sixth-round value, but he’s definitely not a bad name to add to the Pittsburgh depth chart.
New #Steelers DT Gabriel Rubio vs. Arkansas pic.twitter.com/iOKCQZ28la
My journey getting to know Spears-Jennings as a player had the opposite arc of Rubio’s. The Oklahoma safety has an intriguing profile on paper: prototypical size at 6’1, 205 pounds with an excellent 9.78 RAS and 4.32-second 40-yard dash.
For the Sooners in 2025, Spears-Jennings logged 59 total tackles, one forced fumble, and one interception. He has a nice mix of athletic upside and experience as a two-year SEC starter.