Between now and the start of the NFL regular season, there is going to be plenty of speculation about how much the Pittsburgh Steelers rookie class will play in 2026. The fanbase is divided about this group but here are our most realistic rookie expectations for each of the rookie class.

The reality is the Steelers like Iheanachor a lot and taking him tells us a lot about where the team is with Broderick jones. Our prediction is that as a rookie, Iheanachor is going to be an early starter if Jones isn't ready to go and the top reserve if he can play.

We love Bernard's versatility and expect him to slide into the WR3 slot immediately. He's going to get plenty of snaps but probably not a ton of targets as a rookie.

Once Aaron Rodgers signs, the clock starts for Mason Rudolph and the battle between Will Howard and Allar. Realistically, Allar ends up the No. 3 quarterback and is inactive most weeks.

Everett is an ultra athletic football player but is very raw. We expect him to make the final roster but could be the inactive extra cornerback until he gets coached up and improves his consistency in coverage.

Of all the rookies, Dunker might be the player who ends up fast-tracked into the starting lineup. He might not be the starting left guard Week One but we do expect him to take over the job at some point during the season.

We didn't like the idea of taking a return specialist in the fourth round but here we are. Wetjen will be the team's primary kick and punt returner which makes him the team's No. 5 wide receiver.

Nowakowski will make the team by default but we don't expect to see him having any serious impact on offense unless there's an injury to Pat Freiermuth or Darnell Washington.

This year's nepotism pick, Rubio has basically one good game of film from last season. The Steelers cut most of their backup defensive lineman loose this offseasason so just from that, Rubio could end up making the roster but he is a better fit on the practice squad.

Spears-Jennings is a pure run-stuffing strong safety and could develop into a rotational player if Jalen Ramsey moves back to corner. But realistically, Spears-Jennings is a great option for the practice squad in 2026.

Heidenreich is the guy fans are going to crush on all offseason and will be the training camp MVP for the fanbase. But the reality is he's got a strong chance to make the team as the team's RB4 if the team keeps that many backs but if he can make an impact on special teams, he will earn his shot early.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Realistic rookie expectations for each of the Steelers draft picks