The 2026 NFL Draft is just around the corner, and predictions are flying in fast from everyone who cares about the NFL.
While it feels like the Steelers’ draft plans are more ambiguous than in recent years, followers of the team know to play close attention to the team’s allotted pre-draft visits to get an idea of what to expect.
What do you make of the Steelers’ pre-draft visits this year?
But first, how much do they matter? While national analysts repeatedly warn that “top-30” visits are just one prospect evaluation tool of many (true) and often a way teams
scout prospects they have the most questions about (also true), Pittsburgh tends to use them as way to meet the players the team is most interested in.
In the three drafts under general manager Omar Khan, nine of the Steelers’ 10 Day 1-2 picks have been brought in for pre-draft visits. The lone exception is Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson, who was still widely linked to the team ahead of being picked.
In 2025, three of the team’s seven draft picks were pre-draft visitors. In 2024, it was five of seven. You get the idea.
So what about the pre-draft visits in 2026? In total, there are 33 when counting local visits. From there, here’s the breakdown by position:
- Quarterback: 4
- Wide receiver: 6
- Tight end: 3
- Offensive line: 6
- Defensive line: 2
- Off-ball linebacker: 5
- Defensive back: 7
I combined offensive line positions and defensive back positions as there’s quite a bit of overlap between offensive tackles/guards and corners/nickelbacks/safeties. You can view the exact players using BTSC’s visit tracker here.
Ultimately, a there’s a clear top four in defensive back, offensive line, wide receiver, and off-ball linebacker. The first three are generally regarded as positions of need for Pittsburgh. However, the team’s linebacker room looks full from the outside.
The team’s interest there shouldn’t be ignored, but it is worth noting that in 2025, the team hosted four wide receivers and didn’t draft any at that position. And in 2024, the team brought in a whopping seven cornerbacks but didn’t draft any of them. They did end up selecting a defensive back in Ryan Watts, who wasn’t among the visitors (and Pittsburgh did eventually sign visitor Beanie Bishop Jr., but as an undrafted free agent).
That’s to say, top-30 trends matter quite a bit for the Steelers, but don’t base all of your predictions off of them. Still, expect some names from the list linked above to be donning the black and gold by the end of the weekend.
Names aside, another interesting way to study the team’s visit list is to see where the players are projected to be drafted. All the quarterback visits have been mid-round talents. The offensive linemen are high- to mid-round picks, while the wide receivers and defensive backs include projected Round 1 picks, Round 7 picks, and everywhere in between — again, hinting these are the positions the Steelers are prioritizing the most.
The linebacker class has a potential high draft pick in Jacob Rodriguez, but leans more towards the mid- to late-rounds. Tight end contains Day 3 players, while of the two defensive linemen, one is considered an early Day 3 pick while the other should go mid-Day 3.
That data may not directly correlate to the Steelers’ picks in 2026, but they likely provide insight in terms of what round the team is prioritizing each position. But of course, under new head coach Mike McCarthy, some new draft trends could be on the way for the black and gold.
What are your takeaways from the Steelers’ pre-draft visits? Join the BTSC community and let us know in the comments!
