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The NFL Draft is quickly approaching, and analysts are beginning to shape their prospect rankings. Today, we are looking at Bucky Brooks’ list of his five favorite prospects at each position and looking at where the Pittsburgh Steelers could improve this offseason.
Quarterback
One of the Steelers’ biggest needs is at quarterback. Holding the No. 21 overall pick, it may be difficult for them to land their preferred option.
When discussing the class, Bucky Brooks said, “The 2026 quarterback crop lacks the talent and depth of some recent classes, but there are a handful of passers with the potential to emerge as long-term starters.”
Brooks agrees with the consensus view that the class is headlined by Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson. Simpson has frequently been mocked to Pittsburgh throughout the offseason, and that connection does not seem likely to fade anytime soon.
Here is what Brooks said about the Alabama quarterback:
“Ty Simpson heads toward the draft as one of the biggest wild cards in the class, based on his inexperience and struggles down the stretch in his only season as a college starter. Despite his exceptional instincts and awareness as a natural pocket passer, the Alabama product will be put under the microscope throughout the pre-draft process. “
The Steelers’ fan base will likely be divided on whether the team should target a quarterback in the first round, especially if Simpson is still available at No. 21. Considering the overall strength of this class, Pittsburgh may ultimately decide to wait and target a stronger quarterback group in 2027.
Wide Receiver
At wide receiver, Brooks again stayed close to the consensus, listing Tate, Lemon, and Tyson as his top three prospects. However, he ranked Jordyn Tyson as his No. 1 receiver, which may surprise some evaluators.
Brooks rounded out his top five with Zachariah Branch and Chris Brazell II. Other names such as Omar Cooper Jr. and Denzel Boston have also been mentioned as potential risers who could sneak into the first round, so it is interesting to see Brooks take a slightly different direction.
He had this to say about his favorite receiver prospect in the class:
“Jordyn Tyson is a silky-smooth route-runner with outstanding ball skills and RAC ability (run after the catch). The 6-2, 200-pounder makes a living coming down with tough catches over the middle, exhibiting the toughness and concentration of a 10-year veteran, though he did have injury issues in college.”
Despite Tyson’s talent, there is speculation that his injury history could cause him to slide. If he begins to fall into the late teens, do not be surprised if Omar Khan considers an aggressive move up the board in Round 1.
Safeties
There were no surprises at safety, as Brooks’ listed Caleb Downs as his top prospect. He rounded out his rankings with Kyle Louis, Dillon Thieneman, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, and Bud Clark.
It would be somewhat surprising to see the Steelers select a safety in the first round, but with an aging Jalen Ramsey, the team could look to strengthen the secondary. The more realistic path is waiting until Round 2 and capitalizing if one of the remaining prospects falls to No. 53.
Outside of Downs, Thieneman stands out as one of the more intriguing fits for Pittsburgh. He is expected to run a sub-4.50 40-yard dash, which would give the Steelers the sideline-to-sideline range they need at free safety. That could allow DeShon Elliott to shift back into his more natural strong safety role while Thieneman covers the back end.
Bucky praised Thieneman’s abilites saying,
“Dillon Thieneman is a talented center fielder with exceptional instincts, awareness and range. The 6-foot, 205-pounder attacks the ball in coverage, routinely picking off tipped or overthrown passes in his area. With coaches placing greater emphasis on turnovers, Thieneman’s superior ball skills could make him a hot commodity in scouting circles.”
If Thieneman slips out of the first round, he could be one of the better fits for Pittsburgh in this draft.
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By Hunter Lambert
February 15, 2026
