BTSC Mock Draft Monday: Exploring a trade back

We’ve made it past the NFL Combine. The event in Indianapolis serves as an annual reckoning for the draft sickos of the world. If you’re like me, you’ve found yourself completing a mock draft or two weekly since the Steelers were eliminated from the playoffs — ok, since December if we’re really being honest. And each year, the same thing happens: a lot of the guys you couldn’t believe you were getting so cheaply in your mocks suddenly see their draft stock skyrocket after they dominate the “Underwear Olympics.”

With that in mind, it’s time for BTSC’s first mock draft post-Combine. Each Monday until the draft, one of our staff will share a mock draft they’ve conducted for you to cheer, jeer, and dissect in the comments.

This week is my first crack at it, and in an effort to give you something new to consider, I’m stipulating two rules/conditions for this exercise:

1. We’ve seen BTSC mocks where the Steelers trade up and where they double-dip at receiver. My main rule is that we must trade back from pick 21.
2. I can select no more than one player who was selected in the two linked mocks above. If we’re gonna give you a bunch of mock drafts between now and the draft, you deserve some variety!

As always, I’ll be using PFF’s mock draft simulator to conduct this 7-round mock draft.

Round 1, the trade back

The Steelers sit in a precarious position on the draft board. If you haven’t heard by now, this draft class is short on blue-chip prospects at premium positions. By the time the Steelers were on the clock in this simulation, not only were the top three receivers off the board, but so was Washington receiver Denzel Boston. So too were the top three cornerbacks, and the top two safeties. With the Steelers on the clock, the top two players on the board were Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods and Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane.

While it’s true that I had already given myself the stipulation to explore a trade back from 21 in this mock, the board could not have fallen in a way that reinforced this interest more. The biggest concern for the Steelers and a trade back is whether or not there would be any players that another franchise would want to trade up to get. Fortunately for us, Woods and Ioane are players I could see teams with similar needs in the back of the round jockeying to take. Using both PFF’s in-mock trade tool and then double-checking its fairness with the Pick Value Calculator tool from Footballguys.com, I found a willing partner in the Houston Texans.

With both guard and defensive tackle listed among their top needs, the Texans became a logical match. Adding to the pressure for Houston, both the Chargers (22) and Eagles (23) have guard listed among their top needs, as well as the Bears (25) needing defensive line help, all before Houston’s pick at 28.

Here’s what I came up with.

Houston gets:

• Pick 1.21
• Pick 2.53

Pittsburgh gets:

• Pick 1.28
• Pick 2.38
• Pick 4.106

The Texans accepted the offer and promptly took Ioane, with Woods heading to the Chargers on the next pick.

The Steelers have many needs. Quarterback is chief among them. While I would not begrudge Omar Khan and Mike McCarthy if they decide they want to take a swing on Ty Simpson, I did not feel that urge — and he would wind up with the Jets at pick 33. Instead, I was hoping one of my preferred receiver or offensive tackle would be available. If all else failed, there were a handful of defensive linemen or cornerbacks who would make fine picks.

With both my favorite tackle and receiver on the board, I decided to lock in the offensive tackle. Broderick Jones has not lived up to expectations, and the organization has done little to ease any concerns about whether his neck will be healed in time for 2026. I knew it might not be a popular pick, but building in the trenches is a core tenet I hold. Plus, I was willing to gamble that the receiver on the top of my board would make it to pick 38, and there are a few similarly tiered receivers should he be taken. I didn’t feel the same about tackle.

So, with pick 28, I selected Arizona State tackle Max Iheanachor. The young Sun Devil is not a fully polished product — if he were, he’d be a top 10 pick — but he has an intriguing combination of traits and production in his young career. Standing 6’6 and 321 pounds with 33 ^7/8” arms and an 83^1/4” wingspan (trailing only Monroe Freeling among possible first-round tackles), Iheanachor also put up impressive tape against Texas Tech’s vaunted pass rush and won more than he lost at the Senior Bowl against a bevy of top pass rushers from this class.

Rounds 2 & 3

I took a calculated risk with my previous selection. While Iheanachor shows promise, I knew the Black and Gold faithful would be upset if we didn’t address our issue at wide receiver. Fortunately, my gamble paid off, as my top available wideout survived to the Steelers’ newly upgraded second-round selection at Pick 38.

I wasted no time turning in the card for the Steelers to select Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., a dynamic receiver who slots in perfectly as a Z-reciever in two-receiver formations, and can kick inside to slot if the Steelers wish to move him around.

It was a long wait until the Steelers’ first of three third-round picks at pick 76. As I watched the picks be made, I was just hopeful that the Steelers would still be able to land some quality players in the secondary, as well as the defensive line. With Cam Heyward likely to retire sooner rather than later, and with Keeanu Benton’s rookie contract nearing an end, the defensive line still remains a need. Even if some fans will roll their eyes after the Steelers spent a first-round pick at the position just last year.

With the Steelers’ three picks, I came away satisfied that I addressed that need as well as needs at nickel corner and safety.

• DL Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State
• NCB Treydan Stukes, Arizona
• S Bud Clark, TCU

The Steelers are lacking power and length in the middle of their defensive line, and Jackson brings both in spades.

Stukes was on my radar long before his freaky testing at the Combine. Stukes is a fluid mover who thrives as the slot corner, but has the versatility to also play in the box, deep center, and could probably handle the occasional snap outside. He’s got top-end speed, is incredibly rangey in coverage, and has superior ball skills. A few injuries in college might suppress his draft stock, but the Steelers have taken those kinds of risks before, and Stukes has the kind of skillset to be a superstar nickel defender in the NFL.

Meanwhile, Bud Clark can further solidify the defense backfield. Another draft riser, Clark would function as the free safety in my vision for the Steelers defense, but he also has the versatility to allow the Steelers to get creative when searching for the best gameday matchups to exploit.

Best of the rest

With the remaining picks in the Steelers’ war chest, I wanted to continue to round out both sides of the ball. The offense could use another pass catcher, the line could use some depth in the interior, and additions to running back and tight end were on the table if the board fell just right. Likewise, on defense, the linebacker room could use a boost, and both the line and the secondary could stand to keep adding pieces.

Here’s how things shook out:

• 4.106 – WR De’Zhaun Stribling, Ole Miss
• 4.121 – LB Keyshaun Elliott, Arizona St.
• 4.135 – CB Julian Neal, Arkansas
• 5.159 – OG Kobe Baynes, Kansas
• 6.213 – RB Kaelon Black, Indiana
• 6.214 – TE Lake McCree, USC
• 7.224 – DL Rayshaun Benny, Michigan
• 7.237 – P Jack Stonehouse, Syracuse

With this bevy of picks, the Steelers can take several swings on potential starters with a mixture of players with high-upside traits that might need some polishing, and some players who might not have the highest testing numbers, but were productive in their college roles.

Stribling has the body type and contested catch ability to be a future X-receiver or power slot. Elliott is a run-stuffing linebacker who has improved as a pass rusher and has some ability in pass coverage.

Neal is a long-levered press corner who can grow into a potential CB2 next to Joey Porter Jr., or at least provide quality depth in the mold of how Pittsburgh likes its corners.

Baynes is an underrated guard who is a nasty run blocker. Black is a solid RB3 option who could surpass Kaleb Johnson if the former Hawkeye struggles again in 2026. Lake McCree is a well-rounded tight end with blocking ability and reliable hands in the passing attack who seems primed to produce more as a pass catcher at the next level. Benny adds run-defense to the defensive interior as depth. And lastly, Stonehouse is a punter with NFL bloodlines who could replace Corliss Waitman.

Final summary of picks

Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!