Steelers awarded impressive draft grade despite mixed fan reaction

As polarizing as the Pittsburgh Steelers ' NFL Draft class has been received, Fox Sports handed down a more than generous grade for the team's 2026 haul . According to Fox Sports' Rob Rang, the Steelers earned an overall grade of A-, which ties for the second-highest mark in the AFC conference. "… I like the investment in gifted young tackle Max Iheanachor at No.

21 overall, even if it was a pivot after the Eagles swooped in to nab wideout Makai Lemon a pick earlier," Rang wrote. "If the Steelers were at all soured by losing out on Lemon, Khan turned it into lemonade a round later by nabbing Germie Bernard, a similarly versatile weapon. "Pittsburgh added a special teams ace in Kaden Wetjen, one of the best guards of this class in Gennings Dunker, a cornerback with the traits worthy of developing in Daylen Everette — and perhaps most importantly, a quarterback with the size and big arm to push Aaron Rodgers — either back onto the roster or into retirement.

I’m not as high on Allar as others — and that is reflected in my grade, but I love the swing for the fences at this point in the draft. Finally, I love the exclamation point at the end of the draft with the selection of Navy’s do-everything star Eli Heidenreich. " While some picks left fans scratching their heads, the overall upside of this class was astonishing, which includes Heidenreich, who was drawing Christian McCaffrey comparisons throughout the draft process.

While many of Pittsburgh's 2026 selections won't be instant contributors, there's reason to believe the Steelers have a bright future ahead when this class develops. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, including any offseason moves, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like. This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers earn positive NFL Draft grade from Fox Sports for 2026 haul