Steelers Predicted to Trade Up for 2,200-Yard WR in NFL Mock Draft
The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to enter draft night, hosting the 2026 NFL Draft with 12 picks, and they are widely expected to target wide receivers early to bolster a room currently led by DK Metcalf.
While the team won the AFC North at 10-7 last year, a 28-14 Wild Card loss to the Baltimore Ravens exposed an offense that Fox Sports ranked 25th in the league.
Metcalf, acquired from the Seattle Seahawks in March 2025, is the clear number-one target, but there is little help behind him. With Aaron Rodgers yet to commit to another season in Pittsburgh, the front office is expected to use at least one of its five top-100 picks on a pass-catcher.
Pro Football Network's latest mock draft has the Steelers trading up in the first round for Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson. With the top quarterbacks gone, Tyson is seen as the best available playmaker, but his career has been a rollercoaster.
They currently hold the 21st overall pick. To get the Texas native, analysts suggest they may need to jump into the middle of the first round to get ahead of teams like the New York Jets or Los Angeles Rams, who also need receivers.
After an injury-shortened start at the Colorado Buffaloes, he transferred to the Arizona State Sun Devils. Following a recovery year in 2023, he broke out in 2024, leading the Sun Devils to a Big 12 title and a playoff berth while earning conference Newcomer of the Year honors.
Despite being limited to nine games this past season, he still managed 61 receptions and 711 yards. Across four seasons at Colorado and Arizona State, he totaled 158 receptions for 2,282 yards.
Steelers Depot's Alex Carney, who mocked Tyson to Pittsburgh without a trade, noted that the tape is "very good" and fits the new head coach, Mike McCarthy, who prioritizes players such as big-bodied receivers who excel at creating yards after the catch.
Tyson earned an 89.0 PFF grade against man coverage last season, showing he knows how to use leverage to get open. His 4.55-second 40-yard dash won't break records, but his footwork and timing help him beat defenders that drills don't show.
Former All-Pro cornerback Aqib Talib recently called Tyson the top receiver in the 2026 class, praising his "shifty" nature and pro-ready technique.
Still, drafting him is a risk because giving up early-round capital to trade up for a player with a history of knee and hamstring injuries is a gamble. Due to those health concerns, most scouts see him as a late first-round or early second-round talent rather than a top-tier lock.
However, if Tyson stays healthy and lands in Pittsburgh alongside Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr., offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio would have a very rare luxury.
With those three, the Steelers would field a trio of big-bodied, versatile receivers who can each line up anywhere in the formation, giving the offense a level of flexibility and size it has lacked for years.
Related: 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Final 4-Round Forecast
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This story was originally published April 18, 2026 at 8:13 AM.