PITTSBURGH — The Steelers are heading into the 2026 NFL Draft with 12 total picks, and Mike McCarthy says the team’s offensive line room is already in good shape. At a pre-draft news conference with Omar Khan, the Steelers head coach said he is confident in the group and expects Pittsburgh to keep adding up front.
“I would say confident would be the word I would use to describe our offensive line room,” McCarthy said. “We have an excellent group of veterans, we got some young guys in there that are going to be good players for quite some time. I really like the way that blends together. I think clearly O-Line and D-Line is something you have to always try to add to.”
That matters because the Steelers have five picks scheduled for the first two days of the draft, giving them a chance to make an immediate move in the trenches. Over the last three NFL Drafts, Pittsburgh has used 50% of its first-two-days selections on offensive or defensive linemen, a clear sign of where the franchise has been spending its draft capital.
The roster picture still leaves room for more. Isaac Seumalo left in free agency this offseason, and his departure opened a hole at left guard. The Steelers also may not know exactly what they will get from 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones, which adds another layer to how they approach the board.
Pittsburgh’s recent draft pattern has matched its stated priorities. The team has leaned on the offensive and defensive lines with high picks, and that approach fits a roster that still needs depth and playmakers along the defensive front as well as a replacement at left guard. Draft plans always shift with free agency, player development and how the board falls, but McCarthy’s message made the next step clear: the Steelers are not done building in the trenches.
For now, the question is not whether Pittsburgh values those spots. It is how aggressively the Steelers will use those early selections when the draft opens.
