The Pittsburgh Steelers are now able to begin their pivotal first offseason under new head coach Mike McCarthy now that his coaching staff has been finalized. There are so many holes on the roster currently, so if Pittsburgh thinks it can win a Super Bowl sooner rather than later, they have to use every little bit of their assets to grab every key player that they can. There could be a bunch of trades and signings made to try and utilize all of their resources to step into this new era.
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Steelers' new head coach, Mike McCarthy, with Team President Art Rooney II and General Manager Omar Khan at McCarthy's introductory press conference in Pittsburgh, PA.
In The Athletic's first collaborative mock draft of the year, Steelers insider Mike DeFabo had Pittsburgh trading up to the 15th overall pick to select wide receiver Jordyn Tyson. While that was just his projection, he mentioned that McCarthy may have already shown his hand on wanting to draft this prospect.
"The focus has shifted to the next biggest need: wide receiver. Rather than waiting for No. 21 to see which receivers were still available, the Steelers used one of their three third-round picks to secure one of the three best players at his position," DeFabo said. "He could be even higher on some boards and has the flexibility to play all three wide receiver spots, something new head coach Mike McCarthy said he values during his introductory news conference."
Despite the talent level at tight end and wide receiver, McCarthy is expected to utilize a lot more 11 personnel than Arthur Smith did, so getting a wide receiver that can play in the X, Z, and slot would be a huge step to building out his ideal offense. Of course, Tyson won't be the only major acquisition at wideout this offseason, but landing him allows the team to not have to focus on one specific spot at that position.
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Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson stands on the field after making a play during a collegiate football game that took place at the home of the Sun Devils in Tempe, Arizona.
The best part here is that they may not need to use a Pro Day visit or Top 30 visit on him. Arizona State's wide receiver coach is none other than Steelers great Hines Ward. There is likely a lot of dialogue that has already been going on between him and Pittsburgh's scouts, which could lead to Tyson being more than just McCarthy's ideal first-round pick.
Tyson's 2025 was cut short due to a hamstring injury, but he still had 61 receptions for 711 yards and eight touchdowns in nine games played. In 2024, when he was healthier, he had 75 receptions for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns as he helped the Arizona State Sun Devils get a first-round bye in the new college football playoff format. When he's on the field, he is very valuable.
Steelers May Not Have To Trade Up For Tyson At All
Tyson has dealt with a bunch of injuries in recent years. While he has insane talent and is seen as a potential Top 10 pick, those concerns may make him fall. The Steelers may be able to just snag him at pick 21, which would allow them to use the rest of their draft capital to load the team up. Maybe they can trade back up into the late first round to get another high-end player of need.
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Steelers General Manager Omar Khan intently making a crucial phone call during the intensity of draft night, coordinating key decisions to shape the future of the franchise.
The Steelers have ignored some of these red flags in recent drafts, as DeFabo noted. Most notably, offensive tackle Troy Fautanu fell all the way to the Steelers' pick in 2024 due to injury concerns. By ignoring them, Pittsburgh found their right tackle for the next decade, as he has statistically been one of the better players at his position in the 2025 season, and he should only get better.
What do you think about McCarthy possibly showing his hand and wanting Tyson as his first-round pick? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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