Steelers Setting The Stage To Trade Up In First Round Of 2026 NFL Draft For Top Playmaker

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan has made it clear he is not afraid to be aggressive when the situation calls for it. Khan does not want to put his franchise in a difficult position with a reckless move, but he is willing to take a calculated risk if he believes the reward outweighs it. The Steelers currently hold the 21st overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. With the draft set to be hosted in Pittsburgh, the organization has a unique opportunity to make a splash in front of its home crowd.

Loaded to the top with 12 total draft picks, including five within the top 100 selections, many expect the Steelers to have significant plans in motion. Steelers insider Chris Adamski revealed an intriguing possibility Tuesday when he discussed the idea of Khan trading up for LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane. 

"Though he [Mansoor Delane] is expected to be long gone by the time the 21st pick is called on the North Shore on April 23rd, the Steelers are armed with plenty of extra picks and could choose to use that capital to trade up in the first round," Adamski said.

Delane is widely viewed as one of the most complete prospects in the class, and many expect him to be off the board before Pittsburgh is on the clock at No. 21. He is considered the consensus top cornerback in the draft. 

The Steelers have been advised that if they intend to address cornerback, they should do so within the first 100 picks, as the drop off after the top tier is significant. Adamski believes Pittsburgh has a clear path to move up and secure a player like Delane if the front office decides he is worth the risk. Though he isn't sold that Khan would trade up for Delane.

"It’s more likely, though, that if they do that, it will be for a quarterback," Adamski said. "The Steelers are, however, widely expected to add a cornerback at some point in the draft and probably even by the end of Day 2. It probably won’t be Delane, whose seemingly lone competition to be the top CB off the board is Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy."

Based on what Adamski knows, he believes the Steelers will likely target the cornerback position by the end of Day 2 of the draft. However, it seems unlikely that Khan would use a significant portion of the team’s draft capital to move up specifically for a cornerback. 

Steelers' Joey Porter Jr. Has Now Established Himself As A Star

The idea is certainly intriguing, though, as Joey Porter Jr. has already proven himself as a star in the league and is due for a major payday. Locking him up while adding a young corner from this draft class could give the Steelers a duo capable of developing into a top secondary.

The Steelers also got a deal done with Asante Samuel Jr. to keep him in Pittsburgh for the 2026 season. Pittsburgh was impressed with what they saw from Samuel during the 2026 season after signing him to their practice squad. Samuel proved he is still a reliable contributor in the secondary, and the Steelers decided to keep him, signing him to a one-year deal worth $4 million.

The 2026 draft gives the Steelers a rare opportunity to reshape their secondary while planning for the future. With multiple picks in the top 100, they can address immediate needs and invest in long-term development, potentially pairing a rising rookie with established stars. Porter has proven himself to be a star and the Steelers have been active in free agency building around him. 

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