The Pittsburgh Steelers have added quite a bit already through the 2026 NFL Draft. The team was not supposed to have a sixth-round pick coming into the event after trading it away to acquire wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. earlier in the offseason, but the organization completed a trade in the middle of the event to obtain a sixth-round selection. The Steelers traded down in the fifth round, and Pittsburgh brought in a pick in the sixth round as part of the exchange. The Steelers also gave up one of their seventh-round picks as well. The deal was worked out with the Kansas City Chiefs.
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (left) and Head Coach Andy Reid talk about the field before Super Bowl LVIII.
After the trade, the Steelers held the 210th overall pick, and they added defensive lineman Gabriel Rubio out of Notre Dame. This adds some youth and depth to an aging defensive front, which has been a focus of the organization over the last couple of years.
Stelers using their sixth-round pick, No. 210, on Notre Dame DL Gabriel Rubio.
— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) April 25, 2026
The picks at this point of the event are usually a bit inconsequential. It is not often that players selected this late on Day 3 turn into stars or super high-impact players, but these guys that are picked now are important to rosters. Rubio joins a crowded position group on the defensive line, and he will be fighting to earn a spot in the defensive rotation. He could also make an impact on special teams.
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Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan looks out to the crowd and takes it all in as the team works out during a 2025 training camp practice being held at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Rubio spent his entire college career at Notre Dame, and he has plenty of experience. He was on the team that went all the way to the National Championship during the 2024 season. He only played in six games during his final season with the Fighting Irish after suffering a left elbow injury that forced him to be shut down for the remainder of the season.
The young defensive lineman is known more for his ability to plug up holes in the run game as he only recorded a sack and a half during his time in college. His father was also a football player that was drafted by the Steelers back during the 1998 NFL Draft. This marks the second season in a row that the Steelers have drafted the son of a former draft pick by the organization.
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Steelers' Gabriel Rubio during his time with Notre Dame.
Rubio is familiar with the Steelers after his dad was a part of the organization, and he will now try to make a name for himself in Pittsburgh.
What do you think of this selection for the Steelers? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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