The Pittsburgh Steelers addressed one of their biggest needs in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night. With the 21st overall pick, they selected Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor. Steelers GM Omar Khan and new head coach Mike McCarthy wanted to address the offensive line because that is where games are won and lost in the NFL.
Pittsburgh will be on the board next at pick No. 53 on Friday night. With that second-round pick, Bleacher Report’s scouting department is predicting that the organization will draft star Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez.
The Pittsburgh Steelers Could Use Another Starting Inside Linebacker
GettyJacob Rodriguez won the Bronco Nagurski Trophy in 2025.
If the Steelers were to select Rodriguez with their second-round pick, they could be filling a key need. With Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Queen being the subject of possible trade rumors this offseason, and with veteran Malik Harrison being more of a role player than anything else, Pittsburgh could use a true starter at the position. This is where Rodriguez can come in.
New defensive coordinator Patrick Graham could certainly welcome him as an addition. The reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and winner of the Chuck Bednarik award, Rodriguez would fit perfectly in the Steel City. He has recorded over 100 tackles in back-to-back seasons and a combined 20.5 tackles for loss. One of the best sideline-to-sideline linebackers in this draft, the Minnesota native could be a great addition for a needy defense in 2026.
The Steelers’ Defense Needs More Help
GettyPatrick Graham was hired as the Steelers’ new defensive coordinator earlier this offseason.
After an underwhelming 2025 season on the defensive side of the football, the addition of Rodriguez would be significant. Under former defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, Pittsburgh had one of the worst defenses in football last season. It ranked 26th in total defense with 356.9 yards allowed per game. In terms of passing defense, the Steelers also finished 29th in 2025 with 243.9 yards allowed per game.
Perhaps the one thing that kept the unit afloat during their division-winning season was the turnovers. Not only did the Steelers finish fourth in turnover differential at +12, but their defense finished fourth in takeaways with 27. If Graham can come in and flip the script with some new, talented prospects, the Steelers could be an even better overall team in 2026.
Remember, the Steelers went 10-7 and won their first division title in five years despite possessing a struggling defense and a bottom-half-of-the-league offense. If both sides of the football can jump up 10 or 15 spots, McCarthy could very well be coaching a Super Bowl-contending team.
As things stand right now, the team’s second-round pick is one of 11 more picks that it has under its belt for the rest of the draft. A lot of personnel are likely to be added over the next two days unless a major trade takes place that requires multiple picks. All eyes will be on the Steelers to see if they pull the trigger on a stud linebacker like Rodriguez.
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