The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston for a pre-draft visit this week. But Pro Football Network’s T.J. Randall projected the Steelers to go with a different wideout at No. 21 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft — KC Concepcion.
Randall admitted he also contemplated cornerbacks for the Steelers. But Randall slotted Concepcion to Pittsburgh in the first round of his newest 2026 NFL mock draft.
“It’s fair to say that the Pittsburgh Steelers, or potentially another team at 21, are on Ty Simpson watch at this point in the draft. It just feels too uncertain to pull the trigger as it stands. It’s split between going corner or receiver here having gone both directions in mocks prior for good reason: it would be prudent to add youth to the secondary and speed to the receiving corps,” wrote Randall.
“I’ll return to my roots here, so-to-speak, by revisiting the pairing made back in January with the selection of Concepcion, who, truthfully, may be off the board when Pittsburgh rolls around.”
Randall raved about Concepcion’s speed. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein was very complimentary for the Texas A&M product’s elusiveness and acceleration.
“Concepcion offers immediate burst and separation into space. He’s elusive in beating press and getting into breaks with minimum damage from handsy coverage,” Zierlein wrote. “Concepcion’s ability to quickly uncover should be very appealing to teams with spotty protection and a young quarterback.”
Why KC Concepcion Could Fit With Steelers
GettyPro Football Network’s T.J. Randall predicted the Pittsburgh Steelers to select wide receiver KC Concepcion at No. 21 in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Steelers addressed receiver with another big trade this offseason. They acquired Michael Pittman Jr. in a draft pick swap from the Indianapolis Colts to pair with D.K. Metcalf. The Steelers added Metcalf in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks last year.
But Mike McCarthy’s offense could still use a third receiver, especially one to play in the slot.
Pundits project Concepcion to excel in the slot at the next level. He’s dealt with drop issues, but draft analysts consider him a top 10 receiver in the 2026 draft class because of his speed and quickness.
“Concepcion is an undersized receiver with elite burst and inconsistent hands. His speed jumps off the screen,” NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah wrote. “His transition from catch to run is immediate and explosive. The teams I’ve talked to aren’t concerned about the knee scope he underwent in March.
“Overall, Concepcion is an intriguing player who needs to decrease his drop rate.”
Jeremiah rated Concepcion the No. 29 prospect in the 2026 draft class.
As the depth chart stands entering the draft, former third-rounder Roman Wilson is projected to be Pittsburgh’s top slot receiver. Wilson received considerable hype after his draft selection two years ago. But Wilson has just 12 catches in two campaigns.
Special teams ace and wideout Ben Skowronek is the next-best slot option on the Steelers current roster.
The Steelers also have A.T. Perry, Max Hurleman, Brandon Smith, Cole Burgess and John Rhys Plumlee are the other wide receivers on their offseason roster.
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