The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long lineage of defensive stars in their history. Occasionally, the franchise has moved up the first-round draft board to acquire those potential stars.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell considers that a possibility again for the Steelers this spring.
On Monday, Barnwell explored two different moves up the first-round board for the Steelers. In the bigger draft pick trade, the ESPN analyst suggested the team jump 10 spots to No. 11 overall.
Then at No. 11, Barnwell suggested the Steelers could target Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
“If he falls out of the top 10, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs keeps lingering in my head as a player who could fascinate the Steelers,” Barnwell wrote. “Downs has incredible instincts and football savvy. He’s a big hitter. Downs is also a playmaker, generating 12.5 tackles for loss, four picks and two forced fumbles in his two years with the Buckeyes.
“He’s widely regarded as one of the top-10 players in this draft, but as we’ve seen with prospects such as Kyle Hamilton and Derwin James Jr. in the past, safeties have a way of falling further than predraft boards suggest when teams are making selections.”
The full trade details included the Steelers sending their No. 21 overall pick, a third-rounder and 2027 second-round selection to the Miami Dolphins. In return, the Steelers received the No. 11 pick and a 2027 sixth-rounder.
Why Steelers Could Trade Up in 2026 NFL Draft
GettyPittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan has 12 draft picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Most NFL analysts have the Steelers moving up the board for a quarterback. That’s assuming the Steelers make any leap in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Given the team’s need behind center, that makes a lot of sense. Without Aaron Rodgers signed, the Steelers have Mason Rudolph and Will Howard on the quarterback depth chart.
Barnwell explored that possibility, proposing the team move up to No. 15 in a different trade for Alabama’s Ty Simpson. But in the trade with the Dolphins, Barnwell argued the Steelers could land a star defensive prospect.
Barnwell used two previous times the Steelers moved up for top defensive prospects to strengthen his argument.
“The Steelers don’t often make major moves up the board, but when they have in Round 1, it usually has been for defenders they see as future superstars,” Barnwell wrote. “In 2003, the Steelers went from 27 to 16 and grabbed safety Troy Polamalu. That one worked out pretty well.
“In 2019, Pittsburgh moved up from No. 20 to No. 10 and took linebacker Devin Bush. Though Bush is coming off a career year, that season came in Cleveland, as injuries limited Bush’s impact in Pittsburgh.”
The Steelers have defensive stars in T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward and Jalen Ramsey. But all of them are older than 30.
Downs or another prospect the team trades up for could represent the future for the Steelers defense.
How Caleb Downs Could Fit With the Steelers
GettyESPN’s Bill Barnwell proposed the Pittsburgh Steelers move up to No. 11 overall to grab top safety prospect Caleb Downs.
When Pittsburgh moved up for Troy Polamalu and Devin Bush, the team was addressing arguably its biggest need. That’s why the organization made the big move up the draft board, which is an unusual tactic for Pittsburgh.
With Downs, though, general manager Omar Khan wouldn’t be addressing the team’s biggest need. Safety isn’t even really a need at all right now in Pittsburgh.
In NFL free agency, Khan signed both veterans Jaquan Brisker and Darnell Savage. Brisker could start, but at the very least, both will upgrade the team’s safety depth.
Ramsey is set to enter the 2026 campaign as Pittsburgh’s starting free safety. DeShon Elliott is recovering from a significant knee injury and could return to the starting lineup in 2026.
The Steelers also have safeties Jack Henderson and Sebastian Castro on their offseason roster.
Downs wouldn’t have a clear path to starting in 2026 on the Steelers defense. That could make it harder to justify a major trade up the draft board for the Ohio State product.
In Downs, though, the Steelers would clearly get one of the top defenders in the 2026 draft class. Both ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah rated Downs as a top 10 prospect.
Kiper has Downs as his No. 6 overall player in the 2026 draft.
“He diagnoses quickly thanks to excellent pre-snap instincts, and that allows him to play faster than his straight-line speed might suggest,” Kiper wrote. “Plus, Downs is solid in coverage, and he is a very reliable open-field tackler.”
If the Steelers are ready to build beyond one season, an aggressive move up the board for Downs, should he fall, could make a lot of sense.
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