The Pittsburgh Steelers have built their defense around T.J. Watt for nearly a decade, but a new 2027 NFL mock draft suggests they could begin preparing for the next generation of pass rushers.
CBS Sports has Pittsburgh spending its first-round selection on Wisconsin edge rusher Sebastian Cheeks, a move that comes with a pointed assessment of Watt’s future. The projection also takes the Steelers in a different direction from their widely discussed quarterback needs.
CBS Sports Projects Sebastian Cheeks to Steelers in Round 1
In his latest three-round mock draft, CBS Sports’ Mike Renner predicted Pittsburgh would select Cheeks with the No. 26 overall pick.
Renner called the 6-foot-3, 243-pound prospect a “decidedly Steelers kind of edge-rusher,” pointing to his speed off the edge and his polished approach to rushing quarterbacks.
He also connected the pick directly to Pittsburgh’s longtime defensive centerpiece.
“With T.J. Watt slowing down, it couldn’t hurt to have another infusion of talent off the edge,” Renner wrote.
Cheeks has recorded 34 tackles, seven sacks, nine tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two passes defended this season. CBS Sports ranks him No. 48 overall among draft prospects and ninth at his position, despite Renner projecting him late in the first round.
Watt also played at Wisconsin before Pittsburgh selected him 30th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. Cheeks would continue that school-to-Steelers connection.
T.J. Watt’s Recent Numbers Add Context to Steelers Prediction
Watt is 32 and in his 10th NFL season, although his production this year complicates any suggestion that he has stopped being an effective pass rusher.
Through eight games, Watt leads Pittsburgh with 7.5 sacks, along with nine tackles for loss, an interception and a forced fumble. He had seven sacks in 14 games last season after recording 11.5 in 2024 and 19 in 2023.
His 2026 total already exceeds last season’s, and his 122.5 career sacks remain the most in Steelers history.
Pittsburgh also has other options on the edge. Alex Highsmith has 3.5 sacks this season, while Nick Herbig has three. Jack Sawyer, a fourth-round selection in 2025, is another young player in the outside linebacker group.
Adding Cheeks would therefore be more about keeping talent stocked at a valuable position than filling an empty starting spot.
The Wisconsin senior has made a significant jump himself. After recording three sacks in 12 games last season, he has more than doubled that total this year. He also earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors after posting 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss in a win over USC.
He was also named Bednarik Award Player of the Week for the same performance.
Steelers Mock Draft Pick Comes Amid Quarterback Questions
Selecting an edge rusher in the first round would also be notable given Pittsburgh’s unsettled future at quarterback.
As recent trade deadline reporting detailed, the Steelers have been reluctant to part with significant draft capital without a long-term plan beyond Aaron Rodgers.
Renner’s projection has Pittsburgh using the No. 26 selection on Cheeks rather than taking a quarterback. His mock also sends Georgia offensive lineman Earnest Greene to the Steelers at No. 47, followed by Michigan cornerback Jyaire Hill at No. 57.
That gives Pittsburgh three picks across the first two rounds in Renner’s scenario, with a veteran cornerstone on defense getting a potential successor before the team settles its quarterback future.
Steelers Predicted to Address T.J. Watt Concern With 7-Sack ‘Pittsburgh-Type’ Pass Rusher