It isn’t even Super Bowl week yet and the Pittsburgh Steelers have had an incredibly busy offseason. With new head coach Mike McCarthy in place and coordinator positions being filled in a hurry, it won’t be long until the staff turns its attention to the 2026 NFL draft. The Athletic put out a new two-round mock draft and we want to break down the two Steelers picks and see if these picks were hits or misses.

First round – OL Kadyn Proctor – Alabama

In the first round, The Athletic opted for Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor. The logic behind this pick is sound, but maybe not for the reasons you think. This mock is sending Proctor to the Steelers in case Broderick Jones fails to produce and ends up benched. We look at it differently. With Dylan Cook on the roster, the offensive tackle position is safe but we actually project Proctor as a guard in the NFL so he could be a replacement for Isaac Seumalo.

Having said all that, in this scenario, the only players I’d grade significantly higher would be Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston and LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane. Either player would fill a significant needs and are graded higher than Proctor.

Second round – WR Ja’Kobi Lane – USC

If the Steelers pass on a wide receiver in the first round, getting Lane in the second is a great consolation prize. Makai Lemon steals at the headlines at USC but Lane is a great pairing with a player like DK Metcalf. If the Steelers do pick a wide receiver, the top pick left on the board is Oregon safety Dillon Thienemen who is an elite player and would be an immediate starter with the potential free-agent losses. The Steelers can’t go wrong with either pick.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Breaking down the Steelers picks in new mock draft from The Athletic