NFL Today: 2026 NFL Draft Preview, Part II

This week, contract talks between the Giants and their star DT Dexter Lawrence II stalled; the Raiders are getting inquiries about the No. 1 overall pick, but signs continue to point to them standing pat; and Howie Roseman still maintains the Eagles’ stance on trading A.J. Brown is unchanged (although now Brown has reportedly asked to be dealt). Other Fantasy football stories we’re following include…

Who Will the Steelers Take in Round One?

In November, we talked about how the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense hadn’t yet taken the jump we had anticipated. Well, things didn’t improve in the second half as Pittsburgh went just 5-4, and while it made the playoffs for the third straight season, it was again dispatched in the Wild Card round, this time 30-6 by Houston.

The Steelers have definitely been good enough to flirt with or land a playoff spot for several years now, but the last time they got past the first round was 2017, and even then, it was only because of a bye. So it’s now been a decade since Pittsburgh has actually won a postseason game.

With the draft being held in Steel City this year, the Steelers will be under extremely close scrutiny. Many believe Pittsburgh will focus on landing a quarterback given that we still don’t know Aaron Rodgers’ plans so Mason Rudolph is currently projected as the QB1 (although it does seem likely Rodgers will return).

Will the Steelers reach for Ty Simpson with pick No. 21 or will they wait until Day Two to land their potential quarterback of the future? If they opt to wait (which seems far more likely), maybe they’ll grab a guard (Penn State’s Olaivavega Ioane, perhaps?) to help protect whoever will be under centre in Week One. This pick could really strengthen the offensive line given his tenacity (see video below).

Or would Pittsburgh opt to beef up its pass attack with a receiver to complement newly acquired Michael Pittman Jr. and holdover DK Metcalf? Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. could do the trick; another good long-term solution at WR would be Washington junior Denzel Boston.

Detroit’s Recipe to Bounce Back

In November, it was clear the Detroit Lions were going to be hard pressed to duplicate their phenomenal 2024 campaign. But we can’t even imagine how long the FanDuel odds were that they’d wind up missing the playoffs altogether last year.

But the sad fact is that from that point, Detroit went just 4-5 and lost three of its last four to finish 9-8 and on the outside looking in – a painful result for a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.

So how will the Lions approach the draft in an effort to improve the squad and return to the playoffs? Expect them to make moves to beef up the offensive line, but probably not with their first round pick (No. 17) given the free agent signings they already made to shore up this unit. More likely, with its first rounder Detroit may seek another edge rusher to play alongside Pro Bowler Aidan Hutchinson. Miami’s Akheem Mesidor is a logical choice here as a replacement for Al-Quadin Muhammad, who parlayed a career year into a free agent deal with Tampa Bay.

If the Lions do choose to go after an offensive tackle, many believe they are enamoured with Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor and his immense size (over 6’6”, 350). Monroe Freeling from Georgia is another strong option at this spot. Whatever Detroit does, it has to come out of the draft with a better lone-term prognosis for its offensive line.

RotoRob Tune of the Day

In addition to being a superb trumpet player, Lee Morgan was also a composer, leaving behind a treasure trove of jazz classics over his short career. His most famous composition, the title track from the 1963 album The Sidewinder, actually gained traction on the pop and R&B charts as a crossover hit, peaking at No. 81 on the Billboard Hot 100 list.