There’s little debate the top need for the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason remains at quarterback. But pundits have predicted a weak incoming quarterback class, and the Steelers don’t select until No. 21 overall.
Therefore, the team will likely have to settle for other immediate offensive improvements.
It’s also not as though the Steelers don’t have other offensive areas where they need to be better. The team had just one pass-catcher with more than 486 receiving yards during 2025.
With that in mind, Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuinness projected the Steelers to select Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion. McGuinness made that prediction in his latest 2026 NFL mock draft released Monday.
“It’s an offseason of change for the Steelers, with head coach Mike Tomlin stepping down after the team’s wild-card round loss to the Houston Texans. Big questions remain at the quarterback position, but answers are unlikely to come in the first round of the draft,” wrote McGuinness.
“Pittsburgh’s other big problem on offense was wide receiver depth. Concepcion earned a 78.2 PFF receiving grade against man coverage in 2025 and would pair nicely with DK Metcalf.”
In one season with Texas A&M, Concepcion posted 61 catches for 919 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He averaged 15.1 yards per catch.
Concepcion also returned 25 punts for 456 yards and two scores. He registered 18.2 yards per punt return on his way to All-American honors as an all-purpose player.
Over two campaigns with NC State to begin his college career, Concepcion had 124 receptions, 1,299 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns in 25 contests.
Steelers Projected to Pair D.K. Metcalf With KC Concepcion
The Steelers assembled some of the best skilled position talent in the league from 2014-18. But since the departures of Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown, the team has struggled to replenish its offense with top talent.
In 2025, running back Kenneth Gainwell led the team with 73 catches. With 486 receiving yards, Gainwell and tight end Pat Freiermuth were ranked second for the Steelers in the category behind D.K. Metcalf.
Calvin Austin III was second among Steelers receivers in yards with 372.
For a short period last offseason, it appeared the Steelers would have both Metcalf and George Pickens as outside receiving threats. But last May, the Steelers traded Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys for a third-round pick.
General manager Omar Khan could use that selection to find more receiving talent to replace Pickens. Or, he could take a big swing with Concepcion.
It’s obviously very early in the NFL draft process. But in the early going, draft experts seem to consider Concepcion a fringe top-5 receiver in the 2026 class.
On December 1, PFF’s Trevor Sikkema ranked Concepcion as the class’s No. 5 wideout. Sikkema also placed the Texas A&M star at No. 35 on his overall big board.
When’s the Last Time the Steelers Selected a WR in the First Round of the NFL Draft?
The Steelers have a long recent tradition of drafting wide receivers on Day 2 of the NFL Draft. A lot of those wideouts developed into stars and/or great complimentary players.
But if the Steelers selected Concepcion in the first round, the franchise would be breaking a 20-year drought of no wideouts picked on Day 1 of the draft.
The last time the Steelers picked a receiver in the first round was when they traded up for Santonio Holmes in 2006. Pittsburgh moved up from No. 32 to 25 overall to select the future Super Bowl MVP.
The Steelers chose wide receiver Chase Claypool with their first available selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. However, the Steelers didn’t have a first-round pick that year.
The 2026 NFL Draft will be a big event for Pittsburgh. Not only will it mark the first draft class for the Steelers’ new head coach, the city will host the event for the first time since 1947.
The first-round will take place on Thursday, April 23.
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