The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
VICTOR SIMMONS FROM LAGOS, NIGERIA: Good day from Steelers Nation Nigeria. I don't want to misquote Mr. Rooney, but when he was asked about our seventh-round draft pick (Eli Heidenreich) he said this may be the best seventh-rounder we ever picked. I was wondering if you could tell us some of the previous seventh-round picks?
ANSWER: The Steelers have a solid history of doing well in the later rounds of drafts, but they didn't work a lot of magic when it came specifically to the seventh round. Here is a list of seventh-round picks since Chuck Noll was hired in 1969 who made the team and went on to become NFL starters:
ILB David Little, DT Edmund Nelson, CB D.J. Johnson, OLB Carlos Emmons, PK Kris Brown, DE Brett Keisel, OT Kelvin Beachum, and P Pressley Harvin III.
And I don't want to put words into President Art Rooney II's mouth, but my impression of what he said about Eli Heidenreich being the "best seventh-rounder we ever picked" was more about the story – Heidenreich being from Pittsburgh and then attending the Naval Academy, and being chosen by his hometown team in a draft held in his hometown. Then being invited by Commissioner Roger Goodell to attend the draft on Saturday, getting picked by the Steelers and walking out onto the stage with a Terrible Towel in front of a sea of fans also waving Terrible Towels. Super emotional.
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SCOTT RANDALL FROM CONWAY, SC: With the OL we have right now, including the new draftees, what order would you put them in on the pecking order? I know training camp hasn't started yet but just curious as to how you see them today.
ANSWER: If you're looking for something of a depth chart from me, here is my guess, and I emphasize that it's a guess:
LT: Dylan Cook or Troy Fautanu
LG: Gennings Dunker
C: Zach Frazier
RG: Mason McCormick
RT: Troy Fautanu or Dylan Cook
Nothing against Max Iheanachor, but I just don't know that Coach Mike McCarthy is looking to have two rookies starting on the offensive line for the first week of the regular season.
MILTON MANION SR. FROM LOUISVILLE, KY: In the draft we had 12 picks and only made 10 selections. What happened to our other 2 picks?
ANSWER: The other two picks were used in trades. The Steelers traded up in the second round to select WR Germie Bernard, and they traded up in the third round for G Gennings Dunker.
BRUCE LANG FROM LAKE ARROWHEAD, CA: Over the last several years, I have read that we don't have our franchise quarterback on the current roster. In your opinion, how long did it take before we found our franchise quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger?
ANSWER: Terry Bradshaw retired in July 1984, and Ben Roethlisberger was drafted in April 2004. By my arithmetic, that's 20 years.
NEIL HOFFMAN FROM RIDGWAY, PA: Based on a response you gave in your Asked and Answered on April 30, can I assume that a player doesn't have to be "under contract" to be on the 90-man roster?
ANSWER: By the strict interpretation of NFL rules, players who have not signed contracts do not count on the 90-man roster. But while the 10 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft have yet to sign, I am counting them on the 90-man roster, albeit prematurely, because they're not going to get cut and replaced on the roster before training camp opens.
KEITH JONES FROM PHILADELPHIA , PA: Why do the Steelers always play the Eagles in Philadelphia?
ANSWER: Since 2000, the Steelers have played the Eagles 8 times, with 4 of those games in Pittsburgh and 4 of those games in Philadelphia. Since the teams are in different conferences, they only face each other once every 4 years, and so while the 2026 game in Philadelphia will give the Eagles 5 home games that will be evened out in 2030 when the Eagles have to come to Pittsburgh.
KEN YAKOPCIC FROM MARMORA, NJ: Doc Blanchard was an excellent football player and Air Force pilot. But when talking about Steelers servicemen there is none better than Rocky Bleier. Drafted or not.
ANSWER: Rocky Bleier came to the Steelers in the 16th round (417th overall) in the 1968 NFL Draft from Notre Dame. And the reason I included Notre Dame in the previous sentence is because the question posed in the April 30 edition of Asked and Answered was, "Have the Steelers ever before drafted a player from any of the service academies?" Notre Dame is not a service academy. West Point, where Doc Blanchard attended, is. It's important to read the question before commenting on the answer.
CHARLES BOLDEN FROM GROVETOWN, GA: The question from Sam Mikail of Maryland in the April 30 Asked and Answered: Wasn't Al Villanueva a graduate from West Point?
ANSWER: Yes, Alejandro Villanueva, who started 90 regular season games for the Steelers over 7 seasons, was a graduate of West Point. But Villanueva entered the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted rookie in May 2014. The Steelers signed him after the Eagles waived him. The question was about players from the service academies who were drafted by the Steelers.
MAX MASHONEY FROM THE WOODLANDS, TX: By my count, after undrafted rookie signings, the Steelers currently have 87 players on their roster. Assuming one spot is for Aaron Rodgers and another is for a backup punter that the Steelers always (and should) have in camp and for preseason games, that leaves one spot on the 90-man roster left. Is it reasonable to assume the Steelers are looking for an experienced veteran slot WR to sign?
ANSWER: I think one of the openings on the 90-man roster is being held in case someone at Rookie Minicamp on a tryout basis catches the team's eye. I believe the Steelers are largely finished with their shopping on the free agent market between now and the start of training camp.
BRONSON DABUQUE FROM HUDSON, IL: Can anyone please explain the logic in this year's Steelers draft picks? After much discussion with everyone I know with even an inkling of Steelers knowledge is totally at sea on their picks. Everyone keeps coming back with "destined to fail" as an answer. Are they playing for next year's first round? We just don't get it. Can you please explain?
ANSWER: You are fond of using the word "everyone." But I can tell you that within 30 seconds of using Google to research grades given to the Steelers 2026 NFL Draft Class, I quickly and easily came up with these two. And while I acknowledge there were many lower grades, I only chose a couple of the good ones to dispute your contention about "everyone":
From NFL.com:
Analysis: "With Broderick Jones' future in flux (he's attempting to recover from a neck injury and nearing the end of his rookie contract), losing out on receiver Malik Lemon could prove to be a blessing in disguise, if the physical, quick-footed Iheanachor keeps things intact up front. And Bernard's strength, route-running skills and elusiveness after the catch give him a chance to be just as good as Lemon in the long run. Pittsburgh used the third-round pick received from Dallas in exchange for receiver George Pickens to select Allar, who is coming off injury and did not have Day 2-worthy film but certainly has the physical tools to be an NFL starter. Everette was not a consistent performer last season, either, but -- like Allar -- has the tools to start at the next level. Dunker was an excellent value late in the third, projecting as a long-time interior starter because of his short-area quickness and nasty attitude.
"Pittsburgh snagged the top returner in the draft to replace Kenneth Gainwell and Calvin Austin III; don't be surprised if Wetjen earns playing time in the slot, as well. Nowakowski can replace departed free agent Connor Heyward as a receiving/blocking H-back this season. The Steelers overlooked Rubio's lack of productivity and injury history with the Irish to add his bulk to the defensive line. They needed some help at safety and on special teams, and they found a top 150-value pick in the speedy Spears-Jennings. The welcome that the Steelers crowd gave to Heidenreich, a Navy star and Pittsburgh native, was one of the weekend's best moments."
GRADE: A-
From Rob Rang on foxsports.com:
Analysis: "The Steelers did a remarkable job of hosting the draft this year and GM Omar Khan put together one of this year's better classes, as well, thrilling the home crowd. I like the investment in gifted young tackle Max Iheanachor at No. 21 overall, even if it was a pivot after the Eagles swooped in to nab wideout Makai Lemon a pick earlier.
"If the Steelers were at all soured by losing out on Lemon, Khan turned it into lemonade a round later by nabbing Germie Bernard, a similarly versatile weapon. Pittsburgh added a special teams ace in Kaden Wetjen, one of the best guards of this class in Gennings Dunker, a cornerback with the traits worthy of developing in Daylen Everette — and perhaps most importantly, a quarterback with the size and big arm to push Aaron Rodgers — either back onto the roster or into retirement. I'm not as high on Allar as others — and that is reflected in my grade, but I love the swing for the fences at this point in the draft.
"Finally, I love the exclamation point at the end of the draft with the selection of Navy's do-everything star Eli Heidenreich. Whether Allar lives up to his upside or not, this was the kind of draft Steelers fans deserved, and it kicks off the Mike McCarthy era in fine form."
Grade: A-
SHAWN BITTNER FROM JACKSONVILLE, NC: Are veterans permitted to attend Rookie Minicamp if they so desire?
ANSWER: According to NFL Operations, Rookie Minicamp generally is held between May 1 and May 11, and those eligible include a team's drafted rookies and signed undrafted free agent, first-year players who never signed an NFL contract, and selected tryout players. Participants must generally have finished their college eligibility, and will receive a daily stipend for participation.
