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Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 04.13.26
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Brian Batko
9:54
Good morning everyone, hope you enjoyed your 412 Day, be it in Pittsburgh or beyond. Even if you don't live in the 412 or have never lived here, you probably have some connection to it, at least via the football team you follow in these chats. With that, let's get into some Steelers nitty gritty
9:55
Also I'm gonna start us off with a poll question, so please vote:
SIf four WRs go in the top 20 but Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion are still on the board, who would you prefer?
Denzel Pittsburgh (36.8% | 14 votes)
 
Immaculate Concepcion (63.2% | 24 votes)
 
Total Votes: 38
Alan in Bama
9:57
Good morning Brian, Looking at teams that have stayed at the top winning multiple superbowls, Steelers, San Francisco, New England, all picking low in subsequent drafts but managing to draft and reload. With  all the draft discussion do you see #1 picks as being somewhat overrated? I’m looking at the many swings and misses by the Browns, etc.
Brian Batko
9:59
Good morning, Alan. Yeah, I guess you could suggest that our collective obsession with the NFL draft industrial complex leads to an overestimation of first-round picks, to an extent. But your premise isn't entirely accurate. The Steelers picked 11th and nabbed Ben Roethlisberger. If you're talking Super 70s Steelers, that was a totally different era.
Gundog
10:01
What are the major offensive and defensive differences with this year's coaches?
Brian Batko
10:04
Offensively, it figures to shift toward a more receiver-centric offense than heavy tight end usage. More 11 personnel than the 12 and 13 personnel under Arthur Smith. Defensively, it sounds like Mike McCarthy wants to avoid making a lot of wholesale changes. But we'll see.
Chet
10:05
Drew Allar has the size and arm strength to succeed at the next level but hasn't been able to mentally handle the big moments. He has looked completely overwhelmed - almost in panic mode when a big game is on the line. With that said, do you think you are either born with the clutch gene, or not, or do you think with time and the right coaching, a QB can settle in and get his head straight when the team is relying on him to pull out a big game?
Brian Batko
10:07
Whoa, Chet. I feel like sports decision-makers have been trying to figure that out for decades. My personal opinion is that there's a lot of development and environmental factors that can benefit a QB, or any position, but you do have to have a certain sort of "IT" factor that's either in you or it isn't.
Stairway to seventh seed
10:09
Brian: when I run the mock draft simulators, I keep running into the problem that the best players available at 21 are either at positions that are not needs, are tackles like Procter that have a lot of "bust potential", or are reaches at WR like Cooper (his stats against good defenses are scary bad considering he was playing with Mendoza).  Normally, I would want the Steelers to just trade down in that situation, but they already have so many picks this year and I am sure want to put on a good show at home so won't trade out of the 1st round.  Anyway, what do you think of this plan instead:  Draft a top CB and try to trade Porter for high picks in 2027?  McDuffie got a haul for the Chiefs.  Gardner got two 1st rounders for the Jets.  Porter is not as good as those guys, but he will expect to be paid pretty close to them.  Do you think a contending team might give up a 1st or maybe a 2nd and 4th in 2027 for Porter?
Brian Batko
10:12
I am not on board, Stairway. It requires a much more pessimistic view of Joey Porter Jr. than I have, to be honest. But I'm glad you asked, because it gives me a reason to link you to my Steelers best-case first-round mock draft that went online this morning. I've done this the last several years and I spend a lot of time looking at the possible scenarios for teams picking ahead of them and prospects who could fall in the top 20. Check it out https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/2026-nfl-draft/2026/04/13/steelers...

And my worst-case version is tomorrow, which is more of what you're getting at with your post
Jim Bow Dean
10:14
I’m warming up to the idea of drafting a player who played tackle in college but has the potential to play guard. Someone like Fano, Iheanachor, or Proctor. They may start at guard on day one and provide insurance for Jones and Cook. What do you think?
Brian Batko
10:17
Yeah I wouldn't completely rule it out, particularly for Kadyn Proctor, who I probably like best of those three. He touches you and you fold like a cheap chair. But the Steelers have done so much position shuffling and college-to-pro transitioning on their OL, to varying results, and I get a bit gun shy with the whole projection game.
Dianna Vrabel
10:18
Do you expect Mel Kiper to get his usual 2-3 first round picks correct? His mock drafts stink
Brian Batko
10:19
No clue, but obviously he was way off last year on Shedeur Sanders
Smoken Joe
10:19
Hey Brian, At this point, do you think the Steelers will trade up or down or just keep their current spot in the draft?
Brian Batko
10:20
It's always easier to predict a stand-pat. But a trade up would surprise me less than a trade down.
Ben
10:21
Hey Brian, they should trade their own 3rd rounder for a second rounder next year. It’s such a better use of the pick than wasting it on Allar or Beck. If they come out of their top 5 picks with one of the top two safeties, WR, G, Dline, and a 2027 2nd rounder I’ll be thrilled. They can pick up another WR who returns punts later in the draft. What do you think?
Brian Batko
10:23
Sure, but it takes two to tango. And there appears to be a broadly held view that the 2027 draft will be a banger compared to this one. Not just at QB, though obviously that's the head of the snake. But I think there's a decent chance that there will be multiple edge rushers who'd be No. 1 in this class, a corner who'd be No. 1 and certainly a WR who'd be No. 1 in the last TWO draft classes.
Tim
10:25
Noise surrounding Sadiq as Steelers first round selection.  TE does not seem like a big need but might he be viewed more of a Puka Nacua type weapon in the offense than just a TE.  Lofty comparison but more to the point of not pigeon holing him into category of TE
Brian Batko
10:29
That's a bold take, Tim. I've thought the same to myself though. And not just through a Steelers lens, but I wonder if at some point the lines will blur so much in offensive football that we no longer distinguish WR and TE. It'll just be REC. Hey, Mike Tomlin said that last year at the start of training camp when asked about the Jonnu Smith addition. As for the Steelers and Kenyon Sadiq, I'm here for it. Mainly because my college roommate (all four years) who became my lifelong pal has the same last name. But he's Pakistani and pronounced it as if it rhymes with hypnotic. I just don't see it happening.
J D
10:30
Brian, do you have any update on Broderick Jones?  Will the Steelers sign him or let him go or wait and see?
Brian Batko
10:32
The Steelers posted photos and videos of players showing up to Phase 1 of Day 1 of offseason activities last week and Broderick Jones was there, warming up in some sort of calisthenics conditioning line. So that's a decent sign! But obviously that's a far cry from actually playing football.
Takoma Tom
10:32
If the 2027 draft is supposedly loaded why not push picks from 2026 to 2027?  Trade a first for a first and second in 2027.  Trade a second for a first in 2027.  Then you’re in position to get a franchise QB.
Brian Batko
10:34
Because, again, the Steelers aren't the only team that does advanced scouting. But I see your point. The Steelers have 12 picks. There are a few teams with less than half that. Perhaps you can strike a deal with one of those, even if you have to pay 80 cents on the dollar, so to speak.
JPinPDX
10:34
Good morning Bats. What odds do you give your Best Case Scenario mock drast,
darn fat fingers! That was draft?
Brian Batko
10:35
Not high, but that's not necessarily the point of the exercise. I'll say this much, though, I think it's less likely than the worst-case edition that I'll have for you all tomorrow.
KordellTolls
10:36
Bats Man, any fire to all the smoke surrounding Cole Payton in the 3rd or 4th round?
Brian Batko
10:38
I think there could be, yeah. The Steelers have done more than their typical due diligence on him. They had QB coach Tom Arth in FARGO for the North Dakota State pro day, then flew in Cole Payton the next day for a pre-draft visit.
Seattle Steeler
10:39
Hi Brian,  Glad to hear you and the Wife enjoyed Seattle on your last trip. Many more hikes to put on your bucket list. Loved your Bettis interview! As a Steeler Fan and observer of the Seahawks who were marred down in mediocracy (9-7 the prior 3 seasons). I watched them rebuild quickly by building their O-line, D-Line and playmaker positions. This allowed them to drop in a QB with talent but not necessarily top level skills or prime time experience. I hope this draft they can get a strong combination of core playmakers (WR) and OL/DL. A great draft could set them up for a SB run in 2027 with a young QB or free agent QB that is on the cusp.  Your thoughts?
Brian Batko
10:42
Hey, thanks a lot. Carlson Block pizza was also MORE than legit, and a beautiful drive to and fro. I pretty much agree with you in the sense that fortunes can change quickly in the NFL if you hit on draft picks (with development of course) and find a QB who can get you to the promised land. And I believe that's what the Steelers are trying to do/have been in the process of doing for a couple years now. Build up the roster so that the QB can be a finishing piece, more or less.
TVC15
10:43
Hi Brian, Is there a quarterback whisperer somewhere out there (e.g. Shanahan, McVay, O'Connell, etc.) who could make a franchise quarterback out of Drew Allar? I kind of get the feeling that McCarthy is not up to the task.
Brian Batko
10:46
Not sure what makes you say that. Mike McCarthy's best quality, on paper, is probably his development of Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay.
KordellTolls
10:48
Is Carson Beck where it's at? I like his game a lot even though his devil's haircut leave much to be desired. 3rd round?
Brian Batko
10:49
No, Carson Beck is not where it's at. Not for me anyway. I just feel like if there's any mid-tier QB in this draft who screams "we have Carson Beck at home (and it's Will Howard)" it's Carson Beck.
10:50
OK gang, I gotta run out. The Immaculate Concepcion won the poll. More on that tomorrow. Thanks for chatting by.
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