Brian Batko's Steelers chat: 04.27.26
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Brian Batko
10:02
Hey everyone. Steelers drafted 10 players, made a phone call that went sideways and gave the Pittsburgh draft a major feel-good moment to end on. So what's up?
Pittfan
10:02
Hi Brian. I watched the Army vs. Navy game this past season. I was really impressed with Eli. I don’t look at his pick as be token. He has a valuable skill set. My question is who will he compete with for a roster spot?
Brian Batko
10:05
The Steelers are listing him as a running back but that's not where I see Eli Heidenreich playing in the NFL. When I watched him way back in February to put together our RB board for the Steelers (https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/2026-nfl-draft/2026/02/24/steelers...) I saw a guy who was destined to be a pass-catcher in the NFL.

Competing for a spot in that backfield won't be easy when you look at Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, Kaleb Johnson and even Travis Homer. But if they're comfortable keeping five receivers (DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek, Germie Bernard) plus Kaden Wetjen and Heidenreich, then he might have a shot.
Tampa Too
10:06
Brian. How many of the 10 draft picks do you expect to make the final roster this year?
Brian Batko
10:07
Boy, if I were a coach, I'd hate that question. But I'm not. As you can tell from my last answer, I've thought about it, but not to the point of answering that just yet. Keep an eye out for a post-draft roster projections.
Ty Hink
10:09
Morning BB, Marine Corps veteran and USNA fan. Watched Eli Heidenreich for the past 4 years. Thought he got better every year and does have the skillset to play in the NFL. With a crowded backfield do you think he can make roster or least practice squad?
Brian Batko
10:11
Morning, Ty. Not only Eli Heidenreich, but the player they picked just before him, Robert Spears-Jennings, was a military brat too growing up. Both parents were in the navy. Anchors aweigh in the 7th round!
Ryan
10:12
Brian what do you think about all the draft picks i like them all i think the Iowa lineman and the Receiver will be good
Brian Batko
10:12
Hi Ryan. Here's how I'd sum up the Steelers' draft: "It's only weird if it doesn't work"
Earl.Campbell
10:14
Please tell me that Allar has bigger hands than Kenny Pickett.
Brian Batko
10:17
Drew Allar's hands were measured at 9⅞ , Kenny Pickett's at 8½ so yes, by a wide margin. One oddity about Max Iheanachor is that for all his impressive physical tools, his 9-inch hands were tied for smallest among all OL at the combine. While we're on the subject.
Hawkeye East
10:19
Hey Brian - as a Hawkeye and Steeler fans, we are thrilled with the Steelers picks.  It looked like the city knocked it out of the park with the draft as well but my question is why would a division rival like Dallas allow a trade to Philly in the first round when they're going to see Lemon twice a year ?
Brian Batko
10:21
Good morning in Iowa. I listened to the Cowboys press conference after Round 1 and the way they explained it was that they wanted to get a couple extra picks back because they had just parted with two to move up a spot for Caleb Downs earlier in the night. Obviously, it was just simple draft math to them and they didn't care about the Eagles being their trade partner.
Butcher
10:24
Hi Brian. Happy a Monday.  I honestly don't have a problem with the tackle in the first round after the lemon fiasco (who is giving me A Brown vibes). It's probably more of an indication of their concern about Jones's neck and long-term viability. I thought the second and third round pics we're fine with the exception of Allar (big game performance with a loaded team is just as much on him as on coaching). But hey, take a swing every year.  The fifth through 7th round seem to be gadget players and players for a specific role. What I don't understand is why they just took 10 players rather than bundling picks to move up in the first and second round or even move back into the second for an additional pic to maximize the value in a draft that is wide reconsidered to be a depth draft more than anything else. Do you think they drop the ball not bundling pics to move up? Although I love the Dunker pick so much, I wish I could still grow enough hair to grow that mullet!
Brian Batko
10:28
Hello, Butcher. I sort of agree that they could've maximized the assets and been more efficient rather than taking 10 new guys, but maybe this wasn't a great draft to do that because teams weren't interested in acquiring extra picks. For instance, we've talked a lot about how they came in with a whopping 12 picks, but keep in mind three of those were 7th-rounders, and it's tough to extract much value out of those.
Darrin
10:29
Good morning.  Can you please hold Omar Khan to the flames for his embarrassment on Thursday night?  He needs to be grilled about this.
Brian Batko
10:31
He was asked about it yesterday. Basically declined to get into specifics.
Jim
10:31
Good morning Sir, Reports already saying there is not room on the roster for the 10 picks, that being said, WHY did they sit at 21? It was so frustrating watching all of the trades happen while we sat still. It became even more infuriating when you saw the measly cost some of these teams paid to move up. Is there any evidence that Omar DID try to move up in the first? We could have ensured we got our guy instead of being humiliated in our house and being outdrafted by the Browns and Jets. Not a great look.
Brian Batko
10:34
No evidence that they tried to make a move there, which implies that they liked Makai Lemon better than Max Iheanachor but not by much. At least not enough to part with draft capital. The Eagles gave up two 4ths to move up one spot. The Steelers could've given up two 4ths, or a 3rd and a 4th, or even two 3rds. But then maybe you're coming out of this draft without Gennings Dunker.
Solomon Salaam
10:37
How do you feel about the draft? Do you think we filled major needs or picked up depth pieces.
Brian Batko
10:38
Ultimately, this draft will be judged by how Max Iheanachor, Germie Bernard and, to a lesser extent, Drew Allar turn out. Even more so than most years, it just feels to me like those first three picks, all for sort of different reasons, will be a significant referendum on Omar Khan. And actually, Kaden Wetjen better be an elite returner, too.
Jeff in Chatt
10:40
Do you think Steelers’ management regrets not using their surplus picks to move up and select the player they wanted (Lemon) in round one? The Iheanachor selection felt like a panic pick.
Brian Batko
10:42
Yeah I'm not sure on that one, Jeff. We know for a fact they wanted someone else there. But we don't know if they tried to trade down and didn't get any offers to their liking, or if they truly felt really good about Iheanachor and the value at No. 21. There's no reason to panic when you still have 8 minutes to either have one more discussion about the top name on your board, and/or call around to see if anyone wants to move up. And, again, with 12 picks I imagine acquiring even more picks wasn't really top of mind for them in that spot.
Steeler Joe
10:42
Hey, BB! So, I assume everything is up for grabs on the O-line now ... Fautanu might move to LT or to guard, the rookies might play or not. Is it a case of throwing as many darts at the board and hoping one or two are bull's-eyes?
Brian Batko
10:44
It's an interesting way to construct your OL, I'll say that much. One might say the right philosophy is to have a clear vision for where a player fits best and thus where he should play, while others believe in just getting the five best guys you can and figuring out the rest on the back end with coaching development. On that note, if the Steelers were going to go OT in Round 1, are we even sure Iheanachor was the best option at that time? Utah's Caleb Lomu went 28th to the Patriots, who traded up for him, and he at least played left tackle in college.
Silent Bob
10:45
Hi Brian - The only way I can really understand the #1 pick is that the Steelers have decided that this is B Jones’ last year. Whether he has an injury that jeopardizes his career or plays all/most of the year well, I just can’t see them carrying 3 first round OTs into 2027. How do you see this pick affecting Jones’ future with the Steelers?
Brian Batko
10:47
Yeah Bob, as I said on the KDKA Sports Showdown last night, Broderick Jones and Mason Rudolph should probably grab a beer together this week. Maybe Will Howard, too. But here's another reason for you to make sense of the pick: this draft class REALLY dropped off at tackle after the guys who went in the first round. Value-wise, I can kinda understand the reasoning to go Iheanachor in the first and bank on the WR depth later (which worked!)
Dormont_Legacy
10:48
Bats, thanks for the draft coverage. I’m hopeful our picks work out but clearly Omar got caught thinking Jerry Jones wasn’t crazy enough to trade with an interdivision rival. MM should have known better and set Omar straight.
Brian Batko
10:50
Ha, I've seen the conspiracy theories on that. One was the Cowboys getting back at the Steelers for sniping Ryan Shazier one spot ahead of them way back in 2014, but that was 12 years ago and Dallas ended up with Zack Martin instead, so I can't imagine they're too burnt up about it. And yeah the other thing I saw floating out there was the Cowboys intentionally screwing over Mike McCarthy but why would they do that? They're the ones who decided to move on from him, and he's had nothing but nice stuff to say about them since.
Jon@mount
10:50
hi bats. I would call myself a Tomlin fan, but I think any message can get stale and wasn’t sad to see him move on.  The first round lack of preparedness wasn’t a very good optic. It made me wonder how much Tomlin may have been the adult in the room during the draft. What do you think?
Brian Batko
10:53
Ehh I'd say that's a tough needle to thread to suggest that Mike Tomlin is completely blameless in some of those really rough drafts between 2013 and 2022 under Kevin Colbert, but give him the utmost credit for Omar Khan's three strong drafts to kick off his tenure as GM.
Talk me off the ledge
10:53
Hey Bats!  Can you give me an example of a college quarterback that failed miserably when the lights were brightest in college that then went on to become a franchise quarterback in the NFL?
Brian Batko
10:56
Off the top of my head, not particularly, but I don't know, did guys like Jordan Love and Josh Allen even play in big games in college?
Bill
10:57
Hi Brian. Looks to me the coach runs the draft for the Steelers. Definitely not the best player available. I think drafting guys just for special teams and players you can get in free agency is totally ridiculous!!!
Brian Batko
10:58
I hear ya, Bill. But if Wetjen ends up being the best returner in the NFL, isn't that a better pick than, say, some 4th-round inside linebacker or D-lineman with great traits who takes up a roster spot for 4 years and never puts it all together?
Dan
10:58
In your honest opinion, do all of the Pitt fans out there hate the Drew Allar pick because of his alma mater or because they don’t think he is that good? I am a PSU grad(class of 1969) and I didn’t bash Pickett when we obviously wasted a #1 pick on him.
Brian Batko
10:59
Probably, yeah, but I feel like there are also a lot of Penn State fans like yourself who hate the pick because they believed Allar underachieved for his entire time as their quarterback.
Johninportland
10:59
Taking the 6th tackle off the board in the 1rst, with Theineman and 3 1rst round grade WRs on the board,  in conjunction with spending a 3rd round pick on a 3rd day QB who's basically Howard without the winning resume with Big Citrus available to anchor  nose tackle for a decade seem like criminal negligence to me. Thoughts?
Brian Batko
11:02
Hey John. As I referenced earlier, after Caleb Lomu went 28th to the Pats, there wasn't another tackle taken until Markel Bell to the Eagles with the fourth pick of the third round. The Steelers might've seen a desert there if they didn't get a good one in the first. But hey, that flies in the face of trying to draft Makai Lemon ahead of Iheanachor, so I get what you're saying. As for Dillon Thieneman, KC Concepcion, Denzel Boston and Omar Cooper, I liked all those guys to varying degrees but we don't know what grade the Steelers had on them. Domonique Orange would've been a more reasonable pick had they not brought in Sebastian Joseph-Day this offseason for DL depth.
11:04
OK friends, this is normally where I'd end the chat after an hour, but that was a wild draft, I'm procrastinating on yard work and to be quite honest with you (Mike Tomlin voice) I have to treat every one of these like it could be my last. So let's go into OT...
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