Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuinness floated Texas A&M wideout KC Concepcion to the Steelers at 21 in his 2026 mock draft, arguing he’d help with receiving depth alongside DK Metcalf. Concepcion posted a strong 78.2 PFF receiving grade against man coverage in 2025 and would pair well with Metcalf. In that season, he logged 61 catches for 919 yards and nine touchdowns, plus 25 punt returns for 456 yards and two scores, earning All-American all-purpose recognition. 🧩📈
The Steelers have struggled to replenish top offensive talent since Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown left, often leaning on breakout performances from a developing corps. In 2025, Kenneth Gainwell led the team with 73 receptions but only 486 receiving yards, with Pat Freiermuth second on the unit. Calvin Austin III was also a notable contributor with 372 receiving yards. Pittsburgh previously traded Chase Claypool to Dallas for a third-round pick, leaving GM Omar Khan with a discretionary asset to help bolster the wide receiver group or potentially swing for Concepcion. 🔄💼
Concepcion is viewed in early 2026 chatter as a fringe top-5 receiver, with some rankings placing him among the league’s best at his position. Trevor Sikkema of PFF had Concepcion as the No. 5 WR in the class and No. 35 on his overall board, signaling he could be a first-round candidate. A Steelers first-round WR would break a 20-year drought, the last being Santonio Holmes in 2006; Chase Claypool was picked in 2020 but Pittsburgh did not have a first-round pick that year. 🏁🎯
The 2026 draft figures to be a landmark event for Pittsburgh, not only as the team navigates quarterback uncertainty but also as the city hosts the draft for the first time since 1947. The first round is set for Thursday, April 23. While QB questions linger, the Concepcion scenario underscores how the Steelers could address the offense’s depth right away by targeting a high-potential receiver. 🗓️🏟️
