Six Rookies to Watch During Steelers Training Camp

Max Iheanachor

The third offensive tackle the Steelers have selected in the first round over the past four years, Iheanachor is more of a boom-or-bust prospect than either Broderick Jones or Troy Fautanu were when they entered the league.

Iheanachor's standout athletic traits, size and raw strength make him such a tantalizing prospect with the ceiling of a true franchise right tackle and one of the best players from the 2026 NFL Draft class.

On the flip side, with how far he still has to come technically and in terms of his inconsistent hands, there's the risk of him never coming along in those areas and failing to develop into a starting-caliber player.

As training camp progresses, the hope is that Iheanachor makes incremental progress and potentially even pushes Dylan Cook for the right tackle job while Jones continues to recover from his significant neck injury that he suffered in Week 12 last season.

Germie Bernard

While he may not be a burner downfield and had issues with beating press coverage in college, Bernard is a well-rounded receiver and could immediately become a safety net for Aaron Rodgers, which not many rookies can say.

Whether it's in the slot or on the outside, the second-rounder can separate consistently with his burst, has strong hands and makes things happen in the open field while using his 6-foot-1, 206-pound frame to his advantage.

There isn't much Bernard does poorly, and while he may not have the upside of a high-end No. 1 receiver, he should be a productive piece of Pittsburgh's offense both in 2026 and for years to come.

Daylen Everette

Everette, much like he was during the offseason program, should be somewhat of a training camp darling for the Steelers.

A fluid and explosive athlete with great size, the third-round pick's physicality may also help him out against the run and in press coverage.

Everette was a bit too grabby at Georgia, though, and that won't fly in the NFL. Furthermore, his coverage instincts have a ways to go as well.

He's going to have some splash plays and win reps against Pittsburgh's receivers in camp. As long as he works on ironing out the issues in his game, Everette could push for a role in a crowded secondary as a rookie.

Robert Spears-Jennings

The Steelers' safety depth is one of the biggest remaining holes on the roster. With no rock-solid No. 3 option behind Jaquan Brisker and DeShon Elliott, the door is open for Spears-Jennings to show why the team was right to take a chance on him in the seventh round.

The Oklahoma product is going to fly around the field and isn't afraid of getting physical with an aggressive play style, which will lead to some highlight-worthy moments at Saint Vincent College.

Spears-Jennings isn't nearly refined enough in coverage, however, and there are instances where he'll over-pursue and miss out on a tackle.

Whether it's as a special teamer or on defense, though, he's going to be a fun player to keep an eye on.

Eli Heidenreich

With the No. 3 (and perhaps No. 4) running back jobs up for grabs, Heidenreich has a lot at stake heading into training camp.

He's not going to operate like a traditional running back in the sense that he's not someone you want to hand the ball off to consistently. Where Heidenreich does shine is with his versatility and as a pass-catching option out of the backfield as well as the slot with his reliable hands and short-range quickness.

Heidenreich's going to have to prove he can hold up in pass protection and on special teams if he's going to make the 53-man roster, but he's capable of ultimately beating out both Kaleb Johnson and Travis Homer if that's what it takes.

Lake McRee

Behind Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington and rookie Riley Nowakowski, the Steelers have a slew of tight ends at the bottom of the depth chart whose calling cards are as pass-catching options.

Robert Tonyan would seem to have the leg-up on the likes of JJ Galbreath and Jaheim Bell due to his connection and history with Rodgers and McCarthy from their days with the Green Bay Packers, but McRee can't be slept on if Pittsburgh is intent on keeping one of those names around.

An undrafted free agent out of USC who finished his collegiate career with 1,154 yards and seven touchdowns in 51 games, McRee is a sure-handed weapon who moves well for the position and has potential from a route-running perspective.

He's not polished as a blocker, though if he shows out throughout training camp, that could be enough to convince the Steelers to include him on the 53-man roster.