Steelers First-Round Option Everyone Keeps Forgetting

The Pittsburgh Steelers have an impossible decision to make when the clock starts on their first round pick at the 2026 NFL Draft. Should they trade up to target some of the top talents, hold firm at the 21st selection, or move back and acquire more assets?

After an impressive start to the new league year, the Steelers have improved multiple positions of need. It's a great step, but it only complicates the team's approach in Round 1.

Among all of this, there's a name consistently forgotten. And this player might be an even better pick in the first round than any other previously talked about prospect. Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu is one of the top tackles in this year's draft, and he would solve one of the largest remaining issues in Pittsburgh.

What Lomu Brings Steelers

Simply put, the Steelers could put their left tackle issues to rest with the selection of Caleb Lomu. The Utah product is one of two highly-regarded tackles in this year's class, as he and teammate Spencer Fano are both expected to go in the first round.

Lomu was an impenetrable force at the left tackle position. The 6'6, 310-pound lineman started 24 games in two seasons with Utah. He played in 823 offensive snaps in 2025, allowing zero sacks and just two quarterback hits. It earned him a First Team All-Big 12 nod and the distinction as one of the premier pass protectors in the NCAA.

At the NFL level, the transition should be seamless. He has the size and strength to manage incoming pass rushers and has the length and reach to be a force in the run game. The Steelers have two left tackles under contract in Broderick Jones and Dylan Cook, but with the addition of Lomu, they could bring in a potential star for the starting role.