ESPN analyst Jeff Legwold has named seven prospects as top risers ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, with several connected to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cincinnati wide receiver Jeff Caldwell, who visited the team, tops the list of those linked to Pittsburgh. Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman and offensive tackle Max Iheanachor are also gaining momentum.
The 2026 NFL Draft is less than two weeks away. Legwold consulted NFL executives who highlighted players climbing draft boards. Among them, Cincinnati's Jeff Caldwell stands out after a pre-draft visit with the Steelers. An AFC director of college scouting told Legwold of Caldwell's rare traits: “I look at the board, and you don’t see many guys with that kind of length who run like that. He needs work, he needs coaching, he needs to attack the ball, but the traits are there.” Caldwell stands 6046 at 216 pounds, ran a 4.31-second 40-yard dash, and posted an 11-foot-2 broad jump and 42-inch vertical at the NFL Combine, potentially elevating him to late Day 2 or early Day 3 selection. Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, viewed as a fringe first-rounder early on, now appears set for the first round and may not reach the Steelers' No. 21 pick. Offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, who met formally with Pittsburgh at the Combine, has progressed from late Day 2 to early Day 2 or even first-round consideration, according to reports from Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer and Legwold. Other risers include Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling, Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hurst, USC linebacker Eric Gentry, and North Dakota State running back Barika Kpeenu. While the Steelers might eye Hurst and Gentry for positional needs, no direct links have surfaced for them or Freeling.
