Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch predicts the team will not use all 12 of its picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. He anticipates a trade-up to select an impactful player. Batch shared these views on his Snap Count podcast.
Pittsburgh enters the 2026 NFL Draft with 12 selections, nearly double the seven it made in 2025. Charlie Batch, a former Steelers quarterback, doubts the team will deploy all of them. Speaking on Monday's edition of his Snap Count podcast, Batch said, “I just don’t believe that the Steelers will have, and use, 12 picks for these rookies coming in. I just don’t believe that… This is why, over the last year or so, they were stockpiling those picks to be in anticipation of being in a position to move up.” “Obviously, that quarterback probably won’t be in this particular draft. But I do expect them to draft up, lose some of those picks, and draft somebody impactful,” he added. The Steelers hold the 21st overall pick in the first round, followed by the 53rd in the second. Batch suggested trading into the teens or jumping from 53rd could be feasible, especially if talents like Ty Simpson fall. With a draft class deep at some positions but not the strongest overall, teams may seek to move down, facilitating Pittsburgh's potential trades. Batch noted that adding 12 rookies, plus undrafted free agents, could overcrowd the roster. Trading up at the right price, he argued, aligns with the team's strategy.
