The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Oklahoma safety Robert Spears-Jennings with the No. 224 overall pick in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, adding versatile depth to their safety group. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound defender, who clocked a 4.32-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, brings elite speed, special teams experience, and multi-role flexibility on defense.
Pittsburgh, using a seventh-round pick acquired in a prior trade for Kyle Dugger, addressed safety depth on April 25 despite recent additions like Jaquan Brisker and DeShon Elliott's return. Spears-Jennings, a 47-game veteran with 25 starts from Oklahoma, recorded 59 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, one interception, and one forced fumble in 2025. A former high school receiver from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, he transitioned to defense and shone at the 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl, posting a 38-inch vertical, 10-foot-5 broad jump, and a 1.51-second 10-yard split highlighting his burst.
Assistant head coach and secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr. praised the pick, expressing surprise Spears-Jennings lasted to the seventh round: “We were a little bit surprised. You know, we value the kid, the height, weight, speed. The ability to get people on the ground, the low missed-tackle rate.” Whitt highlighted his fit: “He’s a guy that can play in the box; he has the speed to play in high zones. He’s not limited by anything from a skill set standpoint.”
Spears-Jennings echoed the versatility, telling reporters post-draft: “I feel like I’m a plug-and-play guy. You put me anywhere on the field. I can play in the box, I can play in the post, I can play back. It don’t really matter to me.” Pro Football Focus credits him with 460 career special teams snaps, including 124 on kick coverage and 115 on punt coverage, positioning him to compete with Sebastian Castro immediately while learning from veterans.
Scouts laud his size, athleticism, run support, tackling power, and special teams potential, comparing him to Nick Cross and viewing him as strong value at No. 224 (some projected fifth round). Areas for growth include anticipation, coverage instincts, ball skills, play-action recognition, and tackling consistency.
