Draft analyst Dane Brugler hailed the Pittsburgh Steelers' fifth-round selection of Indiana's Riley Nowakowski as his top Day 3 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, predicting a 10-year NFL career due to his blocking, special teams prowess, and versatility. Steelers beat reporter Mark Kaboly noted the team sees him replacing Connor Heyward.
On The Athletic Football Show podcast, Brugler said of Nowakowski, the Steelers' pick at No. 169 after trading down: “It’s gotta be Riley Nowakowski... this is someone that’s gonna play 10 years in the league.” He praised the player's multi-role college usage, where he ranked as the 14th tight end overall. In his final two seasons at Indiana, Nowakowski aligned extensively in the backfield, inline, slot, wide, and on special teams including kick returns and punt coverage, according to usage stats shared by Steelers Depot on X. The Steelers list him as a fullback despite his tight end background. Nowakowski's college stats: 50 catches for 518 yards and three TDs, plus two rushing TDs on two carries.
