Longtime ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has the Pittsburgh Steelers landing Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane at No. 21 overall in his latest mock draft .
"I'm working off the assumption that Aaron Rodgers will be in black and yellow once more next season, but frankly, No. 21 is too early for Ty Simpson — or any other QB not named Mendoza — regardless of what the depth chart looks like on April 23. I think it's more likely Pittsburgh takes a signal-caller on Day 2. Instead, the Steelers can use this pick to beef up the protection in front of their to-be-determined passer," Kiper wrote. "ioane plays with pure power, wrenching defenders out of the way. But he's also pretty swift on his feet at 6-4 and 320 pounds. He would be an easy swap for Isaac Seumalo , who left in free agency."
Ioane, who stands at 6-foot-4, 320 pounds and played in 44 games for the Nittany Lions over the past four seasons, would be a slam-dunk selection for Pittsburgh. Brandon Thorn of Bleacher Report thinks Ioane is the most complete offensive lineman in this year's class.
Ioane would be a safe and solid pick for the Steelers. Simpson at No. 21 would be a massive reach.
Isaac Seumalo left a massive hole at left guard after he signed with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency and the Steelers have only added former undrafted free agent Brock Hoffman to compete with former seventh-round pick Spencer Anderson for the job.
The Steelers have invested a ton of draft capital into their offensive line over the past few years, but Steve Jones, the voice of Penn State football, believes they would be very smart to do so once again in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Jones thinks Ioane , who the Steelers just hosted for a pre-draft visit , is just as talented as Indianapolis Colts three-time first-team All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowl guard Quentin Nelson.
"Here's the stat that I think will tell you a lot about him, and the stat is 2023. What's 2023? That's the last time he gave up a sack in a game. Didn't give up a single sack in 2024 or 2025.," Jones said on Pittsburgh's 93.7 The Fan . "This is the Quentin Nelson of this draft, but again, you have to remember, what was the knock on Quentin Nelson? The knock on Quentin Nelson is you don't draft guards that high. He went sixth and he's been worth everything to the Colts."
Penn State offensive lineman Vega Ioane during a game against FIU on Sept. 6, 2025. — Matthew Lynch / Nittany Sports Now
Kiper has the Steelers addressing the wide receiver position in the second round with Zachariah Branch out of Georgia at 53rd overall.
"The Steelers have speed and strength on the outside in DK Metcalf . They have a middle-of-the-field chain mover in Michael Pittman Jr. But where is the quick-game specialist?" Kiper wrote. "That'd be an important part of the offense if Aaron Rodgers returns; he got the ball out quicker than any other QB last season (2.59 seconds on average). Enter Branch, who might be undersized at 5-9 and 177 pounds but plays the game like Zay Flowers and is explosive enough to take a quick slant for a big gain."
Branch, a dynamic receiver who caught 81 passes for 811 yards during his senior season. would give the Steelers a solid No. 3 wide receiver behind DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. While listed at just 5-foot-10, Branch adds a different dimension to any offense with his speed and quickness, making him dangerous with the ball in his hands, whether on catch-and-run opportunities or in the return game.
Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Zachariah Branch (1) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2025 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on Dec 6, 2025. — Brett Davis / Imagn ImagesCredit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Steelers' brass attended Branch's Georgia pro day and also had dinner with him, according to longtime draft analyst Tony Pauline of EssentiallySports .
"Receiver Zachariah Branch stood on his numbers from the combine, which were outstanding. He timed 4.35 seconds in the 40, hit 38 inches in the broad, and completed 20 reps on the bench, a good number for a 177-pound wideout. He only participated in position drills today and looked terrific. His routes were crisp and very sudden, and Branch caught the ball well. Branch had dinner with the Steelers, met with the Raiders , and is getting interest from the Falcons," Pauline wrote.
At the NFL Combine , Branch ran a 4.35 in the 40-yard dash, 1.5 in the 10-yard split, posted a 38″ vertical jump, 10′ 5″ broad jump and did 20 reps on the bench press, which was set at 225 pounds.
Branch scored an unofficial 8.95 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 406 out of 3844 WR from 1987 to 2026.
Aaron Becker contributed.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Mel Kiper Has Steelers Landing Generational OL, Explosive Wide Receiver in Rounds 1-2
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