The Steelers biggest remaining need is arguably at wide receiver. With this year's draft class offering several options in the first round, let's look at five of the top names at the position -- all guys poised to be selected in the first round:
1. CARNELL TATE, Ohio State
Tate is the closest thing to a star wide receiver this particular class has to offer. He moves so well in and out of his breaks, almost as easy as Antonio Brown made it look during his best years. Add in great body control and good hands and you have yourself a WR1, despite his lack of elite speed. However, he'll be long gone before the Steelers pick at 21st overall.
2. MAKAI LEMON, USC
What Lemon lacks in size (5-11, 192 pounds) he makes up for in competitive drive. Despite that underwhelming size, he still came down with 71.5% of contested catches in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus. He's also already an accomplished route runner and can create separation. Concerns include potentially being limited to the slot and if his podium nonsense at the Combine is indicative of character issues down the road, but the talent level is undeniable. Lemon could be a top-10 pick. If he somehow falls to the 21st overall, the Steelers ought to sprint to the podium.
3. OMAR COOPER JR., Indiana
Cooper is a versatile receiver that primarily played in the slot for the national champion Hoosiers, but can line up outside when needed. He's a little undersized (6-0, 199 pounds), but he has good speed (4.42 40-yard dash) and strong hands. He welcomes physicality and can leap up for contested passes. Perhaps his greatest asset is an exceptional ability to create yards after the catch. Despite being able to create separation on lateral breaks, he needs to improve his route running and run blocking, but at 21st overall, Cooper would be a great high-WR2, low-end WR1-type of receiver to take.
4. KC CONCEPCION, Texas A&M
Concepcion is more of a high-risk, high-reward type of selection at 21st overall. He's already a great route runner and might be, except for Tate, the best at creating separation in this class. He's a little undersize at 6-0, 196 pounds, the type of guy who's "always open," and he can immediately become a regular in the return game. However, there are legitimate concerns over his drops (10.2% in 2025) and potential limitation to the slot. If he can get past dropping passes, he might end up as one of the most productive receivers in this class.
5. JORDYN TYSON, Arizona State
Just considering the football player alone, Tyson would be No. 2 on this list without any doubt. He has good size at 6-2 and 203 pounds. He can play any receiver position. He's a good route runner, especially in the quick and intermediate games. He has enough speed to work down the field. He has great body control and ball skills to win contested catches. He doesn't drop the football, either (just one drop on 97 targets in 2025). Yet, there's supreme risk. Tyson has a well-documented injury history that includes a torn ACL/MCL/PCL in 2022, a broken collarbone in 2024 and lingering hamstring issues last season. He missed nearly one-third of his college games. If the medicals are good, he's a slam dunk at 21st overall. However, considering the injury history, this could be a boom-or-bust pick.
THE ASYLUM
NFL Draft Top Five: Wide receivers
The Steelers biggest remaining need is arguably at wide receiver. With this year's draft class offering several options in the first round, let's look at five of the top names at the position -- all guys poised to be selected in the first round:
1. CARNELL TATE, Ohio State
Tate is the closest thing to a star wide receiver this particular class has to offer. He moves so well in and out of his breaks, almost as easy as Antonio Brown made it look during his best years. Add in great body control and good hands and you have yourself a WR1, despite his lack of elite speed. However, he'll be long gone before the Steelers pick at 21st overall.
2. MAKAI LEMON, USC
What Lemon lacks in size (5-11, 192 pounds) he makes up for in competitive drive. Despite that underwhelming size, he still came down with 71.5% of contested catches in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus. He's also already an accomplished route runner and can create separation. Concerns include potentially being limited to the slot and if his podium nonsense at the Combine is indicative of character issues down the road, but the talent level is undeniable. Lemon could be a top-10 pick. If he somehow falls to the 21st overall, the Steelers ought to sprint to the podium.
3. OMAR COOPER JR., Indiana
Cooper is a versatile receiver that primarily played in the slot for the national champion Hoosiers, but can line up outside when needed. He's a little undersized (6-0, 199 pounds), but he has good speed (4.42 40-yard dash) and strong hands. He welcomes physicality and can leap up for contested passes. Perhaps his greatest asset is an exceptional ability to create yards after the catch. Despite being able to create separation on lateral breaks, he needs to improve his route running and run blocking, but at 21st overall, Cooper would be a great high-WR2, low-end WR1-type of receiver to take.
4. KC CONCEPCION, Texas A&M
Concepcion is more of a high-risk, high-reward type of selection at 21st overall. He's already a great route runner and might be, except for Tate, the best at creating separation in this class. He's a little undersize at 6-0, 196 pounds, the type of guy who's "always open," and he can immediately become a regular in the return game. However, there are legitimate concerns over his drops (10.2% in 2025) and potential limitation to the slot. If he can get past dropping passes, he might end up as one of the most productive receivers in this class.
5. JORDYN TYSON, Arizona State
Just considering the football player alone, Tyson would be No. 2 on this list without any doubt. He has good size at 6-2 and 203 pounds. He can play any receiver position. He's a good route runner, especially in the quick and intermediate games. He has enough speed to work down the field. He has great body control and ball skills to win contested catches. He doesn't drop the football, either (just one drop on 97 targets in 2025). Yet, there's supreme risk. Tyson has a well-documented injury history that includes a torn ACL/MCL/PCL in 2022, a broken collarbone in 2024 and lingering hamstring issues last season. He missed nearly one-third of his college games. If the medicals are good, he's a slam dunk at 21st overall. However, considering the injury history, this could be a boom-or-bust pick.
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