Steelers select Indiana TE Riley Nowakowski in fifth round of 2026 NFL Draft

TL;DR

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Indiana tight end Riley Nowakowski in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft after trading down to the 169th pick. Nowakowski had a successful college career, contributing to the Hoosiers' National Championship win.

Key points

Steelers selected Riley Nowakowski in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft
Nowakowski had 32 catches for 387 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2025
Steelers traded down from the No. 161 pick to No. 169

Pittsburgh SteelersKansas City ChiefsIndiana HoosiersRiley Nowakowski

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JANUARY 19: TE Riley Nowakowski #37 of the Indiana Hoosiers celebrates his touchdown run during the Indiana Hoosiers versus the Miami Hurricanes College Football Playoff National Championship Game Presented by AT&T on January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers have selected Indiana tight end Riley Nowakowski in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

This came after the Steelers traded out of the No. 161 pick, sending it to the Kansas City Chiefs. The trade sent the Steelers down to pick No. 169 where they selected Nowakowski.

Nowakowski caught 32 passes for 387 yards and two touchdowns in 2025, helping the Hoosiers win the National Championship. He joins Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington in the Steelers’ tight end room.

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