Wednesday links: Which Steelers UDFAs could surprise?

(By The Athletic’s Josh Kendall): 11. Pittsburgh Steelers

Last ranking: 14

Best rookie season: Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama

The second-round wideout is going to have to overcome Aaron Rodgers’ aversion to rookie receivers. Either that or he’s going to have long shots Will Howard or Drew Allar at quarterback. Still, Bernard immediately slots in as the third wide receiver and will be one of the most polished rookie pass catchers of 2026.

The Athletic tabbed the Steelers as a riser in the NFL power rankings following the team’s offseason. Pittsburgh currently ranks one spot ahead of the Baltimore Ravens.

Arch Manning, Jeremiah Smith headline way-too-early 2027 NFL Draft top 25 prospects

(From Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice): Arch Manning, QB, Texas

Manning is an excellent athlete with size. He plays with a proper timing on plays when working from the pocket, but can also throw consistently on the move and has the toughness and core strength to get any throw off no matter his platform, or how muddy the pocket is, or how he is getting hit. He has a good arm that he unlocks because of his creativity, ability to anticipate, and willingness to push the football downfield.

“Too early,” you angrily type in the comments, but to the real draft sickos among us, this is a worthwhile read. Tice was one of the first to hype up 2026 first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza, and he’s also been one of the first to maintain that Arch Manning is a blue-chip prospect despite a disappointing start to 2025.

3 Pittsburgh Steelers rookies who have the best chance to make an immediate impact on the field in 2026

(From A to Z Sports’ Rob Gregson): We can argue all day about the value of Wetjen in the fourth round, but if you think that he was going anywhere else in Round 4, go watch the clip of him getting the call from the Steelers while playing golf with his girlfriend.

However, Wetjen immediately walks into the Steelers facility as the starting kick and punt returner. We saw how things went with Kaleb Johnson, and Calvin Austin III joined the New York Giants, paving the way for Wetjen.

Wetjen was a truly elite return man in college. Whether or not he turns into an offensive contributor for the Steelers is a bigger question, but he should have an immediate role on the team entering the 2026 season.

A look at the Steelers 2026 Draft Class

(From Steelers.com’s Teresa Varley): “We’re very excited,” said offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio. “Germie is a tremendous person. I was really impressed with him on his 30 visit. His energy, his character, his makeup, who he is as a person. A great football, real productive player. Had a lot of success. Comes from a great program with a lot of history and tradition.

This is a good read from Steelers.com with quotes from players and coaches regarding each pick of the team’s recent draft class.

The brutally honest thing Ben Roethlisberger said about Drew Allar that has Steelers fans talking

(From PennLive’s Nick Farabaugh): “This is one I’m not sure yet if I love it or hate it… I think it was that we like a big, physical quarterback. I think he had a lot of hype behind him at one point,” Roethlisberger said on the Footbahlin podcast. “I didn’t watch a lot of Penn State games. When I did watch, he never jumped off the page to me. Is he big, can he move, can he throw? Yeah, but there was never a time where I was like, ‘Whoa’. So, we’ll see about that one.”

Of course, Ben Roethlisberger’s opinions don’t matter much to the direction of the Steelers anymore, but it sounds like the former Pittsburgh great isn’t all that enamored with Allar pick. The Penn State product threw for 1,100 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions in his six games in 2025.

Ranking Steelers UDFAs’ Chances of Making Roster

(By SI’s Jack Markowski): 1). Devan Boykin, DB

Boykin is small for the safety position at 5-foot-10 and 192 pounds, and his 4.63-second 40-yard dash at his pro day was indicative of his overall below-average athletic profile. … A good run defender and secure tackler, Boykin has a chance to sneak onto Pittsburgh’s roster as a potential special teams contributor and high-floor backup at safety.

Boykin’s 3.83 RAS is worrying when it comes to his overall profile, but in a wide-open Steelers safety room, he has as good a chance as anyone to make the team’s final roster as a special teamer.

Which Steelers UDFAs could surprise?

Boykin is a solid pick, but the Steelers also signed five other undrafted free agents last week. Here’s the list:

• Devan Boykin, cornerback, Indiana
• Daylan Carnell, linebacker, Missouri
• Kevin Jobity Jr., defensive lineman, Syracuse
• Laith Marjan, kicker, Kansas
• Lake McRee, tight end, USC
• Chamon Metayer, tight end, Arizona State

Besides Boykin, I’d keep an eye on Jobity, who logged a strong 8.87 RAS pre-draft and recorded five sacks as an interior defensive lineman in 2025. The Steelers didn’t invest much in their defensive line during the draft beyond sixth-rounder Gabriel Rubio, meaning Jobity could still challenge for a spot on the depth chart.

Which UDFAs will you have your eye on this season? Join the BTSC community and let us know in the comments.