Lead
On April 24, 2026 the Pittsburgh Steelers used Day 2 of the NFL Draft to add a mix of positional depth and developmental upside, selecting Germie Bernard (WR) at No. 47, Drew Allar (QB) at No. 76, Daylen Everette (CB) at No. 85 and Gennings Dunker (OG) at No. 96. Each selection carries discrete traits the front office prioritized: competitive blocking and multi-role receiving from Bernard, prototype size and arm talent at quarterback with Allar, length and speed in the secondary with Everette, and veteran-style line play from Dunker. The picks reflect a balance between immediate roster support and longer-term projects that fit Pittsburgh’s offensive and physical identity. Early evaluation suggests complementary fits rather than headline-grabbing selections.
Key takeaways
- The Steelers selected Germie Bernard at 47th overall; he is listed at 6-11/4 and 206 pounds and led Alabama in receptions in 2024 (50) and 2025 (64).
- Drew Allar was chosen at 76th overall; he measured 6-foot-51/4 and 228 pounds and threw for 3,327 yards, 24 TDs and 8 INTs in 2024 before a broken ankle curtailed his 2025 season.
- Daylen Everette (85th overall) played 55 college games with 41 consecutive starts and posted a 4.38 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.
- Gennings Dunker (96th overall) is a 6-foot-5, 319-pound interior lineman from Iowa who started 37 games over his last three seasons and anchored an O-line that won the 2025 Joe Moore Award.
- Bernard offers varied usage—inside/outside splits, Wildcat/backfield snaps, Jet Sweeps—and produced 64 catches for 862 yards and seven TDs in 2025, plus 18 rushes for 101 yards and two rush TDs.
- Allar’s career interception rate at Penn State was 1.3% (13 of 1,002 attempts) and he leaves college with a 26-9 record as a starter, suggesting disciplined decision-making despite timing concerns.
- Scouts praised Bernard’s blocking toughness and maturity; analysts flagged Allar’s ceiling and timing issues, Everette’s physicality and Dunker’s square power with guard/tackle flexibility.
Background
The Steelers entered Day 2 seeking a blend of players who fit coordinator philosophies and could contribute on early downs while offering developmental upside. Pittsburgh’s recent drafts underlined a preference for physical, high-effort players who can execute in the run game and on special teams; those traits matched the profiles they selected. The franchise also faces the dual imperatives of supplying targets and protecting quarterbacks, which shaped a strategy of taking both skill-position and offensive-line prospects. Historically, Pittsburgh has converted mid-round picks into reliable starters when the athletic profile and temperament align with the team’s structure.
Each player selected on Day 2 arrived with a layered collegiate path that speaks to adaptability and program concepts. Germie Bernard transferred from Michigan State (2022) and Washington (2023) before finishing at Alabama, where he became a primary receiving option. Drew Allar’s Penn State tenure included a high-volume, low-interception track record but ended with a broken ankle in 2025 that limited his final-year tape. Daylen Everette’s multi-year starting streak at Georgia and Combine speed placed him on teams’ radars as a day-two perimeter defender, while Gennings Dunker’s steady work at Iowa fed into a widely respected, award-winning offensive unit.
Main event
Germie Bernard (No. 47) projects as a multi-use piece for Pittsburgh’s passing attack. At Alabama he led the team in catches in both 2024 (50) and 2025 (64) and totaled 862 receiving yards with seven touchdowns in 2025. Bernard’s usage was diverse—aligned inside and outside, in Wildcat packages, motion into the backfield and on jet-sweep calls—giving the Steelers schematic options in both the intermediate passing game and gadget plays. Evaluators repeatedly noted his blocking chops; draft analyst Dane Brugler described him as one of the class’s most competitive blocking receivers, and other scouts highlighted his professionalism and locker-room presence at Alabama.
Drew Allar (No. 76) brings NFL-caliber size and arm strength to a quarterback room that views long-term projection and developmental polish as separate tasks. Allar’s 2024 totals (3,327 passing yards, 24 TDs, eight INTs) underpin the physical tools scouts admire: frame, arm and pocket presence. Pittsburgh coaches signaled they value his intelligence, seriousness about the game and perceived high ceiling, while also noting timing and processing that need refinement—the core developmental pathway for him will be rehearsal of NFL timing and read progressions. The broken ankle in 2025 is a clear medical and tape-based variable—teams will set expectations around gradual ramp-up and competition for mid-term snaps.
Daylen Everette (No. 85) adds speed and length to the boundary with reliable starting experience: 55 appearances and 41 straight starts across his Georgia tenure. His 4.38 40-time at the Combine underscored the athleticism that complements his tackling physicality and situational instincts. Analysts positioned Everette as immediate depth who can challenge for outside snaps and match up in man or press schemes, though questions remain about consistent technique in space. For a defense that prizes length and run support at the perimeter, Everette’s profile is a natural fit.
Gennings Dunker (No. 96) slots into the interior with pro-ready power and consistency; he earned starts in 37 of his last games and was a core member of Iowa’s Joe Moore Award–winning line in 2025. Coaches praised his square power, hand use and competitive disposition at the Senior Bowl and Combine practices, and offensive line coach James Campen singled out his work ethic. While some evaluators flagged reactive footwork on isolated blocks, Dunker’s baseline anchor traits and tackle flexibility make him a plausible early roster contributor and potential starter after refinement.
Analysis & implications
Strategically, Pittsburgh’s Day 2 approach blends immediate role players with developmental architypes. Bernard projects as a physical slot/inside-outside target who can produce early on third-down packages, special teams and situational blocking—roles that help an offense lacking perimeter isolation options. Allar represents a higher-variance, higher-ceiling investment; if his timing and timing-related footwork improve, he could contend for starting status in 1–2 seasons. That mix indicates the front office is hedging between present roster needs and building a pipeline at key positions.
On the defensive side, Everette provides an athletic perimeter option who can be deployed in sub-packages and special teams while he polishes technique. His length and speed fit Pittsburgh’s historical emphasis on physical cornerbacks who can tackle and mirror the run. Depth at corner can shorten the learning curve for younger starters and reduce exposure to slot-heavy matchups, a practical benefit that may not make headlines but matters across a long season.
Offensive-line continuity remains a league-long premium; Dunker’s arrival strengthens competition inside and supplies intellectual carryover from Iowa’s scheme-first approach. If Dunker moves quickly in Pittsburgh’s system, he could win rotation snaps at guard and offer depth at tackle, preserving veteran line health and enabling varied protections for a quarterback room that could be in transition. The pick also signals continued investment in trenches rather than purely splash skill picks.
Risk vectors are straightforward: Allar’s ankle and timing must be monitored and developed; Bernard’s role must translate from collegial gadget usage to consistent NFL route-versus-coverage production; Everette must tighten technique against pro route concepts; Dunker must clean up reactionary footwork on one-on-one blocks. Each player carries an upside that aligns with Pittsburgh’s physical identity, but none is an immediate, slam-dunk pure starter across a 17-game season without development.
Comparison & data
| Player | Pick | Listed Size | Key 2025 stat | Notable measurables |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germie Bernard | 47 | 6-11/4, 206 lbs | 64 rec, 862 yds, 7 rec TDs | Kickoff return avg 20.7 |
| Drew Allar | 76 | 6-foot-51/4, 228 lbs | 2024: 3,327 pass yds, 24 TDs, 8 INTs | Career INT rate 1.3% (13/1,002) |
| Daylen Everette | 85 | 6-1, 196 lbs | 55 games, 41 starts (final 4 seasons) | 40-yard dash: 4.38 |
| Gennings Dunker | 96 | 6-5, 319 lbs | Started 37 of last 3 seasons; Joe Moore Award OL | Senior Bowl starter, noted hand play |
The table above distills measurable baselines and 2025 production to provide quick context for how each pick stacks against Pittsburgh’s immediate roster needs. Bernard’s receiving numbers are the most overtly production-oriented, Allar’s career interception rate is a standout efficiency metric, Everette’s 40 time flags elite perimeter speed, and Dunker’s consistent starts and award association underscore reliability in run-blocking roles. Those discrete data points illustrate why the front office targeted these players at their draft positions.
Reactions & quotes
“Bernard is just a very good, competitive football player who brings pro-ready versatility and physical blocking to the position.”
Dane Brugler (Draft analyst)
Brugler’s assessment emphasized Bernard’s complete toolkit—route competence, hands and a willingness to block—which aligns with Pittsburgh’s preference for receivers who contribute beyond catch totals. That description explains the mid-second round selection and clarifies expected early roles on offense and special teams.
“Allar has rare size and a strong arm, with an upside that comes with refining timing and release.”
Daniel Jeremiah (NFL Network analyst)
Jeremiah’s view frames Allar as a developmental quarterback with starting traits—an encapsulation Pittsburgh’s coaching staff echoed when citing intelligence and work ethic as reasons for the pick. The coaching staff will prioritize timing work and incremental game-speed reps.
“He’s first in line at drills and shows the maturity and attitude of a pro.”
Tom Arth (Steelers quarterbacks coach)
Tom Arth’s internal perspective highlights the culture fit Allar provided during pre-draft meetings. Coaches often value that trait in quarterbacks who must process complex playbooks and lead locker-room communication.
Unconfirmed
- Long-term health timeline for Drew Allar post–broken ankle is not finalized; recovery metrics and training outcomes will determine his ramp to full practice participation.
- The precise role split for Bernard in Year 1—snap counts between outside, slot and gadget packages—remains subject to preseason evaluations and competition with incumbents.
- How quickly Daylen Everette will translate Combine speed into consistent pro-level coverage technique against NFL route concepts is unconfirmed and will be evaluated in training camp.
Bottom line
Pittsburgh’s Day 2 class leans into the organization’s long-standing identity of competitiveness, physicality and developmental patience. Bernard provides an immediately useful, multi-purpose receiver who also contributes on special teams and blocking; Allar and Everette represent projects with clear physical tools that could pay dividends with coaching and time; Dunker supplies interior toughness and proven starting experience from a top collegiate unit. The combined haul addresses both roster depth and future starter possibilities without sacrificing scheme fit.
Expect the true grade of this class to crystallize over 12–24 months as medicals, technique work and situational snaps convert potential into consistency. The Steelers prioritized temperament and role versatility—attributes that historically translate to reliable NFL contributors when coaching and opportunity converge. For fans and evaluators, the key watch items are Allar’s rehab and timing development, Bernard’s snap distribution and blocking translation, Everette’s coverage consistency, and Dunker’s adjustment to pro-level one-on-one blocks.
Sources
- Steelers.com: What to like about the Steelers Day 2 picks (Official team site)
- NFL Network coverage and analyst commentary (Media/analyst reporting)