The Pittsburgh Steelers will have the 21st overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, which is scheduled to take place from April 23 to April 25 in Pittsburgh. The draft order for several teams has been set, while some positions remain undetermined as postseason games continue.
The current first-round order includes the Las Vegas Raiders selecting first, followed by the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals. The Steelers are positioned at number 21, with teams such as the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles following them.
According to procedures outlined by the league, “The winner of the Super Bowl game selects last and the loser selects next-to-last in all rounds, regardless of the record of the clubs in the regular season.” The statement further explains that “the losers of the Conference Championship games select 29th and 30th in all rounds, according to the reverse order of their standing.” Additional rules specify how selections are determined for other playoff participants and non-playoff teams based on their records.
If ties occur after these steps are applied, they are broken by comparing each involved club’s aggregate won-lost-tied percentage against their regular season opponents. Further tie-breaking methods involve divisional or conference procedures if necessary. For two-club ties, draft positions alternate between rounds; for ties involving three or more clubs, a rotation system is used throughout the draft.
Teams still competing in postseason play include the Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, and Seattle Seahawks. Their final draft positions will be determined after remaining playoff games conclude.
