Steelers’ homegrown players excited to see what city has in store for 2026 NFL Draft

As one of 17 prospects that attended the 2023 NFL Draft, Joey Porter Jr received the red-carpet treatment during his stay in Kansas City.

That Porter wasn’t selected in the first round and returned home to Pittsburgh before eventually being taken by the Steelers to open the second day of the three-day event did little to diminish the young cornerback’s experience.

“It was something I always dreamed about as a kid,” Porter said Wednesday. “I was living that moment, soaking it all in. What happened obviously I didn’t want to have happen, but that’s life. I feel like it worked out for the better. I’m here with the Steelers.”

Porter was on the practice field for the team’s second organized team activity session when the NFL announced that the Steelers and Pittsburgh will host the 2026 draft. He wasn’t aware of the news until a few hours later.

“I might pull up and see what is going on,” he said, smiling.

Porter said he was treated like royalty at the 2023 draft and can only imagine what Pittsburgh will have in store for the Class of 2026 prospects that accept the NFL’s invitation to participate in the experience.

“They catered to us a lot,” he said. “It’s a very small group that gets put in that position, and they took care of us really well, showed us around the city and had events for us.”

Specifics for what the city has in store for the 2026 draft could be revealed Thursday during a press conference at Acrisure Stadium. Team president Art Rooney II said Wednesday that the event will be staged on the North Shore with a portion spilling over to the downtown area. Point State Park is a logical gathering spot in the golden triangle.

“It’s going to bring great vibes to Pittsburgh,” said long snapper Christian Kuntz, the Chartiers Valley graduate who attended Duquesne.

If the region has an attendance goal in mind, it could be to surpass the estimated 700,000 fans that flocked to Detroit for the draft that was conducted in late April.

“There are going to be a lot of yinzers, for sure,” Kuntz said. “It’s going to be a Pittsburgh-heavy draft. It’s going to be awesome.”

“We are going to bring a crowd like we always do,” added Porter, a North Allegheny graduate. “I feel like Steeler Nation is going to make it lively and going to bring it up (a notch). I can’t wait for it, honestly.”

Veteran inside linebacker Elandon Roberts didn’t join the Steelers until 2023 when he was entering his eighth NFL season. It didn’t take long for him to appreciate the enthusiasm of Steeler Nation and the tailgating that takes place before home games.

He expects the same type of atmosphere at the 2026 draft.

“There might be a couple of fights, too,” he said. “Don’t let nobody get riled over a Steelers fan. They might hit you in the mouth. That’s why I like them. They are blue collar, but they don’t give a damn sometimes.”

Tight end Pat Freiermuth, a second-round draft pick from Penn State in 2021, didn’t attend the event that year in Cleveland. He remained at home in Massachusetts and participated virtually. The NFL sent Freiermuth a camera that captured his reaction when the Steelers selected him.

“This is good for Pittsburgh, and it will be great for the local restaurants and bars and the revenue they’ll get,” he said. “It will be good to have fans from all over the world come to Pittsburgh and check out how great the city is.”

Freiermuth was on the other end of the draft process in Detroit this year when he announced the Steelers’ second-round selection, which turned out to be West Virginia center Zach Frazier. He saw a sea of faces greet him when he walked across the stage to announce the Steelers’ pick.

“I was pretty nervous, I’m not going to lie,” he said. “I was nervous going on stage and seeing all the people there, but I was happy to introduce Zach. We have a great bond from that.”

Freiermuth had an idea about what might be in store for him when he arrived in the Motor City earlier in the week.

“I was pretty overwhelmed (by the crowd size),” he said. “I said I had to go to my hotel room and calm down for a little bit.”

Each year, approximately 250 players are drafted into the NFL. There are dozens of others who never hear their name called during the three-day event and arrive in the NFL as free agents. Kuntz was one such player, and he needed to switch from linebacker to long snapper before catching on with the Steelers in 2021.

“This will give high school kids and young kids in college the chance to see these guys walk across the stage and make dreams become a reality,” he said. “From that perspective, it’s great.”