2026 NFL Draft Preview: Pittsburgh Calls, Rocky Top Is Ready To Answer

PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA — The 2026 NFL Draft heads to Pittsburgh for the first time since 1948, and the Vols are set to make some noise.

Despite coming off a disappointing 8-5 season in 2025, Tennessee has a handful of NFL hopefuls,  headlined by a pair of projected first-rounders.  With 17 players drafted under Josh Heupel before this weekend, the program’s pipeline to the pros is very much alive and flowing.

The Tennessee Prospects to Watch

CB Colton Hood  is the headliner. A native of Eagles Landing, Georgia, Hood helped Tennessee replace McCoy last season and replicated his success after coming in from Colorado. The former Auburn freshman had 50 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and eight pass breakups, and scored two defensive touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore, earning All-SEC honors despite Tennessee’s struggles on defense.  Hood has settled into the 25–40 range in most projections, with Dane Brugler of The Athletic projecting him to land with the Seattle Seahawks as the final pick in the first round. 

CB Jermod McCoy  gives Tennessee a rare one-two punch at corner. The Tyler, Texas native missed the entire 2025 season working back from a torn ACL , but his pre-injury tape turned heads league-wide. 

McCoy was able to push his draft stock up after a strong pro day performance.  He’s gone from a question mark, to a seemingly top-15 lock after his pro day, back to a question over the last few weeks, with rumors swirling that some teams aren’t comfortable with their own medical reports on his knee.  McCoy may be the most fascinating boom-or-bust prospect in the entire draft.

WR Chris Brazzell II is the offensive standout. This VFL led the SEC in receiving in his second season with the Vols after transferring from Tulane.  At 6-foot-5 with elite catch-point ability, CBS Sports projects him to the Indianapolis Colts in the third round at pick 78. 

EDGE Joshua Josephs is a proven pass rusher. Josephs was a four-year contributor for Tennessee at the LEO position, which previously sent Byron Young (2023 third-rounder) and James Pearce Jr. (2025 first-rounder) to the NFL. He totaled 104 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, nine pass breakups, six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 48 career games.  CBS Sports projects him to the Jacksonville Jaguars at pick 81. 

DT Bryson Eason rounds out the group. Eason played six seasons at Tennessee, moving to defensive tackle after coming in as an oversized linebacker. The 6-foot-2, 323-pounder played in 61 games and started 34, finishing his career with 105 tackles and 22 tackles for loss before going on to play in the Senior Bowl. 

There’s also a wild card in QB Joey Aguilar, who attended the NFL Combine and is projected by CBS Sports to the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round. 

The Legends Also Take Center Stage in Pittsburgh

The NFL is taking the draft to Pittsburgh this year, and there will be a heavy Steel City influence. Tony Dorsett is one of seven designated announcers who attended the University of Pittsburgh. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers will be especially well represented, with Jerome Bettis, Joey Porter Jr., Joey Porter Sr. and John Stallworth all set to reveal selections. 

Hall of Famer John Stallworth will announce the Steelers’ second-round selection, while Joey Porter Sr. and Joey Porter Jr. will announce a third-round pick together thus representing several generations of Steelers football. 

As is tradition, Based on the official NFL announcement, Roger Goodell will announce every first-round pick himself.

The NFL legends and current players  are specifically for Rounds 2 and 3 (Day 2) on Friday, April 24. Seven day-two announcers attended the University of Pittsburgh, including:

• Tony Dorsett (representing the Dallas Cowboys) – the school’s all-time leader in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and all-purpose yards

• James Conner (Arizona Cardinals)

• Jimbo Covert (Chicago Bears)

• Andy Lee (San Francisco 49ers)

• Bill Maas (Kansas City Chiefs)

• Curtis Martin (New York Jets)

• Brian O’Neill (Minnesota Vikings).

• John Stallwoth (Steelers)

  
  

Ten of the presenters were born in the state of Pennsylvania including;

• Marques Colston (Harrisburg, representing New Orleans)

• Tony Dorsett (Rochester)

• John Kuhn (York, representing Green Bay),

• Bill Maas(Philadelphia)

• Curtis Martin (Pittsburgh)

• Pat McAfee (Plum, representing Indianapolis),

• Matt Millen (Hokendauqua, representing Las Vegas)

• Paul Posluszny (Butler, representing Jacksonville)

Here is the order for the Draft:

1. Las Vegas Raiders

2. New York Jets

3. Arizona Cardinals

4. Tennessee Titans

5. New York Giants

6. Cleveland Browns

7. Washington Commanders

8. New Orleans Saints

9. Kansas City Chiefs

10. New York Giants (from Bengals)

11. Miami Dolphins

12. Dallas Cowboys

13. Los Angeles Rams (from Falcons)

14. Baltimore Ravens

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

16. New York Jets (from Colts)

17. New York Mets…

17. Detroit Lions

18. Minnesota Vikings

19. Carolina Panthers

20. Dallas Cowboys (from Packers)

21. Pittsburgh Steelers

22. Los Angeles Chargers

23. Philadelphia Eagles

24. Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars)

25. Chicago Bears

26. Buffalo Bills

27. San Francisco 49ers

28. Houston Texans

29. Kansas City Chiefs (from Rams)

30. Miami Dolphins (from Broncos)

31. New England Patriots

32. Seattle Seahawks

Other ways you can take in the culture of this city? The Roberto Clemente Bridge will close to vehicle traffic and transform into a pedestrian-only fan corridor connecting the two sides of the city, while the Gateway Clipper Fleet riverboats will ferry fans between draft locations with a distinct Pittsburgh touch that no other city could pull off quite the same way.

Wiz Khalifia and Bret Michaels of Poison will be onsite as part of the NFL concert series. Draft Day 2 brings Pittsburgh native Wiz Khalifa and Bret Michaels to the stage ahead of rounds two and three, and global superstar Kane Brown closes out Day 3 with a high-energy finale after the final selections. 

The red carpet will have an Andy Warhol twist for the prospects attending. On the red carpet, NFL prospects will co-create silkscreen self-portraits, printing them on hand-painted backgrounds to transform their images into custom works of art. The final portraits will accompany players down the carpet for photos and interviews, giving media and fans a firsthand look at 

Warhol's iconic silkscreen process in action. The pieces will be available for prospects to take with them, as they enter their journey into the NFL.

And of course you can not be in the Steel City without paying tribute to the Steel Curtain.

The 6 time Super Bowl Champs will be projected across Point State Park. For fans craving that black and gold experience, Steelers Country at Point State Park will feature a 1970s-inspired fan cave, a Steelers bar, a home tailgating atmosphere, and live entertainment that is complete with Steelers legend appearances and SNR broadcasts. 

You can follow along at home or watch on TV.  The NFL Draft presented by Bud Light will be broadcast live on NFL Network, ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and will be available to stream with NFL+ beginning Thursday, April 23 at 8:00 p.m. ET with the first round, followed by Rounds 2-3 Friday, April 24 at 7:00 p.m. ET.

For all the can't-miss moments, Make sure the get the app. NFL OnePass is the must-have tool for navigating Draft weekend and provides real-time updates, a full schedule of interactive activities, Know-Before-You-Go information, and access to exclusive digital content and prizes including a grand prize trip for two to Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles.

Follow along for BTS looks into this special moment for a special City. It’s sure to be a highlight for the Vols’ single attendee, Colton Hood.