The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t select a tight end in the 2026 NFL Draft, but they did sign two after the draft in Arizona State’s Chamon Metayer and USC’s Lake McRee. McRee in particular is an intriguing prospect, as he flashed at the East-West Shrine Bowl and was a reliable pass-catcher in college. However, injuries were one of the big stories of his college career, as we noted in his scouting report.
Now healthy, McRee has some eyes on him. The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner recently named McRee one of his favorite undrafted free agents.
“Injuries were a factor throughout McRee’s career, but his work as a run blocker is hard to ignore — he gets after it with strong hands and a desire to finish. Despite being a relatively average athlete, he’s a well-balanced player who hangs on to the football and likes to do the dirty work,” Baumgardner wrote.
While we had concerns about McRee’s blocking in his scouting report, his route-running and hands earned praise. Baumgardner is more impressed with his blocking ability, and if he does show he can be counted on as a run-blocker, McRee likely has the inside track to the Steelers’ TE3 job. He had 30 receptions for 450 yards and four touchdowns last season, and he projects to be a solid receiving tight end at this level. Ensuring he can be relied on as a blocker is one of the big keys for McRee.
Right now, his competition for TE3 is Metayer and JJ Galbreath, an undrafted free agent in 2025. Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth are locked in on the roster, but it’s wide open for who will make it behind them. It could be an outside addition, but McRee does have a lot of intriguing traits, and it would make a lot of sense if he wound up sticking around.
The Steelers didn’t bring in a big undrafted free agent class, signing just six players, but it could wind up being impactful if McRee is able to make the roster. Of course, he’s going to have to stay healthy, but if he does the dirty work during OTAs and training camp and flashes as a blocker, McRee could find himself suiting up for the Black and Gold beyond just the preseason.