Earlier this morning at Hazelwood Green's newly opened U.S. Steel Community Field, some of the biggest names headed to the 2026 NFL Draft swapped playbooks for flag belts. At the NFL's Play Football Prospect Clinic, top college players ran a flag‑football session for local youth and Special Olympics athletes, doubling the event as the field's ribbon‑cutting and giving Pittsburgh an early live look at the stars who will dominate the spotlight when the Draft kicks off Thursday.
Prospects including Sonny Styles (Ohio State), David Bailey (Texas Tech), Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame), Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State), and Alabama offensive lineman Kaden Proctor led drills, signed autographs, and worked stations alongside USA Football coaches. Jeremiyah Love kept it loose, saying "I ain't got no nerves," while Sonny Styles praised the outreach, calling the clinic "giving back" and saying the kids were "genuine," according to TribLIVE. For NFL teams and media on hand, it was also a casual window into the personalities that will walk across the Draft stage.
Hazelwood Green Field Debuts As Draft Backdrop
The morning program also featured a formal ribbon‑cutting for the U.S. Steel Community Field, a new multipurpose venue aimed at youth sports and neighborhood events. Steelers and NFL officials joined local leaders for the ceremony, which the team framed as a key piece of Pittsburgh's Draft‑week schedule, according to Steelers.com.
Green Room, Red Carpet And Tryout Energy
David Bailey was the highest‑rated of the 17 prospects who accepted the NFL's invite to attend the Draft in person and, per TribLIVE, planned to sit in the green room and walk the red carpet while waiting to see if the Jets grab him with the second pick after the Raiders. That dual role, community coach in the morning and potential first‑rounder by night, turned the clinic into a low‑pressure audition for NFL decision‑makers and television cameras alike.
Analysts Say Expect Trades And Chaos
NFL insiders and analysts have been warning that the Draft's opening night could get messy, with a busy trade market and shifting odds as teams juggle pro‑ready prospects against higher‑ceiling projects. NFL Network voices have tagged the first round as unpredictable and restless, and ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller has said only 11 players currently carry "true" first‑round grades, a sign that some clubs may lean toward reliability instead of pure upside, according to ESPN.
Bailey Or Reese At No. 2?
With the Jets sitting at No. 2, the conversation has largely boiled down to David Bailey versus Ohio State's Arvell Reese. Betting markets and mock drafts have swung back and forth between the two, with Bailey emerging as a frequent favorite in recent rundowns. CBS Sports reporting indicates that teams and oddsmakers remain split on whether the Jets want immediate impact or the higher ceiling Reese might offer.
Blockbuster Trade Reorders The Top 10
The board took a sharp turn when Cincinnati acquired three‑time Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants in a pre‑draft deal that included the No. 10 pick, a move the Bengals characterized as an all‑in push to maximize Joe Burrow's championship window. The trade effectively removes one top‑10 slot from broader Draft maneuvering and forces teams to rethink how they approach the middle of the first round, according to Bengals.com.
Mendoza Will Watch From Home
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, widely projected as the No. 1 overall pick, has informed the league that he will not attend the Draft in Pittsburgh and instead plans to watch from Miami with his family, a choice detailed by Sporting News. His absence alters the look and feel of opening night but does little to change the strategic scramble unfolding in the top 10.
Pittsburgh's Moment
For Pittsburgh, the clinic and the new Hazelwood field are part of a broader push to keep the city front and center throughout Draft Week, which features concerts, fan zones and other events that VisitPittsburgh estimates will pull in hundreds of thousands of visitors. The young athletes and Special Olympics participants left with more than just selfies and signed gear. They got a concrete reminder that when the national spotlight lands on neighborhoods like Hazelwood, it can also bring fresh resources and long‑overdue attention, according to VisitPittsburgh.
