The Pittsburgh Steelers are keeping it in the family.
Specifically, the Bruener family.
Mark Bruener played tight end for the Steelers for nine seasons. He's now a scout for Pittsburgh.
On Saturday, the Steelers chose Washington linebacker Carson Bruener with a seventh-round draft choice.
Carson spent his entire four-year career as a contributor for the Huskies.
He's coming off his best season, with 104 tackles in 2024. He also intercepted three passes as a playmaker at multiple levels of the defense.
SN's NFL DRAFT HQ: Live tracker | Pick-by-pick grades | Best players still available
Carson was invited to the NFL Combine, and he ran a strong 4.58-second 40-yard dash. That's sideline-to-sideline linebacker speed.
He might be a tad undersized at 6-foot-1, 227 pounds. But he knows how to go get the ball and make tackles.
The Steelers won't be expecting a long-term starter with Bruener. But like his father, they're hoping he can stick around for a bunch of years and contribute the best he can.
MORE NFL DRAFT:
- Shedeur Sanders will start when he's ready and could rescue Browns QB woes
- Browns could've had Shedeur Sanders-Travis Hunter combination
- Raiders' Jack Bech draft pick honors brother Tiger after death
- Geno Smith, Jalen Milroe will be forever linked by NFL Draft
- Meet new Giants RB Cam Skattebo, with giant quads and a fun name
- Jets pick a WR whose one main issue is 'hands'
- Texans' Woody Marks has best Toy Story Halloween nickname origin
- Chiefs draft Patrick Mahomes' next Tyreek Hill
- Dolphins draft a guy named Jordan Phillips for second time in a decade
- Dolphins make Tua Tagovailoa injury statement with Quinn Ewers pick
- Meet the Patriots' Mr. Irrelevant
- Why Shilo Sanders, Buccaneers make sense together
- Colts' Anthony Richardson watch is on after Riley Leonard draft pick
- Raiders get Tom Brady's new Julian Edelman