Is Riley Nowakowski the Steelers’ New Swiss Army Knife?

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Indiana’s Riley Nowakowski with the 169th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Indiana listed him as a tight end. Pittsburgh immediately called him a fullback.

At 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds, Nowakowski sits somewhere between the two positions. He is short and compact for an NFL tight end but bigger than many modern fullbacks, with the strength and technical understanding to perform blocking assignments normally given to much larger players.

He is not the most gifted athlete in the Steelers’ draft class. He does not possess Kaden Wetjen’s twitch, Eli Heidenreich’s movement skills or Robert Spears-Jennings’ extraordinary straight-line speed.

What Nowakowski does possess is a clear and immediately useful collection of football skills.

He can line up in the backfield, play as an H-back, work from the end of the line, protect the quarterback, lead through a running lane and release into the passing game. He also plays with the relentless physicality that has traditionally appealed to Steelers supporters.

Si, Gav and Mark examine whether Nowakowski is merely a blocking specialist or one of the most versatile offensive players Pittsburgh selected in the entire draft.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxBAHUNWDfs

Enjoyed the breakdown? Subscribe to the UK Steelers Podcast on YouTube for the complete Post-Draft Report series.

A tight end who looks like a fullback

Nowakowski played tight end during Indiana’s national championship season, but his physical profile makes a full-time NFL role at that position unlikely.

He measured slightly over 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds before running an official 4.66-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. The speed is respectable for his size, but his short arms and small hands fall well below the usual measurements associated with traditional NFL tight ends. (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Those limitations matter if Pittsburgh asks him to play permanently on the line of scrimmage.

A conventional tight end must regularly engage defensive ends who may be several inches taller, considerably heavier and equipped with much greater reach. Nowakowski’s effort and technique can compensate for some of that difference, but leverage alone will not defeat every NFL edge defender.

The fullback designation makes more sense.

From the backfield, Pittsburgh can control the angles and targets he encounters. Instead of asking him to remain attached to the line and block a defensive end directly, the Steelers can move him across the formation, insert him into a running lane or allow him to identify a second-level defender while already moving forward.

His lack of ideal tight-end length becomes much less important when he is blocking linebackers, safeties and defensive backs in space.

Nowakowski himself described playing fullback, inline tight end and H-back at Indiana. That experience should give Pittsburgh considerable freedom when deciding how to deploy him. (Pittsburgh Steelers)

The blocking stands out immediately

Nowakowski’s clearest NFL skill is his blocking.

He plays with a wide base, active hands and an understanding of leverage that prevents him from relying entirely on physical force. He times his contact well, places his hands accurately and continues driving his feet after the initial collision.

Most importantly, he wants to block.

There is no sense that he treats the assignment as an inconvenience before he can run a route. Nowakowski competes through the whistle and looks for opportunities to finish defenders without losing control of his technique.

His pass protection is particularly encouraging.

PFF credited Nowakowski with allowing only two pressures across 154 pass-blocking snaps during his season at Indiana. He earned a 69.6 pass-blocking grade and was particularly effective when used as an insert blocker in the running game. (PFF)

The tape supports those numbers.

Nowakowski recognises pressure, reacts to stunts and understands where additional rushers are likely to appear. He can help an offensive tackle with an initial chip before moving into a route, remain in the backfield to meet a blitzer or cross the formation to seal the backside of a running play.

That is why he can be described as a good line player despite not being an offensive lineman.

He understands many of the same principles: leverage, hand placement, weight distribution, angles, timing and the relationship between his block and the wider structure of the play.

That understanding gives him a strong chance of translating his college blocking to the NFL despite his modest length.

More than a traditional fullback

The easiest mistake would be assuming that Nowakowski is simply a traditional fullback whose responsibilities will begin and end with lead blocking.

He demonstrated considerably more receiving value during his final college season.

After transferring from Wisconsin to Indiana, Nowakowski started all 16 games and caught 32 passes for 387 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 12.1 yards per reception while also scoring on both of his one-yard rushing attempts. (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Those numbers included several meaningful explosive plays:

• A 43-yard touchdown against Illinois

• A 39-yard catch and run against Michigan State

• A 29-yard reception during Indiana’s final scoring drive against Penn State

• Four receptions for 65 yards against Wisconsin

• Two catches in the national championship game

Indiana’s official record notes that all 43 yards on his touchdown against Illinois came after the catch. That play demonstrated why Nowakowski may offer more than short-yardage reliability. (Indiana University Athletics)

He is not an explosive or particularly agile route runner. He will not consistently separate from defensive backs or threaten the deep middle like an elite receiving tight end.

But he understands how to become available.

Nowakowski can identify space in zone coverage, alter his route when a play breaks down and work back towards the quarterback. His hands are soft and dependable, and he did not record a drop from 36 targets during his final season.

He averaged 7.7 yards after the catch per reception and forced ten missed tackles, according to PFF’s pre-draft evaluation. (PFF)

That production reflects his running style.

Nowakowski catches the ball, turns upfield and becomes a 250-pound runner. He lowers his pads, protects the football and looks for the most direct route towards additional yardage.

He may never create separation like a receiving specialist, but he can punish a defence for leaving him uncovered.

An ideal chip-and-release player

One of Nowakowski’s most natural NFL roles will be in the chip-and-release game.

The Steelers can position him beside an offensive tackle, ask him to make initial contact with an edge rusher and then release into the flat or middle of the field.

That creates several benefits.

The tackle receives help against the pass rush. The defender may hesitate because he does not know whether Nowakowski is remaining in protection. Linebackers can lose track of him while reacting to the initial blocking action.

When Nowakowski releases, he often enters an area of the field without an immediate defender assigned to him.

This does not require elite route running. It requires timing, awareness, reliable hands and an ability to turn a short completion into useful yardage.

Those are all strengths in his game.

Pittsburgh could also use false blocking action to manufacture screens. Nowakowski can initially engage or move as though he is sealing the edge, allow the pass rush to advance and then drift into open space with blockers forming in front of him.

His experience as a blocker makes that deception more believable.

Opponents cannot immediately assume that his movement is the beginning of a route because he has demonstrated that he will genuinely remain and block.

How Mike McCarthy could use him

Nowakowski may reveal something about the offence Mike McCarthy intends to build in Pittsburgh.

McCarthy said after the draft that he loves two-back offence and specifically praised Nowakowski’s experience moving between the backfield and the line of scrimmage.

He highlighted the rookie’s ability to operate in two-back formations, three-surface formations and one-back structures during his time at Wisconsin and Indiana. (Pittsburgh Steelers)

That versatility allows the Steelers to change the appearance of a formation without substituting.

Nowakowski could begin beside the running back before moving to the line as a tight end. He could align as an H-back and motion into the backfield. He could start outside the formation before crossing behind the quarterback to become a lead blocker.

The same personnel could produce:

• A traditional two-back running play

• An outside-zone run

• Split-zone action

• A fullback lead

• Play action

• A tight-end screen

• A fullback release into the flat

• A short-yardage carry

• A pass from an empty formation

• A chip followed by a delayed route

That uncertainty is valuable.

Nowakowski does not need to be an overwhelming individual athlete if his movement forces defenders to reconsider their assignments before the snap.

A defence may initially treat the formation as heavy personnel designed to run the football. Pittsburgh can then move Nowakowski away from the backfield, release him into a route or create an unexpected receiving matchup.

Conversely, the Steelers can spread the formation before bringing him back inside and using him as an additional blocker.

He is a Swiss Army knife from a blocking perspective. His versatility comes from the number of ways he can help other players rather than from spectacular individual athleticism.

A potential screen-game answer

The Steelers have often struggled to produce consistently significant gains through the screen game.

Nowakowski could help.

His combination of blocking credibility, reliable hands and running-back vision makes him an interesting screen target.

Pittsburgh could line up in heavier personnel, invite the defence to attack and then release Nowakowski behind the rush. He has the awareness to follow his blockers and the size to run through defensive backs once he enters the second level.

He does not need to outrun the entire defence.

A successful screen is about timing, spacing and exploiting over-aggression. Nowakowski has already demonstrated that he can take a short pass and generate substantial yardage when the structure of the play creates an initial opening.

His presence could also benefit conventional running-back screens.

A defence must account for whether Nowakowski is blocking, releasing or becoming part of the screen convoy. Pittsburgh can use the same early movement to create several different outcomes.

The former Steelers comparisons

Three former Steelers help illustrate the range of possible roles.

Roosevelt Nix

Roosevelt Nix was a blocker first.

He brought physicality, special-teams value and a traditional fullback mentality to Pittsburgh’s offence. His receiving and rushing opportunities were limited, but he created value by doing work that allowed more prominent skill players to succeed.

Nowakowski has some of that mentality.

He is prepared to lead through a hole, take on a linebacker and contribute without needing the football. However, he enters the NFL with considerably more receiving experience than Nix possessed.

Connor Heyward

Connor Heyward provides the most obvious recent roster comparison.

Heyward operated between tight end, fullback and special teams without fitting perfectly into a single position. Nowakowski could compete for the type of role that became available when Heyward left Pittsburgh during free agency.

The difference may be blocking.

Nowakowski is bigger, more technically developed in that area and appears capable of handling a broader range of backfield and line assignments. He may also possess slightly more speed after the catch.

The Steelers used the 169th pick shortly after Heyward’s departure, and the organisation’s own post-draft analysis directly connected Nowakowski’s selection with filling that vacancy. (Pittsburgh Steelers)

David Johnson

Former Steelers tight end and fullback David Johnson may provide the closest stylistic comparison.

Johnson was similarly built at approximately 6-foot-2 and 260 pounds. He operated as a blocker, short-area receiver and movable piece who could shift between fullback and tight end responsibilities.

Nowakowski is slightly lighter and potentially more effective after the catch, but the general role is similar.

He does not need to become a featured receiver or conventional starting tight end. He can earn a career by performing several unglamorous jobs reliably enough that the offence functions better when he is on the field.

Does his athletic ceiling matter?

There are legitimate physical concerns.

Nowakowski is undersized for an inline tight end, lacks ideal arm length and does not possess the sudden acceleration needed to threaten defenders vertically.

His 4.66 speed is respectable, but his slower 10-yard split and modest change-of-direction testing match what appears on tape. He takes time to build speed and is not especially elusive in confined spaces.

That limits the receiving projection.

Pittsburgh should not expect him to become Pat Freiermuth or operate like a large slot receiver. NFL defenders will remain close to him in man coverage, and his limited catch radius will give quarterbacks little margin for error.

Those concerns become less important when evaluating him as a fullback.

The relevant question is not whether he compares athletically with the NFL’s best tight ends. It is whether he possesses enough movement ability to execute his blocking assignments, release into space and punish a defence when it overlooks him.

The answer appears to be yes.

His intelligence, timing and competitiveness allow his functional play speed to exceed what his raw athletic testing suggests.

Special teams strengthens his roster case

Nowakowski also has significant special-teams experience.

He recorded 147 special-teams snaps during the 2022 season at Wisconsin and continued to contribute in that phase throughout his college career. He has the size, toughness and blocking experience to work across coverage and return units. (Pittsburgh Steelers)

That improves his path to the 53-man roster.

A reserve fullback or H-back cannot justify his place solely through a handful of offensive snaps. He must contribute when the offence is not on the field.

Nowakowski’s experience gives him a chance to become:

• A blocker on kickoff returns

• A member of the punt-protection unit

• A coverage player

• A personal protector

• A short-yardage offensive contributor

• An emergency tight end

• A lead blocker from the backfield

That is a substantial list of possible game-day responsibilities.

Among Pittsburgh’s late-round hybrid players, Nowakowski may therefore possess the clearest offensive route onto the roster.

Wetjen has a defined role as the return specialist. Heidenreich must prove where he fits. Nowakowski can already point towards several established jobs that NFL teams need somebody to perform.

The makings of a fan favourite

Nowakowski has the profile of a player Steelers supporters traditionally embrace.

He is blue collar, physical and uninterested in avoiding the unpleasant parts of football. He blocks, protects, contributes on special teams and fights for additional yards when the ball reaches him.

Running backs coach Ramon Chinyoung Sr. said Nowakowski’s background as a linebacker is visible in the aggression he brings to offence. He described him as a player with grit who is willing to “go hunt”. (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Nowakowski used similar language when describing himself after being drafted.

He called himself physical, relentless, blue collar and gritty, adding that he was more interested in showing up and working than producing elaborate celebrations. (Pittsburgh Steelers)

That identity matches the tape.

He will not arrive with the attention given to an early-round receiver, quarterback or pass rusher. His contributions may not always appear clearly in a box score.

But if he stones an edge defender, springs a running back through a gap and then converts a third down from a delayed release, supporters will notice.

UK Steelers Podcast verdict

Riley Nowakowski may be the least spectacular athlete among the Steelers’ group of unusual late-round prospects.

He may also be the most immediately useful offensive player of that group.

His blocking is technically sound, physical and versatile. He understands line play, recognises pressure and has already demonstrated that he can handle assignments from the backfield, as an H-back and from the line of scrimmage.

There is more receiving ability here than the fullback designation suggests.

Nowakowski has dependable hands, understands how to find space and can generate yardage after short catches. He will not become a dynamic downfield tight end, but he can become a productive chip-and-release target, screen option and short-yardage weapon.

His limitations are clear.

He lacks ideal tight-end length, does not separate explosively and may struggle if asked to block NFL defensive ends directly on a regular basis.

The solution is not to force him into a conventional position.

Mike McCarthy can move Nowakowski around the formation, control the blocking matchups and use his versatility to disguise whether Pittsburgh intends to run, pass or change the point of attack.

The comparisons with Roosevelt Nix, Connor Heyward and David Johnson all make sense, but Nowakowski may arrive with a more complete combination of blocking technique and receiving production than any of them possessed at the beginning of their Steelers careers.

He is unlikely to become a statistical star.

He could become something nearly as valuable: a dependable, intelligent and versatile player whose presence makes several different areas of the offence function more effectively.

That is why Nowakowski has a genuine chance to contribute early—and why he may quickly become a Steelers fan favourite.

What do you see in Riley Nowakowski: blocking specialist, offensive Swiss Army knife or something more? Watch the complete UK Steelers Podcast film breakdown above and let us know.