How he fits: Gabriel Rubio, DE, Notre Dame – In 1998, nose tackle Angel Rubio was drafted by the Steelers. His son Gabriel follows him to Pittsburgh 38 years later.
“He’s ecstatic,” Gabriel, the Steelers’ 2026 sixth-round pick, said of his father. “He’s so excited for me. He’s given me all the pointers right now about living in Pittsburgh and what’s going to go on, what’s going to happen, so I’m really counting on his guidance.”
The younger Rubio has played some nose tackle, but at Notre Dame the 6-5, 321-pounder played all of the interior positions, from head-up over the nose to what’s known as the 4i technique, the technique normally played by Cameron Heyward.
Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham was hesitant to name a specific position for Rubio.
“Everybody gets stuck on one position,” said Graham. “At this point, the more positions they can play, the better off they’ll be.
“But he has length and size and he’s stout. … He’s an interior defensive lineman, and we’ll see what is the best fit for him, technique wise, in terms of our alignment. But I mean, he’s a solid football player.”
Steelers coach Mike McCarthy, in a pre-draft press conference, called this defensive line the biggest he’s ever coached. Rubio adds to that size after spending the last five seasons at Notre Dame, where he played in 39 games and made 66 tackles. His senior season was limited by an elbow injury in the sixth game.
