Why Sebastian Castro Could Earn a Bigger Role in 2026

Photo Credit: Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers

When the Pittsburgh Steelers initially signed Castro as an undrafted free agent a year ago, it seemed like they had struck a goldmine.

Castro was a featured player at the University of Iowa. In 2023, he was one of the top defensive backs in the Big Ten Conference, recording 67 tackles (eight tackles for loss), three interceptions, a pick‑six, eight pass deflections, and a forced fumble. Though he took a step back in 2024, he continued to show the ability to make big plays that could translate to the NFL level. After what the Steelers’ secondary showed this past season, they clearly need to upgrade their group of safeties — a group that includes Kyle Dugger and Chuck Clark, who was underwhelming during the final stretch of the year.

That context sets the stage for why Sebastian Castro could carve out a much larger role in 2026. Pittsburgh has long thrived on identifying overlooked defensive backs who bring toughness, instincts, and versatility — traits Castro displayed consistently at Iowa. His 2023 production wasn’t empty stat‑padding; it reflected a defender who played downhill, triggered quickly, and made plays at every level of the field. Those flashes of disruption are exactly what the Steelers lacked late in the season, especially in a secondary that struggled to generate turnovers or limit explosive plays.

Even with his dip in production during the 2024 season, Castro’s tape still showed the same competitive edge and playmaking instincts that made him stand out the year before. For a young defensive back entering the league, those traits matter more than raw numbers. Pittsburgh doesn’t need him to arrive as a finished product — they need someone capable of injecting energy into a unit that too often looked slow and reactive down the stretch. Castro’s ability to blitz, tackle in space, and read route concepts gives him a realistic path to early snaps in sub‑packages, particularly in big‑nickel or hybrid safety looks.

With the Steelers openly needing more from their safety group, including a rebound from Kyle Dugger, the door is wide open for a hungry, ascending player to earn trust. Castro’s background at Iowa, combined with the Steelers’ track record of developing undrafted defensive backs, makes him a compelling candidate to rise quickly.

If he stacks a strong offseason and shows the same disruptive tendencies he displayed in 2023, he could become one of the surprise contributors to Pittsburgh’s defense in 2026 — the kind of under‑the‑radar addition that quietly reshapes the identity of the unit.