In the first draft under offensive-minded head coach Mike McCarthy, the Pittsburgh Steelers continued to address that side of the ball in adding Indiana’s Riley Nowakowski with a fifth-round choice Saturday.

Nowakowski, who was taken 169th overall, is being listed as a fullback by the Steelers. He was regarded as a tight end throughout the draft process and according to Pro Football Focus lined up as an in-line tight end 25 times more often for national champion Indiana (665 snaps) than he did at fullback (26 snaps).

“I really feel like in the tight end realm, I have kind of done a little bit of everything,” the 6-foot-2, 250-pound Nowakowski said, “so I feel comfortable with any of it.”

Nowakowski is the sixth offensive player among the Steelers’ first seven picks. He’s the fourth from a Big Ten program — and he played for two Big Ten teams. Nowakowski burst onto the scene in 2025 after transferring to Indiana following five seasons at Wisconsin.

A native of Wisconsin, Nowakowski watched the draft with his family. After meeting with Steelers’ brass during the pre-draft process, he was confident enough Pittsburgh might be his draft destination that a Steelers hat was one of two he had on hand with an NFL team logo.

The other was a hat of the Green Bay Packers.

“But only because I live here,” said Nowakowski, who is from Milwaukee.

The Steelers’ preliminary intentions are to utilize Nowakowski out of the backfield, as an H-back hybrid and as a more traditional tight end.

“His game speaks for itself,” Steelers running backs coach Ramon Chinyoung Sr. said. “The versatility, the ability to play multiple positions, strong at the line of scrimmage. He’s shown the ability to play in-line as well. He does a great job catching the ball out in the backfield. Man, we’re super excited. So, can’t wait.”

The selection of Nowakowski was made after the Kansas City Chiefs traded up to a draft slot six picks earlier, giving the Steelers an upgrade from a seventh rounder (249th overall) to a sixth (210th) for use later in the day.

The Chiefs took Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson at the Steelers’ original spot.

Nowakowski was a third-team all-Big Ten honoree in 2025 — at tight end — after he had 32 catches for 387 yards and four overall touchdowns (two rushing) while starting 16 games in Indiana’s run to the national championship.

Nine of Nowakowski’s 32 receptions in 2025 came during the postseason. He had a rushing touchdown in the national title game against Miami.

“I would say I am physical (and) relentless,” Nowakowski said. “Just a blue-collar, gritty guy. I just like to show up to work and get things done.

“I am not big on flair or anything, I won’t have any cool touchdown celebrations or nothing, but I am going to go in there and give it everything I’ve got.”