The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering a pivotal offseason for the franchise, specifically at the most important position in all of sports.
After seeing quarterback Kenny Pickett struggle in his second season and veteran backup quarterback Mason Rudolph come off the bench cold after two years and light things up, the Steelers are in a precarious spot this offseason at the position.
Pickett’s confidence seems in shambles and his status with the franchise appears on the rocks, even with head coach Mike Tomlin and team president and owner Art Rooney II stating that they still believe in Pickett. Rudolph is set to hit free agency and there’s no guarantee he’ll want to return to the Steelers.
Therefore, the Steelers could find themselves in the market for a veteran in free agency and could (and likely should) take a chance on a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft in the middle rounds.
That guy could be Florida State’s Jordan Travis, at least according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.
In a piece for ESPN.com Wednesday, Pryor predicted that the Steelers will select Travis in the third round, No. 84 overall, as part of a busy offseason QB market in the league overall.
Travis, for what it’s worth, told Steelers Depot at the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl in Dallas that he has spoken with the Steelers.
“At his end-of-season news conference, coach Mike Tomlin said Kenny Pickett will resume his status as the team’s starting quarterback in 2024 but will have competition. Travis’ season ended prematurely with a left lower-leg injury that will likely hamper him in the pre-draft evaluation period, but taking a swing on him could have big upside for the Steelers,” Pryor writes regarding a potential fit for Travis in Pittsburgh. “Travis is undersized, but his mobility, playmaking ability and pocket presence make him an intriguing prospect in a league that increasingly values quarterbacks with versatile skill sets to run the offense.”
If not for the gruesome leg injury that Travis suffered on Nov. 18 against North Alabama, he would have likely been a finalist for the 2023 Heisman Trophy Award, and potentially would have won it. He finished fifth in the voting, and his injury and absence from the lineup ultimately cost Florida State a spot in the four-team College Football Playoff.
In his career at Florida State, Travis played in 49 games with 39 starts, throwing for 8,693 yards, 66 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. He added 1,934 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns.
He’s slightly undersized, listed at 6-1, 213 pounds. He didn’t weigh in at the Shrine Bowl, though he did do measurements on his hands and arms. His hands checked in at just 8 7/8″ inches, while his arms are 31 1/8″.
The injury and his recovery will be the biggest keys for him ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft. Travis confirmed to Steelers Depot that he sustained a fibula fracture, and he was in a boot at the Shrine Bowl. Travis stated that he hopes to be rid of the boot in roughly two weeks, according to original reporting from our Melanie Friedlander, but that his rehabilitation will take a few more months. He said that he hopes to be fully recovered by May but has to take it day by day.
After the Shrine Bowl, Travis stated that he will return home for continued rehab. He has received an invitation to the NFL Combine and said his participation there will be limited to meetings, interviews, and the medical evaluation, per Friedlander. His goal is to be able to do more at his Pro Day.
“That’s the goal, in mid-April,” Travis told Friedlander. “Get my feet moving a little. I won’t be able to run, probably. I just want to be smart but at the same time show the teams I’m gonna be good.”
Travis’ college tape is rather solid, especially his 2023 season. He might be a bit undersized, but he has the mobility, arm strength and football IQ to be a developmental quarterback. He might fall to Day 3 though, which would be ideal for the Steelers, who have two fourth-round picks to work with. No. 84 overall (third round) feels a bit rich though for a guy coming off of a serious leg injury.
