Entering the offseason with a major need at the quarterback position regardless of public comments from head coach Mike Tomlin and team president and owner Art Rooney II, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in a tough spot.
They can’t really afford to go big for a Kirk Cousins or Baker Mayfield in free agency and would be foolish to trade for Justin Fields due to the financial implications that come with that. They can’t exactly trade up in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, either, due to the price it would cost to move up to get one of the top three guys.
Therefore, they might just have to sit tight and hope someone they like falls to them in the first round.
Someone like, say, Oregon’s Bo Nix.
ESPN’s Field Yates certainly believes that is a viable scenario, pairing Nix with the Steelers at No. 20 Wednesday morning in the first mock draft of the season for him.
“This one might be a surprise, as the Steelers have backed Kenny Pickett — who they took at No. 20 two years ago — this offseason. But they also said they plan to add competition for him in the quarterback room,” Yates writes regarding the selection of Nix at No. 20 overall on ESPN.com. “Quarterback picks in this range are often polarizing, but my fundamental mindset is the Steelers’ ceiling with Pickett under center is too low for a franchise whose standard is not simply making the playoffs but making deep runs. Pittsburgh has lost five straight playoff games now.
“Nix blends sharp accuracy with some razzle dazzle (something he has refined during his college career after transferring from Auburn) and an ability to quickly scan the field to deliver the right read. He set the FBS single-season record for completion percentage in 2023 at 77.4 while throwing 45 touchdown passes to three interceptions.”
After transferring from Auburn to Oregon for the 2022 season, Nix took off, putting himself on the map as a legitimate NFL draft prospect.
In two seasons at Oregon, Nix threw for 74 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions, including a stellar 2023 season with 45 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He also added 20 rushing touchdowns in two seasons with the Ducks, proving to be one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country.
Accuracy is a big calling card for him, too, as Yates writes. He completed 77.4% of his passes in 2023 and finished his collegiate career completing 66.4% of his passes.
The arm strength is apparent, too, as Nix had a ton of success in college pushing the football down the field, igniting a high-flying Ducks’ passing attack.
Of course, picking a QB at No. 20 overall in the first round of the draft is the same situation the Steelers found themselves in two years ago, selecting Pickett. That was a bad quarterback class though. The QB class entering the 2024 NFL Draft feels very strong, and Nix is among the best of the bunch.
Here’s what Steelers Depot’s own Jonathan Heitritter wrote about Nix in his scouting report for the site:
“Bo Nix has developed into a quality prospect and a well-rounded quarterback after a few turbulent years at Auburn, possessing the size, athleticism, arm talent, and experience that make him a potential future franchise quarterback at the NFL level. He needs to continue to work on his mechanics inside the pocket, but the tendencies are there as a passer who displays good ball placement combined with the arm strength to lead a team at quarterback early on in his NFL career.”
Heitritter compared Nix favorably to Ryan Tannehill, whom Steelers might have interest in this offseason as a free agent.
Quarterback is a major need, and it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see the Steelers select a QB in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, should one they like be on the board. Nix could be that guy and could fit very well into new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s scheme.
