If the Pittsburgh Steelers go quarterback hunting in the 2025 NFL Draft, they won’t make a move until late Friday night or Saturday afternoon. Despite an uncertain present and even muddier future, the Steelers reportedly aren’t looking for a QB early. Per Gerry Dulac, the middle rounds are the Steelers’ sweet spot.
“Right now, their likely focus is on finding a young quarterback in the third or fourth round to be a backup and potentially develop into a future starter,” Dulac wrote for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Saturday.
Of course, the top end of this year’s quarterback class isn’t heavy. Last year, six quarterbacks went in the top 12 picks. This year, no more than two are expected to be drafted in the same range. Miami (FL)’s Cam Ward is poised to be the first passer off the board followed by Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Right now, there’s no other quarterback in the first-round consensus, though Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart is gaining media buzz as a potential first rounder, mocked to the Steelers in Field Yates’ latest edition.
Dulac notes that the Steelers held a formal interview with Ohio State QB Will Howard, who is expected to be taken in the middle rounds. He thinks Pittsburgh could be high on his game.
“One of the best possibilities for the Steelers could be Howard, who led Ohio State to the national championship after transferring from Kansas State,” Dulac wrote. “He has the size (6-4, 236 pounds) and mobility that reminds of a young Ben Roethlisberger…”
Our scouting report spoke glowingly of Howard, showing great touch and accuracy to all three levels on tape. Other options include Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Louisville’s Tyler Shough, and Syracuse’s Kyle McCord. All have their strengths and their warts. Milroe’s accuracy is problematic, Shough is an older quarterback with a long injury history, and McCord’s game was volatile.
Though no quarterback has been drafted in the two years under general manager Omar Khan, the Steelers have a history of mid-round selections at the position. In 2018, Pittsburgh traded to take Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph in the third round. The year before, they selected Tennessee’s Josh Dobbs in the fourth round. In 2013, Oklahoma’s Landry Jones was the team’s pick in the fourth and they used fifth-round picks on Oregon’s Dennis Dixon in 2008 and Bowling Green’s Omar Jacobs in 2006.
As history shows, the picks haven’t always panned out. Rudolph was a solid No. 2 but often buried on the depth chart. Dobbs’ time was brief, throwing 17 passes in Pittsburgh. Jones made just five career starts while Dixon and Jacobs returned little on investment.
Even if Pittsburgh uses a Day 2 or 3 pick on a quarterback, its search to find a No. 1 to truly propel the franchise forward will continue.
