With Aaron Rodgers still not in agreement with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the possibility of heading into draft night without a viable starting quarterback is becoming much more of a reality. However, there are a couple of quarterbacks that could potentially go in the first round, even to the Steelers at No. 21. One player that could make sense for the Steelers is Jalen Milroe.
Cris Collinsworth is a fan of his and thinks he’d make sense for Pittsburgh. Collinsworth sat down for a first-round mock draft with PFF’s Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick on Tuesday, and he picked Milroe to go to Pittsburgh.
“God, this guy [Jalen Milroe], when he takes off and runs, it’s like, wow,” Collinsworth said. “So can we talk about him in terms of, that one, two or three special plays that keep a drive alive, that turn into a field goal. Now let’s turn it over to T.J. [Watt] and the guys and let them try and win a game in the fourth quarter… It doesn’t even bother me if Aaron Rodgers comes in and plays a year. And you have Milroe sort of sitting there and learning from him.”
A couple of quarterbacks could potentially be in play for the Pittsburgh Steelers at the 21st pick. Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart are two prospects who have been mentioned the most in relation to Pittsburgh.
However, Jalen Milroe is another interesting name in that mix. Recently, it was reported that he accepted an invitation to the first round of the NFL Draft. The NFL usually doesn’t give out invitations like that unless they have reason to believe the player will be selected in the first round. This is especially interesting in Milroe’s case, as many believe he’s closer to a second—or third-round talent.
The Steelers didn’t bring Milroe in for an official visit. However, they did have dinner with him before his Pro Day a few weeks ago. For what it’s worth, the Steelers did get a glimpse of what the offense could look like under a player with Milroe’s skill set early in 2024 with Justin Fields.
Fields plays similarly to Jalen Milroe. Both are incredible athletes, capable of extending plays with their legs. However, each struggles with their arm and needs more time to develop that aspect of their game. Arthur Smith’s offense did well with Fields running the show in 2024. It’s reasonable to think something similar could happen with Milroe in the future.
However, Collinsworth’s idea of winning under Milroe isn’t the most promising. He talks about Milroe extending drives and relaying them into field goals while relying on the defense to win games in the fourth quarter. That’s extremely similar to how the Steelers have won games over the past half-decade.
Sure, the Steelers have won more than they’ve lost with that strategy. It’s not getting them any closer to another Super Bowl, though. If Jalen Milroe is the choice, especially in the first round, Pittsburgh will hope his game develops into much more than that. He certainly has the potential. It’s just about getting there.
