The Steelers don’t have the most talented QB room in the league. They don’t even have close to a complete one.
As of now, Mason Rudolph and Skyler Thompson are the only two quarterbacks on their roster. If the Steelers can finally bring in Aaron Rodgers, though, they’ll feel much better about the position. The draft is also an option, and at first it seemed like Pittsburgh would be out of luck with the 21st overall selection. However recent concerns have emerged regarding Shedeur Sanders, and some believe he may start to fall down the board in the first round.
ESPN’s Field Yates thinks some teams may try to jump the Steelers if Sanders falls near their selection.
“Do i think a slide past No. 9 is possible? Yes,” Yates said Tuesday on Get Up, in regard to Sanders’ draft projection. “And then all of a sudden we start to ask the question, which is, does Cleveland, or the New York Giants, or the Los Angeles Rams try to make a move up the board and perhaps beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, who pick at 21, to the punch?”
In a stronger draft class, Sanders might not be considered the second-best QB. However, he’s still a promising talent. He helped turn around the Colorado program, which went 1-11 the season before he transferred to Boulder. There are some concerns about his overall ceiling, but he showed promise at Colorado behind an extremely poor offensive line.
If there’s one thing to note about Sanders, it’s his confidence. Some are see it as a turn off, but others point to it as a desired trait in a franchise quarterback. In Pittsburgh, there’s little doubt that Sanders would fit in the locker room. The Steelers are a team with strong leadership, and they’d value the poise Sanders brings to the offense.
Now, a lot of things would have to go right for Pittsburgh to land him. As Yates references, there are several other QB-needy teams. There’s a chance either the Browns or Giants, who have the second and third overall picks, respectively, grab Sanders. After that, the Saints at the ninth overall pick look like another option, as they try to find a long-term answer behind Derek Carr.
If Sanders makes it past the Saints, that’s when things will really heat up. After New Orleans, the Steelers become the next team that would be a logical fit for him. However, without a second-round pick, the Steelers don’t a lot of ammo to move up a few spots if they really want Sanders. There will be chances for teams like the Browns or Giants to move back up into the first and grab him. Yates even mentions the Rams, who could make sense with Matthew Stafford starting to age.
Of course, there’s always the chance the Steelers pass on whichever QB ends up being available at 21. They have other needs, especially along the defensive line. However, if Shedeur Sanders falls into their lap, it would be really hard to go with someone else at that spot.
