The Pittsburgh Steelers have taken every chance to get to know Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart. While it doesn’t mean they will draft him, they’ve used the draft cycle to have the most thorough evaluation of him as possible. Recapping Dart’s busy pre-draft schedule, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport included Pittsburgh on the list of franchises spending the most time with him.
On Friday’s The Insiders, Rapoport noted the Steelers were the last team Dart has an in-person visit with.
“The Steelers are among the teams who have spent a lot of time with Jaxson Dart,” Rapoport told co-host Mike Garafolo. “The Saints have also spent a ton of time with him. The Giants and Browns, those are the teams, those are the quarterbacks teams. Those are the teams who consider him.”
Dart held his official in-person visit with Pittsburgh on Friday, finishing up a busy week for GM Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin after spending the front half of it in Florida for the first set of owner meetings.
Dart appears to have a foothold on becoming the third quarterback drafted, although his exact range is more difficult to assess. Would the New Orleans Saints consider him at No. 9? The Giants or Browns taking him in the top five seems too early, but at what point would they be willing to trade back into the first-round to get him?
Pittsburgh selecting Dart at No. 21 wouldn’t feel like a reach based on consensus-ranking and viewpoint. Still, our report didn’t grade him nearly that high. While Dart does a lot of things well, he’s lacking a defining trait in most areas of his game. Toughness is one of his best qualities but that alone doesn’t make for a future franchise quarterback.
It’s what the Steelers have spent this draft cycle learning about. Meeting Dart at the Senior Bowl, the NFL Combine, sending Assistant GM Andy Weidl to his Pro Day, and hosting Dart for a pre-draft visit, it’s about as much interest as a team can show in a player. The only element missing was Tomlin and Khan’s absence from his Pro Day, although they watched him throw in Mobile and Indianapolis.
Spending a first-round pick on Dart still doesn’t seem like the Steelers’ most likely scenario. But when it comes to quarterback, nothing should be off the table. Pittsburgh or not, Dart’s draft slot will be one of the top storylines come Round One.
