The Pittsburgh Steelers largely passed on the 2025 quarterback class until they selected Ohio State QB Will Howard in the sixth round, which would seem to indicate that they will be all-in on drafting one at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft.
It’s a bit of a silly exercise a year out from the draft, but several experts have already taken their shot in the dark on their first 2026 mock drafts. Unsurprisingly, the Steelers are heavily linked to the quarterback class.
With four different draft experts, the Steelers have been linked to four different quarterback names.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler kicked things off by mocking LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier to the Steelers at No. 16 overall.
“The Steelers might still be looking for a long-term option at quarterback a year from now. Had Nussmeier bypassed his senior year at LSU, teams believe he could have been the second quarterback drafted in this past class,” Brugler wrote.
Listed at 6-2 and 200 pounds, Nussmeier is entering his fifth college season, all with the Tigers. He didn’t get his opportunity to be the starter for a full season until 2024, but he broke out in a big way with 4,052 passing yards, 29 TDs, and 12 INTs. He is more of a true pocket passer with negative 96 rushing yards in his college career.
CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards also had the Steelers picking at No. 16 overall and linked them to UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava.
“A year ago, Iamaleava was almost a foregone conclusion to be a part of way-too-early mock drafts. The 2025 season did not go as anyone expected, and Iamaleava has since transferred back to the West Coast. As with all of these quarterback prospects, Iamaleava has not played at a No. 16 overall level, but the pieces are there if he can put it all together,” Edwards wrote.
Iamaleava was the center of one of the biggest NIL controversies to date. He was dismissed from the Tennessee Volunteers with their head coach saying, “No one is bigger than” the program. He didn’t show up to practice to hold out for his NIL negotiation.
It’s hard to ding him for trying to maximize his earning potential when the NFL is anything but a sure thing, but that might rub teams the wrong way. That won’t matter if he puts up the kind of season people expect him to in 2025.
He only had 2,616 passing yards with 19 TDs and five INTs last year, with another 358 rushing yards. But his 6-6, 220-pound frame, arm talent, and athleticism will make him one of the most talked-about prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft.
FOX Sports’ Rob Rang threw out a lesser-known name in Iowa State QB Rocco Becht at No. 18 overall.
“Becht will be the headliner this year, especially if he can build upon last season’s production (3,505 passing yards with a 25:9 touchdown-to-interception ratio),” Rang wrote. “Though his stubby frame will be a concern for some, scouts love his pocket mobility and mettle under pressure.”
His father, Anthony Becht, is a former first-round tight end who played a dozen years in the league. Becht threw to Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel last season, both of whom were drafted on Day 2 this year.
Listed at 6-1, 209 pounds, he would really have to have a great year to be in the first-round conversation.
CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson did something interesting with the Steelers trading up to No. 10 overall to select Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt.
With all the draft capital the Steelers have from projected compensatory picks, this might be one of the more realistic scenarios, not necessarily the name he chose, but trading up into the top 10 or 15 picks.
“He was a big reason why that offense is as good as it was last year for the Sun Devils,” Wilson said. “He’s a really good athlete. He impressed me with his ability to throw the ball down the field, hang in the pocket. Has a pretty big arm, and then the athleticism I talked about, he can get out outside the pocket and win that way.”
Hines Ward, who coaches with the Sun Devils, compares Leavitt’s competitive spirit to Ben Roethlisberger’s.
After transferring from Michigan State, Leavitt had his first opportunity to start and put up 2,885 passing yards, 24 TDs, and six INTs while tacking on another 443 rushing yards and five TDs with his legs. He is a little undersized, listed at 6-2, 201 pounds, but another year of progress could see him in the first-round conversation. The Steelers will have plenty of info on him if they ask Ward.
PFF’s Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman had the Steelers selecting No. 14 and taking Penn State QB Drew Allar. If he didn’t have a rough end to his 2024 season, he may have declared for the 2025 NFL Draft.
“Allar had another excellent season as Penn State’s starter last year. He is an excellent protector of the football, with a career 1.5% turnover-worthy play rate, and has a cannon arm that he uses to sling passes down the middle of the field,” Wasserman wrote.
Nobody linked Arch Manning or Cade Klubnik, but we can expect to hear more about those names in the coming year. Some of prospects will rise, some will fall, and some might not even end up declaring in 2026. As it stands right now, there are far more first-round potential names than a year ago at the quarterback position.
Our Jonathan Heitritter broke down some of the top 2026 QBs you should keep an eye on this season.
