We’re only a week away from the 2025 NFL Draft, and Mason Rudolph is currently the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback. It’s been a long while since the new league year began, and the Steelers have done just about nothing, so far, to address the quarterback position, aside from wait for Aaron Rodgers. If QBs start going off the board quickly in the first round, former NFL GM Mike Tannenbaum thinks the Steelers need to be proactive about the position, given their current situation. He specifically names Tyler Shough as a player to watch out for.
“Context is everything. If your quarterback is Tommy DeVito or Mason Rudolph, Tyler Shough looks like a first-round quarterback. You have to go get a quarterback that has a chance, that you can go win with,” Tannenbaum said Thursday on ESPN’s Get Up.
Tannenbaum is referring to the Giants and Steelers here. It’s worth mentioning, though, that the Giants do also have Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in the fold. Although the Steelers have been connected to Rodgers throughout the offseason, he’s yet to commit to Pittsburgh.
Given their quarterback situation, it’s not hard to understand why some think the Steelers need to show aggressiveness in the draft. However, it doesn’t seem especially likely at the moment. NFL insider Adam Schefter has stated that the Steelers are more likely to trade down than anything else.
With that said, nobody knows how anything will play out until we actually get to the draft. Last year, we saw six QBs go off the board in the first 12 picks. Even the Minnesota Vikings traded up a spot to land J.J. McCarthy.
This year’s QB class isn’t nearly as impressive. However, if quarterbacks start going off the board in quick fashion, do the Steelers pull the trigger?
There are reasons behind either approach. For example, if Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart are both gone before the Steelers pick at No. 21, they could feel pressure to select a player like Tyler Shough. Without a second-round pick, any worthwhile QB could be off the board at their next selection, which is 83rd overall.
There is always the chance the Steelers go with another position in the first round too. In that case, they could still have decent QB prospects available in the third. Or the Steelers could trade back into the second round as well.
If the Steelers still feel confident about Aaron Rodgers coming to town, they won’t feel any desperation during the draft. If Rodgers doesn’t sign by the draft, the Steelers’ actions will be telling as to how they view their own situation.
