The Pittsburgh Steelers are approaching what could be their most crucial NFL Draft in years. It's become increasingly likely that the organization will rely on the event to find their next starting quarterback of the future. Any starting-caliber signal-caller that the Steelers land will potentially have to be drafted with their first-round pick, 21st overall. As draft day has drawn closer, there has been speculation that quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who is widely regarded as the second-best prospect at his position behind Cam Ward, could slide to the Steelers. However, there are plenty of teams that need a quarterback who pick before Pittsburgh is on the clock. Dianna Russini of The Athletic broke down what the Steelers' game plan could be for Thursday's draft.
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Shedeur Sanders throwing the football during his Pro Day.
On Wednesday, Russini spoke on The Athletic's Scoop City Podcast about the upcoming draft and where top prospects could potentially land. The discussion surrounding the Steelers came up, and what they could do to make the most of their draft position.
"The last I checked in, Pittsburgh was trying to move out," said Russini. "They were trying to get out of their spot."
If the Steelers trade up in the draft, they could be in a better position to land a starter-caliber quarterback. If they choose to trade back, it would likely be an indication that they are going to take a defensive lineman with their first pick. The defensive line has been the second biggest issue plaguing the Steelers, second only to the quarterback situation. Pittsburgh taking a quarterback in the first round is not a foregone conclusion, and the team could still choose to use its first-round pick to bolster the trenches.
Since the Steelers failed to sign veteran Aaron Rodgers in a timely manner, their quarterback situation has grown more dire. The most likely scenario in which the Steelers trade back in the draft and take a defensive lineman could be that Pittsburgh simply decides that the draft class isn't deep enough in terms of signal-callers.
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Former New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers on the field after the San Francisco 49ers game in Santa Clara, California, Sept. 9, 2024.
The Steelers only have six of their original seven draft picks. Steelers General Manager Omar Khan said in a press conference Tuesday that the Steelers are more likely to stay put or draft down than they are to draft up.
If Sanders isn't available by the 21st pick, would the Steelers still want to draft a quarterback? The draft is widely considered to have little depth at the quarterback position. Some other prospects the Steelers have been looking at include Jalen Milroe and Jaxon Dart. Both were once projected to be second or third-round-caliber talents. However, Milroe and Dart's draft stock has been rising. If Sanders is taken by another team before the Steelers can draft him, Pittsburgh may have other options. If the Steelers choose to trade down, it's unclear who a potential partner would be.
Steelers Likely To Be Safe Versus Sorry
If the Steelers do choose to draft a defensive lineman in the first round of the draft, it would be a safe bet, as the draft has lots of depth at the position. Some of the most prevalent prospects that the Steelers have been speculated to take are Derrick Harmon and Deone Walker. Harmon has been widely seen as the likely first-round option for the Steelers, while Walker would be a reliable fallback plan that could still be available in the third or fourth round.
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Former University of Oregon defensive Tackle Derrick Harmon bursts off the line of scrimmage and evades a University of Illinois offensive lineman during a collegiate football contest.
It has been a rocky offseason for the Steelers so far, with many of the team's most pressing issues going unresolved. Thursday's draft could finally bring an end to the Steelers' quarterback drama and patch the holes in Pittsburgh's defense.
Do you think the Steelers will move from the 21st overall spot in the draft? Do you think the Steelers should draft Sanders? Let us know in the comments.
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