Steelers Predicted To Make Enormous Trade For Star College Quarterback In Latest 2027 NFL Mock Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers will have a major quarterback situation on their hands when the 2026 season concludes. Future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers will likely no longer be an option for Mike McCarthy to deploy on the field. If the team doesn't develop recent draft picks Will Howard or Drew Allar fast enough, they are going to need to go after someone else to take over the reins under center. 

Pittsburgh could go either way with signing or trading for a veteran like they have the last few seasons, or target a franchise quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft. Either way, the Steelers need a long-term solution at quarterback and there is an interesting avenue that the organization could take to find their answer.

Jacob Infante, an NFL analyst for Pro Football Network, recently released a 2027 NFL Mock Draft. While it's just under a year away, it's always fun to think a little about the future, especially when it might include an answer for the Steelers at quarterback. His mock did just that, having the Steelers take one of the top quarterback prospects in the entire draft. That projected selection is Arch Manning, the young star from Texas. 

Seeing that, many fans are thinking: how in the world is Manning going to fall to Pittsburgh? Infante has the Steelers trading up with the Miami Dolphins for the second overall pick to draft Manning. Of course, the draft order isn't anywhere close to being finalized, but with the projections, Infante believes that the Steelers will trade up to get the franchise quarterback that they haven't had in years.

"The Steelers have been stuck in NFL purgatory for a decade now with no real direction for the future," Infante wrote. "Sooner or later, they’ll have to make a splash for a young quarterback. Being projected to miss the playoffs in 2026, Pittsburgh starts its rebuild by trading key defenders for draft capital, while trading a haul headlined by multiple first-round picks to the Dolphins to acquire their quarterback of the future."

While we don't exactly want to hear the Steelers aren't expected to make the playoffs this season, thinking about the possibility of drafting Manning is very exciting. He discusses trading defensive players for draft capital, which if the Steelers miss the postseason like he projects, then that might be realistic. After extending Nick Herbig, there have been plenty of rumors surrounding what Pittsburgh might do with Alex Highsmith and TJ Watt. Time will tell what happens there, but that may influence Pittsburgh's chances at franchise-changing quarterback.

The last time Pittsburgh attempted to draft a first-round quarterback in Kenny Pickett, it failed dramatically. Manning is nothing like what Pickett was entering the draft. The upside with Manning could change the trajectory of the Steelers' franchise and would likely answer their quarterback dilemma for years to come. 

"Projecting Arch Manning as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft was incredibly unfair," Infante explained. "It took him a while to get mentally acclimated as Texas’ new starting quarterback last year, but he found his groove down the stretch. He’s a well-built passer with a strong arm, impressive athletic ability, and a natural sense of timing down the field. As he continues to develop, his sky-high ceiling becomes more evident each game he plays."

Manning is a star in the making and McCarthy would absolutely love to develop him like he has many other quarterbacks. 

The only problem is the cost to obtain him may result in a poor season from the Steelers, unless they go all in for a high draft pick.

Steelers Might Have To Get Worse Before They Get Better

Infante's projection for the Steelers was very bold, but it would answer a big question for a long stretch of time. If Pittsburgh does happen to miss the postseason and a rebuild does begin, this could be a very interesting avenue for the organization to take.

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