The Steelers have a first-round grade on Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, though that does not mean they’ll prioritize the position over other needs in next week’s draft.
Instead, Dulac writes, Pittsburgh will likely target a defensive lineman or even a running back with their first-round pick. Both positions have projected top-10 picks (Michigan’s Mason Graham, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty) who are not expected to fall to the Steelers with multiple second-tier talents that should be available at No. 21.
The team’s defensive line targets include Georgia’s Walter Nolen, Oregon’s Derrick Harmon, and Michigan’s Kenneth Grant, per Dulac. At running back, Pittsburgh could target North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton or Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson, though they may wait until Day 2 to pick from a deep class.
Pittsburgh used 17 of their top-30 pre-draft visits on defensive linemen and running backs, another indication that their first-round pick will target one of the two positions.
The Steelers’ top brass also did their homework on this year’s quarterback class. They have a first-round grade on Dart and “really like” Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, per Dulac, making both potential options with the 21st round pick if the talent at DL and RB thins out. The team also scouted a number of Day 2 quarterbacks via pro days and top-30 visits.
Ultimately, though, it’s hard to believe that the Steelers would pass up the opportunity to draft a potential franchise quarterback after cycling through a half-dozen starters since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. They may still sign Aaron Rodgers to start this year, but they have no long-term options on the roster and a clear desire to add one. It would be strange to have first-round grades on Dart and potentially Sanders but prioritize other positions when quarterback is such a dire need in 2025 and beyond.
No one is a franchise QB in this draft
Kinda hard to know that right now.
Let’s see. We’ve endured two seasons of broken down Ben, then Duck, Rudolph, Trubiskey, Pickett, Russ and Fields ever since. So your idea is to kick the can down the road until ‘26 when all there is—possibly—is Arch Manning, a kid they won’t get
Shedeur would be a great selection. I like Shough too. Dart reminds me of Pickett. Milroe reminds me of Josh Dobbs
I tend to think Dulac is wrong and his colleague Ray Fittipaldo is on target when he says there’s way too much chatter about QB’s in the draft and the Steelers to not think they have a plan for round 1
“Franchise” QB or not, get one of the top kids and hire a true QB coach
That’s just sad. Hire a true QB coach because neither Smith nor Tomlin can nurture one.
you don’t watch college football?…Drew Allar from Penn St is going to be a legit NFL QB…don’t sleep
Hahahaha. I watch too much college football. And I like Penn State as the only local school that does pretty well but unlike you, I’m not a homer. He reminds me of literally every PSU QB that’s come out over the past decade or so. Disagree
Allar has to grow a lot over the next year or he’ll be a late round, developmental pick. At this point, a QB like Avery Johnson would be a better draft choice.
Last week it was “Tomlin likes Sanders”. They’re just making stuff up, so they’ll have something to print.
Pitt also had a 1st round grade on Pickett. Maybe they need new scouts.
Well grading and developing are two different things
I’m sure Kenny Pickett was a first round grade per scouts who watched him play college ball reviewed tape etc.
But I doubt the scouts are the guys developing coaching the players
Whoever the guys are that are responsible for developing QBs fire those guys. Dobbs actually looked decent leaving PIT. Failed on Pickett Rudolph Dobbs. Need new QB developers.
Why do I want to call bs on this? They keep spouting this rumor out like it has merit
Take a QB at 21. Sanders or Dart, if available. Give them heavy playing time in 2025 and if you don’t like what you see try again for a QB in 2026. No QB = no chance at a Super Bowl win. You have to keep trying until you get one that’s elite. This talk that Pickett didn’t work out so stop trying if the pick is in the 20’s is stupid. You have to keep trying until it works. Really good QB’s can be found outside the top 10. In 1989 Jimmy Johnson drafted Troy Aikman with the first pick in the 1989 draft and then took Steve Walsh with a 1st round pick in the supplemental draft that same year. He was not afraid of doubling down–knowing he needed an elite QB.
Agreed. Part of the Pickett pick was just being a feel good local story after he supposedly brought Pitt back to respectability. Literally no one had Pickett as a 1st rounder
That’s not the case here. There are 2 or 3 guys who can do pretty well with a couple of dangerous wideouts.
And in 1990 when Jimmy Johnson knew he didn’t need Steve Walsh he flipped him for a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round pick from the Saints.
Lol
What are laughing about? Your team is 0 for 4 in Super Bowls and hasn’t played in one since January of 1977. And your hopes and dreams are pinned on a QB who has had more knee surgeries as a Viking than games played in the NFL.
prioritize a RB in round one over a QB you have a first round grade for? this is a crazy deep RB draft. why waste a 1st on anyone not named Jeanty?
I called this over 6-8 weeks ago that Jaxson Dart would be a first-round pick in this draft. He has the same profile as Bo Nix and in the right team / coaching staff could be a good one and Lane Kiffin understands the Pro Game. People said the same thing about some guy that played at Wyoming and said he would not amount to anything in the pro game and he has turned out okay…Josh Allen.
Don’t sleep on Jaxson Dart…he is going to be just fine.
A) They had a first round grade on Mason Rudolph, as well.
B) Trade back 6 to 10 slots or so, take the DT and then get a RB with the extra pick from the trade.
C) They can’t pull another Pickett.