The Pittsburgh Steelers [had dinner with Jalen Milroe ahead of his Pro Day](https://steelersdepot.com/2025/03/alabama-qb-jalen-milroe-dines-with-mike-tomlin-steelers-brass-ahead-of-pro-day/) at Alabama, and according to Colin Cowherd, there’s real interest from Pittsburgh’s side in drafting the dual-threat quarterback. [On FS1’s The Herd](https://www.foxsports.com/shows/the-herd-with-colin-cowherd), Cowherd said he talked to an NFL executive who said the Steelers are big fans of Milroe and could take him at No. 21 overall, even if the team signs Aaron Rodgers.
“I talked to an NFL exec last night, very well-connected, and this is a keep your head on a swivel, Aaron Rodgers. I’m told the Steelers really like Jalen Milroe. Twenty-first pick, first round. So if Aaron signs with Pittsburgh, it’s gonna become Kirk Cousins,” Cowherd said. “They’re taking a quarterback. If the 21st pick, Milroe’s not taken, Pittsburgh is leaning now and taking him.”
While the Steelers have been linked more closely with QB Jaxson Dart by the national media, Jalen Milroe could wind up being their target all along. He’s raw, but the Steelers can afford him the opportunity to sit behind Aaron Rodgers, if they sign him, or Mason Rudolph. Milroe offers tantalizing athleticism, but his accuracy is a bit of a concern, and he hasn’t been mocked in the first round often.
It would surprise me if the Steelers wound up taking a first-round quarterback given their need along the defensive line, but quarterback is a position they have failed to figure out since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement. If they believe Milroe can be a franchise player, they very well could take a swing. Even in a weak quarterback class, there could be 2-3 quarterbacks taken in the first round, and with the Steelers not having a second-round pick, they may need to take Milroe in the first if they covet him.
It’ll be worth monitoring if Jalen Milroe makes a pre-draft visit to Pittsburgh, as that will be a clear sign of the team’s interest. While taking a developmental quarterback in the first round might not be the best strategy, the Steelers really have no long-term plan at the position. Drafting Milroe and letting him develop for a year doesn’t seem to be out of the question. That was the Falcons’ plan last season with Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins, but when Cousins struggled in the second half of the season, Penix got a chance at the end of the year and will be Atlanta’s QB1 moving forward.
It would be a surprise if the Steelers take a similar route, but anything is possible, and with a clear need at quarterback, it can’t be ruled out.