While the Pittsburgh Steelers are waiting on Aaron Rodgers' decision of whether or not to play for the team this upcoming season, there could be a chance that they also draft a quarterback in the NFL Draft. Though the Steelers are looking at who to get in the first round, there could be a scenario where they go for a highly-touted quarterback in Shedeur Sanders.
In the latest column from ESPN on the buzz surrounding the NFL Draft, one of the questions asked to analyst was if there is a chance that Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart gets picked in the first round. Analyst Matt Miller would say there's a high chance unless Sanders falls until No. 21 where Pittsburgh picks, though he made sure ti mention how he doesn't “see that happening.”
“95%. I'm with Jordan and Field. I think it's really likely Dart goes in Round 1,” Miller said. “In my talks with scouts this past week, the expectation is that his predraft process has been too successful for him to get past the first 32 picks. The three teams Field mentioned — the Steelers, Saints and Rams — are all obvious fits for his services. The only thing that would prevent him from getting picked in Round 1 is if Sanders fell to Pittsburgh at pick No. 21 overall, which in turn could push Dart down the board. But I really don't see that happening.”
Steelers “doing a lot of homework on draft-eligible quarterbacks'
Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) warms up before the game against the Brigham Young Cougars at Alamodome.
Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
While Sanders' stock has been discussed within the Steelers' range, it still seems unlikely that he falls that much when he's usually being perceived as a top-10 pick. Still, Pittsburgh is being patient in regards to a quarterback like how they are with Rodgers, and per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, they are “doing a lot of homework on draft-eligible quarterbacks.”
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“They're willing to be pretty patient,” Fowler said. “My sense is the Steelers remain optimistic here, and they are willing to wait. In fact, I've talked to several people in the quarterback market, including in and around Russell Wilson's free agency, who just figured that the Steelers must have gotten some sort of loose assurance from Rogers at some point that he was going to play there.”
“But it feels like right now the options are Steelers, retirement, or does he want to just wait three to four months on the Vikings to see if they change their mind, which seems unlikely at this point,” Fowler continued. “So the Steelers appear all in, I know they're doing a lot of homework on draft-eligible quarterbacks to potentially pull the trigger on one of those. They still have their sights set on Rogers. Timeline still is very loose here to figure that out.”
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At any rate, the Steelers are looking to improve after going 10-7 last season which put them second in the AFC North.