The Pittsburgh Steelers are loaded with draft picks, are still without a long-term quarterback, and the 2026 NFL Draft will literally be held in the team’s backyard. It’s a no-brainer that the team will walk away with a shiny new passer in the first round, right? Not so fast, says Assistant GM Andy Weidl. With next year’s draft still months away, Weidl isn’t committing to the team going all-in on quarterback.
“Time will tell,” Weidl told reporters during a Thursday press conference.
Via the PPG’s Brian Batko, Weidl made sure to note “we’re in the pick business” as he touted the deep draft coffers Pittsburgh is poised to have next season.
“We’re in the pick business,” Steelers AGM Andy Weidl says of their draft capital projected in 2026. Adds that every pick you have is another swing you get and another chance to find impact players.
“Everyone’s talking about the quarterback class. Time will tell.”
— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) August 14, 2025
Currently, the Steelers have an extra third round pick next season. That was acquired in the deal that sent WR George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys. Compensatory selections should bring an even larger haul. Pittsburgh’s expected to receive picks for QB Justin Fields, QB Russell Wilson, and OT Dan Moore Jr., while potentially netting another pick for other free agents lost. Final determinations won’t be made until next year and are partially dependent on playing time but the Steelers are likely to receive a third-rounder for Moore, a fourth-rounder for Fields, and a fourth/fifth-rounder for Wilson.
No matter the exact amount of configuration, Pittsburgh will have more and higher selections than any time in recent memory. That will create flexibility to trade up for a quarterback. But the draft comes with no guarantees. The draft pool might not be deep, a trade partner might not be found, and the Steelers will jockey with several other teams also attempting to find the golden arm of the future. Weidl made sure to note when it comes to the NFL draft, quantity increase the chances of success.
The 2026 QB class is expected to be stronger than 2025’s lackluster pool. It also carries question marks. Texas’ Arch Manning is expected to stay in school, Penn State’s Drew Allar’s and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier have had bumpy careers, Miami (FL)’s Carson Beck tumbled after a bad year at Georgia, and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers is far from a finished product. The draft is simply too far away to know how good a class 2026 will be and the Steelers don’t have any idea where they’ll initially be slotted.
Clearly, there’s little Weidl can declare about next year’s draft. Scouts are just starting to pound the pavement to visit schools and lock-in on this year’s group (though every scouting department scouts ahead, meaning the Steelers are long-familiar with many of the top prospects). But he’s making clear the Steelers aren’t guaranteed to leave the first round with a quarterback. That won’t be decided for a long time.
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