The NFL Draft is just a few days away, and the Steelers are still looking for … well … everything.
In terms of quarterback, it’s not going to be one of the significant prospects like Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, #1-6 in a mock draft published on Good Friday by NFL.com analyst Chad Reuter, and it probably won’t be recent signing Mason Rudolph, despite being given a two-year contract by the organization.
It might be Aaron Rodgers, who has spent the last month considering an undisclosed offer by the team. But Rodgers is taking his time because he is “going through a lot in my personal life, that has to take precedent at this point,” according to his appearance on the Pat McAfee Show last Thursday, and will likely not sign until well after the draft, if he chooses Pittsburgh at all.
Fair to him on that, but with complete uncertainty still under center, and an offensive line that hasn’t improved since my last article about a month ago. With so many needs, what do you do with the 21st pick in the draft, a pick about 10 years out of position?
In that same mock draft, the Steelers are projected to select DT Derrick Harmon, a redshirt junior from Oregon, with that 21st pick. He is a good player but not outstanding, given his draft position, with many other defensive tackles earning similar prospects and NFL Next-Gen Stats grades listed in the second round. The offensive line is identical, with grades in the 6.20-6.39 range throughout the late-first to early second round. The difference between these players will be how well your coaching staff molds them into NFL-level talent and how well they can adjust to the highest level of our sport.
Walter Nolan (photo courtesy Ole’ Miss Athletics)
I suggest this: “Trade down as far as you can.” The first trade I would try would be to look in-state at the veritable horde of draft picks the Eagles have and see if I can make a deal for the 32nd selection. They already are projected to trade up to #26 to take a better projected DT in Walter Nolen, a junior from Mississippi, so rather than not taking him with your current pick, you may as well drop on through and take a series of 2026 and 2027 selections. (The Steelers are projected to win 8.5 this season, though according to Covers.com, the under is for 1.71 (-140), and personally, that’s high for a projection.) I look at what the Eagles have, and my offer is the pick swap for a 3rd (from NYJ), two 5ths in 2026, and a 4th, 5th, and 6th in 2027. It’s 78 Rich Hill points, according to Drafttek.com, for Pittsburgh’s 77.
I’m not done, though.
Jalen Milroe (photo, Alabama Athletics)
Jalen Milroe, the quarterback from Alabama, is listed right at the beginning of the next round, and the Giants need a QB. It seems like a match made in heaven, especially as he does need time to get to the NFL level. After all, there are no FCS cupcake games in the pros. Unfortunately, it’s not a big move, but the swap is still worth around a 5th and 7th-round pick. They have one of each for 2026, and it snookers a division rival simultaneously, so I would happily go for it.
There isn’t a whole lot of talent you end up losing out on at 34. You don’t have to pay first-round money, saving a little more not to have to dump players on a potential Rodgers signing, if they didn’t have $32 million already lying around in offseason cap space, according to Spotrac.
As I ask DJ-D Wrek to play the Steelers music again, the Days of Our Steelers are also playing.
