Why the Steelers should draft a quarterback in 2021

More quarterback options

Then there is Shane Buechele, the quarterback at SMU. Here is an odd player in that it seems he has been in the college ranks for an eternity. He was a starting quarterback at Texas, later benched, then transferred to SMU. The move proved beneficial for him. Many consider him a gunslinger as he loves the deep game. Plus, he is a natural team leader.  Headed into the 2020 college season had 64 touchdowns to 24 interceptions. Good qualities for a player needed to replace Roethlisberger.

That said he lacks the arm strength of some of the quarterbacks ranked ahead of him; he is much smaller than the other quarterbacks in the draft. He stands 6’1” and is only 207. Plus his accuracy has a bit to be desired. 27.1% of non-screen passes were considered uncatchable. So he loves going deep, but he lacks the precision needed for a deep ball passer. So it could be a case of putting him on the right team with a good mentor, and he could blossom into a fine NFL quarterback. Whether he can be a quarterback that leads an NFL team for ten plus seasons is another issue. Given most teams may pass on him until about the 3rd or 4th round. He could still be an intriguing pick

Finally, there is Kenny Pickett, the quarterback from Pitt. Although in Pickett’s case, he has not formally declared for the draft, so he could stay at Pitt for another season. Despite being a senior the NCAA is offering an extra year of eligibility for fall sports participants. He has been considering taking advantage of that.  So his status is still in the air still. If he does declare, Pickett could be a fascinating pick. Of course, the last successful quarterback from Pitt goes back to Dan Marino. Since then, only three Pitt quarterbacks have played in the NFL. They are Alex Van Pelt, cut by the Steelers, Nathan Peterman, and Tom Savage. Like Shane Buechele, he is on the small side at 6’2” and 220 pounds.

That said, he has some great arm strength for throwing the deep ball. All total, he has thrown for 7984 yards. Not Shabby, considering Marino threw for 8597 yards. Plus, Pickett has more completions than Marino, 711 to Marino’s 693. Not as mobile as Trey Lance, he still has 568 yards on 319 attempts. So he can run if needed. That aside, the Pittsburgh post-gazette reported that NFL Network draft analyst Ben Fennell said of Pickett “….Pickett is the prototypical NFL backup.” Not exactly encouraging. Plus, the Post Gazzette reported they do not expect him to go 5th or 6th round. Not exactly a promising prospect when looking for a replacement for a future hall of famer. Nonetheless, experts do agree he is talented.

Whether the Steelers opt to grab a quarterback in the 2021 draft is an open question. One thing is certain; the longer they wait, the more problematic that task becomes. Considering how long it finally took to replace Bradshaw, the Steelers do not want another 26-year drought between Superbowl victories. Whether any of these quarterbacks can fill his shoes, only time will tell. Yet if they do not pull the trigger now, when will they?