3 scenarios for the Steelers 24th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft

Scenario 2- The Steelers trade the 24th pick to the Jets for Sam Darnold.

Do not bash me, Steelers fans, but let me explain why trading for Sam Darnold would be a smart move rather than selecting Mac Jones. Darnold was projected to be the next great quarterback coming out of USC in 2018, and needless to say, he did not live up to it. It is not so much so that Darnold is a bad quarterback, but given his New York situation, he was basically thrown to wolves and left to fend for himself.

I believe that a change of scenery is needed for Darnold, and it is becoming more likely that Darnold will be playing for a new team next season. The 24th pick maybe a lot for a quarterback who has not looked the same since his elbow injury but given the quarterback market, a first-round pick has been the basis of most packages. The Steelers have a chance to get Darnold for less, but if the Jets are asking for a first-round pick, I believe they should take the opportunity.

Darnold learning under Ben, similar to Mac Jones, would help him tremendously, and given the talent, we know he posses, there is a decent chance Darnold can get back on track sitting for a year to figure out his flaws. Sam has a great friendship with JuJu Smith Schuster as well, with JuJu even stating that he would like to play with Darnold again someday as the two of them were teammates at USC. Out of the three scenarios, I do not see this one being considered compared to the others because, for one, the Steelers will try to get him at a discount, and two, I believe Darnold will be staying put with the Jets if they do not land Deshaun Watson. We will see what happens, but Darnold is a name to watch before draft night.