Should the Steelers still take a quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft?
Steelers looking to the draft for a new QB
Now likely destined for a quarterback room heading into the 2021 season featuring Ben Roethlisberger, Dwayne Haskins, & Mason Rudolph, should the Steelers do even more?
I asked Art Rooney II if he's comfortable with the QB succession plan in the event Roethlisberger retires, if they'll add a FA QB: " I think when you look at our room, we’ll have to add somebody to the room this offseason. We’ll look at all the opportunities we have to do that."
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) January 28, 2021
Without the need for a primary backup, although their situation isn’t wholly solidified there as well, the most circulated option has been selecting someone through the upcoming draft.
A quarterback class that is projected to consist of more overall talent than usual, a few mocks have connected the Steelers to names such as Mac Jones or Kyle Trask within the first two rounds, or possibly even trading up into the top ten. However, there’s a problem that lies with each of these scenarios but also makes sense.
Starting with the latter, taking a quarterback in the first round doesn’t equate to success, but odds show that the likelihood is higher. Since 2010, only seven quarterbacks not selected in the first round have appeared in either the AFC or NFC championship (Drew Brees, Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick, Jimmy Garoppolo, Nick Foles, & Case Keenum). *omitting Tom Brady*
Indeed, the means of making a conference championship extends past the QB, but close to elite, mobile play from the position is essentially needed in the modern NFL. Out of the seven AFC teams to reach the 2020 playoffs, all were led by a quarterback selected in the first round of their respective classes as opposed to the NFC’s three.
The problem that lies is would the talent is chosen between the names listed above be enough if they weren’t to trade up. Both were successful QBs in the SEC, but each wouldn’t be labeled as even the best player on their college teams. So the Steelers trade up instead?
Stop there.