4 developmental QBs the Steelers need to draft in 2021

There is no better developmental quarterback in this draft than Feleipe Franks. The former Florida and Arkansas quarterback has a good arm to go along with great size at the position. He struggled early in his career with accuracy, but his previous two seasons showed a huge improvement in that regard. Granted, his 2019 was cut short by injuries, but he was hitting on over 75 percent of his passes. Add in his impressive 68.5 completion percentage this past season and it looks like his accuracy has improved.

While not the specimen that Newman is as a runner, Franks can also move around well in and outside of the pocket. He won’t be a huge threat on the ground, but he can do some damage akin to how Josh Allen has as a pro. Honestly, his tape doesn’t have a lot of apparent weaknesses, but he never really took over in a game. Throw in his lack of team success in college and he does possess some question marks as a pro.

That said, given his likely later-round status, he should be a tempting option for the Steelers in the draft. While he won’t be ready to take over on offense right away, he could progress into a starter by the end of his rookie contract. It is puzzling that his stock is so low right now, as he could very well prove a lot of people wrong once he gets to the pros. His path to starting isn’t clear, but he still has the potential to develop into a starter down the road.

While the Steelers are unlikely to take a quarterback in the first round of the draft, there is a potential that they look for more of a developmental option in the later draft. If the team goes this route, these options are some of the best options overall. The Steelers should have quite a few options if they decide to seek out a developmental quarterback in 2021.