The Pittsburgh Steelers could be looking for a quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft. Here are five players that have all the tools they could ask for.
Regardless of what happens in 2021, the Steelers are a team that seems to be a strong candidate to take a quarterback high in the 2022 NFL Draft. Ben Roethlisberger will be 40 years old next offseason and is no longer under contract due to his voidable-year deal. Even if he wants to return for another season, Pittsburgh may be ready to move on.
Either way, the Steelers seem to be one of the top candidates to take a quarterback early next year, after ignoring the position in the draft over the past few seasons. Fortunately, there are a few prospects with, particularly intriguing skillsets.
Though there might not be a Trevor Lawrence in next year’s class, there are a lot of young, gifted quarterbacks with terrific NFL upside. Here are five potential franchise quarterbacks with great tools that the Pittsburgh Steelers could target next April:
Malik Willis, Liberty
It’s too early to say where the Steelers will finish record-wise next season, but I would go as far as to say that Malik Willis has a chance to play himself out of Pittsburgh’s range. In fact, I recently wrote an article on FanSided’s With the First Pick about how Willis has a chance to be the number one pick in next year’s draft with a great season in 2021.
The former Auburn product spent his first two seasons as a backup before sitting out his 2019 season after transferring to Liberty. Despite just one year of starting college experience, Willis turned heads in 2020 with his downfield playmaking ability and his feet. Willis showed poise from the pocket but is best when the play breaks down. He’s also a terrific runner with the football, and he chewed up nearly 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground in just 10 games last year.
Listed at just 6’1” and 215 pounds, Willis is smaller than the passers Pittsburgh typically looks for at the position, but he doesn’t sacrifice anything in terms of arm strength, as he has one of the best arms in college football. Willis is a small-school player who performed extremely well against some good teams last season. Keep an eye on him as a potential candidate for the Steelers in 2022.