5 NFL Draft prospects Steelers who could consider to replace Roethlisberger
By Tommy Jaggi
The Pittsburgh Steelers will soon need to find a new franchise quarterback and these five 2022 NFL Draft prospects are sure to be on their radar.
It’s hard to be satisfied with how 2021 has gone for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After making every effort to keep their pieces in place for one final run at a Super Bowl title, Mike Tomlin’s team cemented its feet in mediocrity this season.
Ben Roethlisberger has likely played his final year in Pittsburgh, and the Steelers are now tasked with the difficult responsibility of finding his replacement. Though Tomlin has expressed that he’s not necessarily keen on starting over with a rookie, the options available to the team this offseason could make him think again.
The 2022 quarterback class doesn’t have elite talent at the top, but the Steelers will have their choice between several talented passers when they are on the clock in the first round. Here are five NFL Draft prospects Pittsburgh will consider to replace Roethlisberger:
Steelers could consider Willis
One thing that Tomlin has been adamant about during press conferences this year is stressing the importance of mobility at the quarterback position in today’s NFL, and no quarterback this year has a more special set of legs than Liberty’s Malik Willis.
Over the past two seasons as the starting quarterback for the Flames, Willis has rushed for over 1,700 yards on the ground to go with a whopping 25 rushing scores. This is in addition to his immense arm talent that has led him to 42 touchdowns through the air over this same span.
Based on his trajectory from the end of the 2020 season, many thought Willis would have a chance to be the top pick in the draft this year, but we didn’t see the progression this year that we had hoped for. Still, he’s a high-upside player who has all the traits to be a great quarterback if he can clean up his mechanics and decision-making a bit.