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.
Steelers could consider Pickett
This one won’t come as a surprise to anybody. Kenny Pickett has laced his cleats at Heinz Field for five straight years. He’s already well familiar with the city and probably some of the coaching staff.
In addition to his obvious ties, Pickett might be the most pro-ready quarterback in this draft class thanks to his 52 games of college experience in a Power 5 program at Pitt. Based on his performances over his first four seasons, Pickett was considered to be nothing more than a late-round pick when he declared for the draft. However, he changed that notion with a phenomenal season in 2021.
Much like Joe Burrow (but to a lesser degree), Pickett put up astronomical numbers in his final collegiate season — earning 4,300 passing yards, 42 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions to go with 9.7 adjusted yards per attempt.
Pickett doesn’t have a big arm like Ben Roethlisberger coming out of college, and he’s not a duel threat the team could be looking for. However, he excels at making the first defender miss, keeping his eyes down the field, and extending the play.
Steelers could consider Corral
Matt Corral might have the best of all the collective traits the team would look for at the position this year. He played at the highest level of college football in the SEC, put up terrific numbers, and is a remarkable athlete with a quick release.
One thing that Corral is lacking, however, is elite size. At just 6’1” and 205 pounds, Corral is much smaller than the types of quarterbacks Pittsburgh typically looks for, and because of his aggressive running style, some believe he will be prone to injuries at the next level.
In addition, many have concerns about the read-option style of offense Corral runs at Ole Miss. This is something that has historically failed in the NFL and it’s hard to say how Corral would do in a pro-style offense.
A good offensive coordinator is going to play to Corral’s strengths, and he still has very good accuracy, velocity, and mobility. He may not be Pittsburgh’s top choice, but he will be on their radar in the NFL Draft.
Steelers could consider Howell
There has been speculation that the Steelers could have more interest in Sam Howell than any other quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft. When you connect the dots, it’s not hard to see why. Howell has a cannon of an arm and excellent mobility. Though he’s on the shorter side (6’1”) he has a thick powerful frame that he uses to his advantage as a runner.
Additionally, Howell has three years of terrific production as he has accumulated 110 total touchdowns over the past three seasons compared to just 23 interceptions. The North Carolina quarterback was also a highly-touted recruit who will still be just 21 years old entering the 2022 NFL season.
Will a shaky offensive line and fewer weapons to work with this season, Howell took a bit of a step back, but as far as tools are concerned, he has everything you could want in a franchise quarterback.
If the Steelers are serious about getting a mobile quarterback, then Sam Howell certainly fits the bill. I have a feeling he will be very high on Pittsburgh’s radar if they don’t find a quarterback in free agency prior to the NFL Draft.
Steelers could consider Ridder
There are many mixed opinions about Desmond Ridder and the type of player he could be in the NFL. The Cincinnati Bearcats were thoroughly impressive this season as they were able to upset some of the best teams in the nation. However, it wasn’t necessarily Ridder’s ability to take over the ball game that helped them to these victories; rather, a remarkable defense.
Still, for as impressive as his team was against great competition this year, Ridder is a player the Steelers could consider early in the NFL Draft. While he doesn’t have any defining traits, he’s what I refer to as ‘threshold’ guy — meaning he checks the boxes with nearly everything you look for at the quarterback position but doesn’t really go above and beyond.
Ridder is taller than the other top quarterbacks in this class, and it’s worth mentioning that the Steelers historically avoid drafting quarterbacks in the first two days who are under 6’4.” In addition, he has an adequate arm, plus mobility, and can control the tempo of the game.
In my opinion, Ridder doesn’t have higher upside than the other top quarterbacks in this class, but he has a relatively high floor and could be a starting quarterback in this league.
We will know pretty early in the offseason, what the Steelers plan to do at the quarterback position. If no big moves are made to get their guy, expect all five of these players to be on Pittsburgh’s radar in the 2022 NFL Draft.