NFL Combine could help Steelers decide on a quarterback in the draft

The NFL Combine has proved to be important to the Steelers over the years. Here’s how they could narrow down their top QB prospects in the NFL Draft.

When it comes to the NFL Combine, there are two extreme thought processes that often occur: some will use metrics as a sole means of measuring prospects, while others throw all testing thresholds out the window. I think it’s important to be somewhere in the middle.

Testing well at the NFL Combine certainly doesn’t guarantee success at the NFL level. However, meeting certain testing thresholds is important. This is something that all front offices and general managers should consider.

Since busting on Jarvis Jones in 2013, the Steelers have almost exclusively targeted elite athletes with their top draft choice each year. The only other player who did not fit this description was Artie Burns (who was also a bust). Agree with it or not, this is something that is important to Pittsburgh’s front office.

For this piece, I wanted to focus on the quarterback position — something the Steelers seem likely to address in the NFL Draft. Admittedly, the testing numbers for quarterbacks aren’t as important as they are for many other positions in football. But the top five QB prospects set to enter the 2022 NFL Draft are all close enough that some minor differences could help separate them.

NFL Combine could affect Steelers decision at QB in the draft

The Steelers aren’t going to completely cross a player off their board without first doing their homework. However, with how closely many draft analysts (and likely coaches and GMs) view these quarterbacks, small differences at the NFL Combine could help separate them from the pack.

The most noticeable one (and perhaps the most important) could be the difference in velocity. This is an area where a player like Kenny Pickett may not impress much. Instead, Malik Willis is expected to show off his big arm, and if a player like Sam Howell lets it rip, he could perhaps change the way the Steelers view him.

Another threshold Pittsburgh could be looking at is speed and agility testing, as Mike Tomlin has made it abundantly clear that he wants a QB who isn’t a statue in the pocket. While 40-time for quarterbacks is far from the most important trait, Mason Rudolph (4.9) and Dwayne Haskins (5.04) don’t come close to hitting the mark here.

This could really be the nail in the coffin for a player like Nevada’s Carson Strong — who is projected to run a nearly five-second forty. On the other hand, Pittsburgh could increase their interest in players like Malik Willis and Matt Corral if they test really well in terms of speed and agility.

As of now, Willis is the player the Steelers appear to be targeting, and I think he’s only going to be the case after the NFL Combine, as he should be impressive with his excellent athletic tools. However, if there are a few other strong performances, perhaps it will get the Steelers thinking about a secondary option if Willis is off the board early.

Teams should never draft based on athletic tools alone, but I’d be lying if I said Pittsburgh won’t consider some of these traits. We know that Tomlin wants a quarterback who can drive the ball down the field and extend the play. It will be interesting to see how these prospects test at the NFL Combine.