What position would the Steelers draft first if not a quarterback?

The Pittsburgh Steelers seem destined to draft a quarterback with their first pick this year, but what position would they take if this is not the case?

I try not to overthink things. I know how the Pittsburgh Steelers operate and, contrary to popular belief, they are not afraid to show their hand when it comes to the NFL Draft.

While there are many fans who somehow think that the quarterback Pro Day visits are all part of some elaborate smokescreen, I can assure you that this is not the case. Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert have made it abundantly clear from the start that improving the quarterback position was a priority, so nobody should be surprised when they draft one with their first pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Having said that, I am going to leave the door open for now… just a crack. Based on history and draft trends, I feel very confident that the Steelers are going to select a quarterback with their first pick in the draft, but what happens if every option they love is off the board?

Though we do know that the Steelers are targeting the QB position, we don’t know just how much they like some of these quarterback prospects outside of Liberty’s Malik Willis. In addition, there’s always the chance that Pittsburgh is unable/unwilling to move up for the guy they like, and the first two or three guys they really like are already off the board.

What then? While I wouldn’t put it past Pittsburgh to simply take the next-best available QB (like they did at CB with Artie Burns in 2017 when William Jackson was taken one pick ahead of them), Tomlin and Colbert at least need to have a backup plan.

Steelers might take a DB if they can’t get their QB

I’m not really taking a shot in the dark here. I’ve been doing a lot of research into Pittsburgh’s draft trends, and for those who have followed along closely during the pre-draft process, they know that getting a Pro Day visit from Tomlin/Colbert is a box that must be checked to be considered a first-round draft choice.

This is something that has held true dating back to at least 2010. If Tomlin and Colbert don’t visit with a prospect at their Pro Day, they simply won’t be on the draft radar in the first round. So what does this mean for the 2022 NFL Draft?

Pittsburgh’s brass has obviously had one goal in mind: to find the next franchise quarterback. We can tell that this is the case based on their visits. However, there are a few other first-round prospects we cannot rule out.

According to the Pro Day checklist, Georgia defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt would ‘be on the radar,’ but Davis is expected to be “hugging Goodell” before the Steelers are on the clock and Wyatt doesn’t seem like a great scheme fit. Likewise, linebacker Nakobe Dean at least gets some level of consideration as Tomlin and Colbert were there at his Pro Day.

However, outside of the QB visits, the teams that Tomlin and Colbert have visited with have one thing in common: they each have a potential first-round draft choice in their secondary.

Not counting the QB visits, Pittsburgh’s brass has been at Michigan, Clemson, and Georgia for Pro Days. Respectively, these schools have highly-touted prospects in the secondary like Daxton Hill, Andrew Booth Jr., and Lewis Cine.

While you could argue about where these players should be taken or why the Steelers should pass on the secondary due to past experiences, these three guys have all gotten some first-round consideration as we approach the NFL Draft.

When Pittsburgh is on the clock this year, I think it’s still pretty safe to assume that they are going to go with their QB of choice. However, if not a quarterback (and I mean if), it looks like the Steelers could be open to drafting a defensive back with their first pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.