3 NFL Draft prospects who could force Steelers to ignore QB
By Tommy Jaggi
The Pittsburgh Steelers have their heart set on a quarterback, but if one of these four prospects slipped in the NFL Draft, they could reconsider.
By all accounts, it looks like the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be selecting a quarterback with their first pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. This would hardly be the first time they’ve locked themselves into a particular position prior to draft day.
In 2016, the world knew that Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert had their hearts set on a cornerback. When William Jackson was taken by the Bengals one pick before Pittsburgh, they decided to go with Artie Burns. In 2019, the Steelers had a big need at linebackers and were infatuated with Devin Bush. They moved into the top-ten picks to get him.
This year, quarterback is clearly that position they are eyeing. However, certain prospects sliding in the draft might be able to change that. Here are three NFL Draft prospects who could cause the Steelers to ignore QB in the first round:
Steelers would consider DT Jordan Davis
Mike Tomlin told the media that he believes Jordan Davis is “going to be hugging [Roger] Goodell” long before the Steelers are on the clock… but what if he doesn’t? Pittsburgh clearly has interest in Davis and if he somehow slides down on draft day, Tomlin could pounce at the opportunity to land him.
Davis is a generational-type prospect thanks to his inhuman combination of size, length, and athletic traits. While some believe that he will be just an early-down run defender at the next level, I think Davis has much more upside than anyone is giving him credit for.
However, it’s this line of thinking that may cause him to slip a bit in the 2022 NFL Draft. If Davis miraculously makes it to pick 20, Kevin Colbert should be running to the podium with his card for the freakish defensive tackle.
Davis would anchor this team’s run defense for a decade. If the Steelers really wanted their quarterback, they can trade back up in round one for him, but Davis would be too good to pass up.