All signs have pointed to the 2027 draft as the year the Pittsburgh Steelers draft their next franchise quarterback. The expectation when Mike McCarthy was hired was that he would try to get the most out of the current quarterbacks on the roster and then, in 2027, he would be a part of the selection process for Aaron Rodgers’ successor.
While that still might be the plan, the selection of Drew Allar in the 2026 NFL Draft might change some things.
Allar was a third-round pick from Penn State and, for the most part, has played well in the preseason. However, it’s worth mentioning that all of his snaps have come in the second half of these preseason games, and it appears that he is no higher than third on the QB depth chart.
So, is the plan to draft a quarterback early in 2027? Or could the Steelers continue to build up the roster and hope that Allar develops? According to a recent mock draft, the plan might be to see what Allar looks like after a year under McCarthy.
ESPN has the Pittsburgh Steelers going defense in Round 1 of 2027 NFL Draft
One of the very best draft analysts in the game right now is Jordan Reid of ESPN, who does a great job of previewing the top talent going into the 2026 college football season (which starts this weekend!). One player that Reid is especially high on is Brauntae Johnson, a safety from Notre Dame.
In Reid’s latest mock draft on ESPN, he had the Steelers selecting Johnson with the 14th overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Here is a snippet of why he believes this would be a fantastic selection for Pittsburgh as they look to get younger on defense:
“With the top three QBs off the board, the Steelers could instead look to get a youth infusion at safety, especially considering that Jaquan Brisker is on a one-year deal. Johnson is my highest-ranked safety entering the season despite being relatively inexperienced. His combination of instincts, ball skills and enthusiasm crashing downhill in run support makes him a high-upside prospect.”
Johnson is widely viewed as a top-20 prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft, as he has fantastic size (6-2, 197 pounds) for the position and can be a real playmaker. During the 2025 season, he racked up four interceptions and 48 tackles despite playing just 10 games. He has struggled with injuries over the last two seasons, but a healthy 2026 campaign would make him a sure-fire first-round pick next year.
Reid is smart to match a safety with Pittsburgh, as that position could be a problem spot for them in 2026. And even if it’s not, DeShon Elliott will be 30 next offseason and is in the final year of his contract.
Jalen Ramsey, meanwhile, who is likely to play some safety this season, will be 32 this year and isn’t likely to be on the team in 2027. Pittsburgh seems very likely to revamp the entire safety room next offseason, and Johnson would be a fantastic target.
The Steelers would obviously love to find their next franchise quarterback, and the hope is that the 2027 class can produce several options, much like we saw in 2024 with Drake Maye, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Bo Nix. But if they miss out on the quarterbacks, don’t be surprised if the Steelers go defense as they try to rebuild an aging secondary.
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