Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan wasted no time returning to the bridge quarterback carousel after the Kenny Pickett era quickly went south. The results have been as mixed as the mishmash of veterans, to put it mildly, with soon-to-be 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers being the latest trooper.
However, with Rodgers disclosing that 2025 will mark the final campaign of his illustrious 21-year career, the Steelers must begin making arrangements to replace him. Khan and the front office were ostensibly aware of this being a possibility when they signed him to an expiring contract in June.
The likelihood of losing Rodgers forces Pittsburgh to at least consider spending premium draft capital on a signal-caller for the first time since Pickett. Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports seemingly agrees; he projects the Steelers to take USC’s Jayden Maiava in his latest mock.
Pittsburgh Steelers erase Kenny Pickett era with USC's Jayden Maiava in 2026 NFL mock draft
Wilson has the Steelers taking the third passer off the board next spring, choosing Maiava with the No. 15 overall selection. The Steelers land their heir apparent to Rodgers and face the fears that haunted them because of the failed Pickett experiment.
Fascinatingly, Maiava isn’t a consensus top-three prospect at his position in the 2026 class, so Wilson envisions Pittsburgh taking a leap of faith. It’s a bold decision, one Steeler Nation may not love because it’s eerily reminiscent of the club’s risky Pickett move in 2022.
Pickett was a polarizing figure when he was going through the evaluation process. There were well-chronicled hand-size concerns, having smaller mitts than any QB in the NFL at the time. Moreover, many pointed out that his electrifying fifth-year senior Heisman Trophy finalist campaign was an outlier compared to four prior collegiate seasons.
At 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, Maiava’s measurables aren’t a weakness (conversely, they are a strength). Nevertheless, he’s pacing to enter the pros coming off an anomalous statistical breakout like Pickett.
Maiava’s pacing to finish with roughly as many passing touchdowns this year as he tossed in 2023 and 2024 combined. His yards per completion (16.2) and attempt (11.4) lead the nation, albeit much than what we saw from him as a freshman and sophomore. The Trojans' gunslinger has also posted a near-11 percent year-over-year completion percentage increase (from 59.8 to 70.5) through five games as a junior.