The Pittsburgh Steelers are currently looking for a present-day quarterback and a quarterback of the future. While there’s hope that the present-day quarterback will be Aaron Rodgers returning for a second season in Pittsburgh, it’s extremely unclear who will be the QB of the future. Will Howard, who’s returning for his second season, is an option, but the Steelers could also select a quarterback in the 2026 Draft.
ESPN analyst Ben Solak thinks the team should do just that, and even named the quarterback prospect who makes the most sense for Pittsburgh. In a recent quarterback-only mock draft, highlighting the best fits, Solak argued that the Steelers should draft LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier in the third round, with the 99th-overall pick.
Pittsburgh Steelers named perfect fit for quarterback prospect Garrett Nussmeier
Solak highlighted Nussmeier’s connection to Pittsburgh, detailing how his father, Doug Nussmeier, was the quarterbacks coach for Mike McCarthy on the Dallas Cowboys. However, the analyst made it clear that this fit is about more than that connection.
"In that the Steelers need a developmental QB2 with more legs than 2025 sixth-rounder Will Howard, Garrett Nussmeier would be an option no matter what. The family connection only helps."Ben Solak (ESPN)
Nussmeier was once expected to be one of the top quarterbacks in this quarterback class and was viewed as a prospect with serious upside. The quarterback still has that upside, with Solak highlighting his passing ability and “post-snap acumen.” However, an injury in his final season at LSU led to some underwhelming play and also highlighted some of his weaknesses, like his size and being overly aggressive as a passer at times.
Still, he could evolve into a really good NFL quarterback, and Solak believes that could happen if Nussmeier has the opportunity to learn behind Aaron Rodgers, while being coached by Mike McCarthy. It would certainly be an interesting path to use a top-100 pick on, and that would show that the Steelers believe in Nussmeier‘s potential.
Whether or not the Steelers explore drafting a quarterback like Garrett Nussmeier all depends on how they feel about him and how they feel about him in relation to Will Howard. If Pittsburgh is convinced his ceiling is significantly higher, the franchise could try to land him in the draft.