It's no surprise, but the Pittsburgh Steelers had scouts watching some of the top quarterback prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft. A lot can transpire before the draft heads to Pittsburgh this spring. The college football season just wrapped up Week 1 of competition, and many teams were keeping tabs on some of the highly touted players who are projected to enter the NFL Draft.
The Steelers are believed to have a plan in place to have Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterback this year, with the intention of transitioning to a young player at the position next season.
The 2026 quarterback crop of prospects is expected to be filled with talent, and indications from scouts across the country suggest the Steelers are interested. Don't be shocked if this trend continues throughout the college football campaign.
The Pittsburgh Steelers aren't shy about their QB interest long before the 2026 NFL Draft
Steelers watched Arch Manning struggle versus Ohio State
According to Chip Brown, an insider from the Texas Longhorns program, 22 NFL teams were represented at the Ohio State vs. Texas game this past weekend. There was plenty of talent on the field, including projected top pick Arch Manning. He is the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning. It remains uncertain whether he will declare for the draft or return to college.
Manning has lofty expectations going into this campaign, and it will be hard for him to live up to the hype.
His first go as the full-time starter at Texas didn't go as planned. Manning looked mediocre, and social media was bashing him. He posted a stat sheet of 56 percent completion, 170 passing yards, and a lone touchdown through the air. Manning also rushed for 38 yards, but he was sacked once and threw an interception.
The young QB has a tough road ahead to bounce back from his difficult showing against the Buckeyes. He fell flat on his face during his first test with the Steelers in the building, watching him. Manning still has terrific potential to be the top quarterback of the 2026 NFL Draft, but after this past weekend, that is starting to slip. He must play better to hang onto his draft potential.
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Steelers scouts got to witness what makes LaNorris Sellers special
No quarterback in the potential crop of prospects has a higher ceiling than LaNorris Sellers. The South Carolina signal caller had a tremendous season last year, and it has NFL scouts excited to see what he can do. He has elite size and athleticism, which could remind some of Cam Newton or Josh Allen. The hype train continues to grow for his second stint as the starter.
Pittsburgh sent a scout to witness Sellers take on the Virginia Tech Hokies, per ESPN's Jordan Reid. It wasn't an elite opponent for Sellers to prove his game to NFL scouts, but he did show promising traits throughout the game. The promising prospect posted a 63% completion rate, 209 passing yards, 25 rushing yards, and two touchdowns on the day. It was a solid start to boost his draft stock.
Sellers has a lot left to prove to every scout who watched his game.
The South Carolina QB remained efficient, but his stat sheet wasn't anything mind-boggling. He must create massive numbers if he wants to jump into the top pick conversation when the 2026 NFL Draft happens. The Steelers have shown early interest in LaNorris Sellers, and he could be someone they covet.