After two weeks of the regular season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have experienced a bumpy ride to a 1-1 record. There are still 16 weeks of the schedule to burn through, but after their first loss of the campaign, many are concerned. The team has yet to find a way to improve, and their loss against the Seattle Seahawks revealed a troubling truth about their roster.
Aaron Rodgers and the offense didn't have a terrific outing against Seattle, but it wasn't terrible either. The aging quarterback is set to be the Steelers’ signal caller this season. Afterward, the team hopes to grab a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft. It appeared to be a strong class at the position going into the collegiate season, but those beliefs are dissipating.
Many of the top prospects entering the season have witnessed regression when it comes to their draft stock during the first three weeks of the year.
Arch Manning hasn't lived up to the hype; in fact, he is struggling to stay relevant as the starter. Other top players, such as Drew Allar and Cade Klubnik, have not had the strong start to the schedule they had hoped for.
Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback succession plan put on hold by 2026 draft prospects
Matt Miller of ESPN listed his top five quarterback prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft as LaNorris Sellers (1), Garrett Nussmeier (2), Sam Leavitt (3), Cade Klubnik (4), and Drew Allar (5).
That was his latest list, released on August 30, which was the first week of college football. Since that list, each one of these potential draft prospects has failed to live up to the hype, and this didn't even include Manning.
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LaNorris Sellers has been one of the more promising of the bunch, but he just suffered an injury this past weekend. He suffered a head injury, which forced him out of most of the game. Before his injury, he was producing solid stat lines. He hasn't faced "top" competition early in the campaign, but he has been taking care of business. Sellers remains a top prospect.
Miller's second-ranked quarterback is the LSU Tigers signal-caller, Garrett Nussmeier.
He plays in the SEC, which will help him with scouts, but he hasn't elevated his game to the level you'd like to see early in the season. The Steelers will appreciate his skill set, but he must improve his production in high-pressure situations. He hasn't done anything to tank his stock, but you'd like to see more.
Shockingly, Sam Leavitt was ranked so highly, but he did have a fantastic season in 2024. It's been a dreadful start for Arizona State. They are struggling to rebound from losing a lot of talent to the NFL. You can see the competitive spirit that Leavitt has during his games, despite the lack of talent around him. He might be forced to stay in college if he can't carry his team on his back.
No program in college football has been a bigger disappointment than Clemson. Their starting quarterback, Cade Klubnik, was anticipated to be one of the biggest risers among potential draft prospects. This young signal caller has fallen flat on his face, and Pittsburgh should consider writing him off. He has a lot of tools to work with, but his early-season struggles are ugly.
You can round out this list with Drew Allar as a prospect who is just floating his way into irrelevance.
He hasn't cost Penn State any games, but they haven't played anyone good. Allar has many appealing qualities to his game, but he has also displayed early signs of mental errors. He must perform well in Penn State's biggest games against Oregon, Ohio State, and others if he wants to take his draft stock to another level.