Most fans have not paid close attention to the quarterback position of the Pittsburgh Steelers since they took Kenny Pickett in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. He seems like the future of this team unless he falls apart this season. It is his job for now, but that does not mean the club will ignore the position in the draft even as soon as 2024.
The 2024 NFL draft looks like it will be a strong quarterback class that could be a deep group. It has premiere talent on the top and a couple of other prospects that could elevate their play and draft stock by the time draft day rolls around. Steelers fans should keep a close eye on these quarterbacks as they will make a lot of noise this upcoming college season.
Steelers should keep a close eye on these honorable mentions
Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
Quinn Ewers was one of the most highly sought after quarterback recruits of all time and ended up starting at Ohio State before transferring to Texas. He is coming off his first year as the Longhorns starter and it did not live up to the hype. He could be a fast riser up draft boards if he can put up Heisman level numbers.
Joe Milton III, QB, Tennessee
With one of the strongest arms in this class, Joe Milton III could lead this Tennessee team to another successful year. He has a rocket for an arm and should be able to get this program into the college football playoff conversation. This is a prospect that might be perfect for the Senior Bowl if he can prove himself as the top dog with the Volunteers.
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Another outlier in this class is J.J. McCarthy, as he has a lot to like, but also needs to prove more as a pro-style passer. He has made a ton of plays during his career at Michigan, but he will need to show more NFL readiness this season. He is a young and exciting player, so it could push McCarthy all the way to the top of this class with an amazing season ahead.
Bo Nix is a former top recruit that could make some noise this season
A former top recruit at his position stuck in school for another year with dreams of turning into the next Kenny Pickett. Bo Nix started off his career at Auburn, where he started as soon as he got to campus. He would play there for a while before transferring over to Oregon last year. He saw success but could not help that program get into the playoff conversation.
Most thought that Nix would be a day two or day three guy this past draft, but he decided to not go. Nix wants to try and get better this year and hopefully cash in when the 2024 NFL draft finally swings around. After a good start to his career as a freshman, things started to slide for this quarterback during his time at Auburn.
He made a business decision and decided to move to the great northwest as he became a Duck. Nix enjoyed a renaissance season that was his best collegiate year throughout his career. Oregon is also a better program right now when compared to his old school, Auburn. There is still a lot left to be proven by him, but he could see his draft stock rise if he improves upon last year.
Another great Senior Bowl option here in Nix as he could potentially make plays during that pre-draft event. It would make a lot of sense for the player and the event planners that get the Senior Bowl all set up. The Steelers could see him as a good option on day two to become a solid backup unless Nix outplays that level.
Jordan Travis could get the Steelers attention with a returning Florida State crew
One name that has been flying under the radar heading into the college season is Jordan Travis of Florida State. He is regarded as one of the better quarterback prospects for the NFL this coming year and could take it to the next level. He took full advantage of gaining the starter spot with the Seminoles last year after some playing time a few years prior.
It has been a long road for Travis and his career in the collegiate ranks. He has turned the heads of plenty of NFL scouts and could become a day one pick in the upcoming draft because of it. His arm is strong and can make any NFL level throw that his coaches ask of him. Even though there are a lot more good things than bad that come with his game, there are faults.
Most believe that he can read a field well, but his ability to operate and go through progressions has come into question. This is something that Travis will need to prove this season and throughout the pre-draft process. He has all the tools in the toolbox, which will make him enticing enough to likely be a day two selection at the latest.
Pittsburgh might see him being too rich of a guy in rounds two or three, but he could be a Josh Dobbs type but with a stronger arm. Dobbs was a better runner overall, but that means that Travis would be more adapted to today’s NFL game. It is time for him to put everything together for Florida State this season before the Steelers consider him.
Michael Penix Jr. could be an older prospect that gains steam around the NFL draft
One of the biggest surprises from last college football season was Michael Penix Jr. and his rise with the Washington Huskies. Not too many quarterbacks rivaled Penix's numbers last season, and he could have easily been in the conversation as a top prospect in the 2023 draft class. He decided to stick around and try to rise his stock even more.
It is not too often that left-handed quarterbacks mold out to be a top player in the NFL. Penix seems that he should be able to change that narrative with the special kind of skillset that he possesses. He started off his career at Indiana before he decided to transfer to Washington to have a starting spot.
He has it all in terms of what the NFL wants for their size in a quarterback that they will highly-invest in. Despite most of his physical traits and game being mostly high end from last year, Penix is not a finished product heading into his final collegiate year. Some work needs to be done before he can be a top pick in the draft.
Much like Pickett of the Steelers did before his final year at Pitt, Penix needs to work on his foot placement and mechanics to improve. There are not too many negatives in his game but making that jump could make him well rounded. Penix is an older prospect, but he could really make waves if he does just as well, or even better than his last campaign.
Coming off a giant year, Drake Maye could see his draft stock sky rocket
Replacing a successful quarterback in a program is no easy task, outplaying him is even crazier. That is exactly what happened to Drake Maye as he had to replace Sam Howell after he got drafted by the Washington Commanders. Howell had a conflicting career of numbers during his time at North Carolina, and that cost him to drop in the draft.
His NFL career has seen one start come his way, which did show some promise, but his future is still up in the air. Maye is a special type of prospect heading into the season, but we have seen previous North Carolina quarterbacks enter the year with hype after a huge season just a year prior. Will Maye be next to underperform?
He has all the tools that every NFL team is looking for in their franchise quarterback. If an organization could create a player at the position in a lab, it is likely they would result with some iteration of Maye's stature and play style. Pressure does not seem to get to Maye as he is always able to make throws or extend plays with his feet when necessary.
The Steelers currently have a former North Carolina alum on their team in Mitch Trubisky. He was a highly regarded quarterback coming out of college. Maye is a highly regarded player heading into this season. He is best when he can play in structure, but he is able to run when needed too, which is an impressive thing to have in your arsenal.
Caleb Williams is an explosive talent and the top quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft
USC has changed a lot in just over a year since Lincoln Riley took over the program as their head coach. He brought plenty of talented players over to USC using their wealth via NIL money. The players saw it and took advantage of the opportunity in front of them. Caleb Williams followed his former Oklahoma coach to USC, and they turned this around quickly.
Much like their time at Oklahoma, the defense continues to be an issue for their teams. Offense is always prioritized and that seems to always be their downfall when the college season gets down to the nitty-gritty. Williams is a special player and someone that scouts have been raving about for a long time.
Williams won the Heisman this past year after leading USC and their top offense to a Cotton Bowl appearance, which resulted in a shootout. Many of their competitive games this year came when another team was able to stay on the same scoring pace as Williams and their deadly assault on offense.
The Steelers will not have a shot at this guy unless they somehow get the top choice in the draft and want to move on from Pickett that quickly. That scenario is not likely to happen, but Williams is a special player and would be an interesting choice for Pittsburgh. Williams is expected to go number one overall in the 2024 NFL draft, and that is likely will go.