The Steelers are at the low point of their season at 7-6 and might not win many games the rest of the way. It seems like this team could have a better draft choice than many thought they would just a week ago. That could open the door for a quarterback depending on how the rest of the season goes. It is the most important position in football and this team needs one.
There are plenty of reasons for the Steelers to move on from Kenny Pickett
Unless Mike Tomlin gets fired and the team implodes the rest of their remaining schedule, it seems like Kenny Pickett's job might be safe for now. It doesn't make much sense when you look at his work as the Steelers starting quarterback for nearly a season and a half of play. Some will say that he needs an offensive coordinator or just a little more time to develop, but that's not a great strategy.
Truth is that Pittsburgh has lucked out and won their seven games and Pickett has not put on a performance like a franchise guy should. Yes, young quarterbacks will make mistakes and have bad games, but Pickett has not been able to have a single-quality performance yet. Even some backup quarterbacks like Jake Browning have already had better games than Pickett.
Carson Beck could be an interesting name if he enters the 2024 draft
Right now, Carson Beck has not announced if he will return to Georgia and the Bulldog program or if he will enter the NFL Draft. It seems like he is leaning towards returning to Georgia, and that might make the most sense for his development. He has a great size for a quarterback in today's game, but he is coming off his lone season as the starter.
Beck is only a Junior and could return and remain a young quarterback prospect for the draft in 2025. He might be able to boost his draft stock higher by remaining in school, but he could be an interesting target for the Steelers if he does declare for the draft. Beck is mostly a pocket passer, but he has been able to show some movement there. Quality quarterback, but would likely be a project.
J.J. McCarthy is another big name that could leave college for the NFL
Another name here that is in a similar situation as Beck right now is J.J. McCarthy of Michigan. He has helped lead the Wolverines to great seasons since becoming the starter at quarterback. The issue for McCarthy and his development is the type of offense that he plays in. Michigan has a lot of talent at running back, and they rely on that.
That aspect then opens up McCarthy and the passing offense to make some shots. That type of offensive attack does hinder the quarterback some and the type of stats that he displays every week. One would have to imagine that someone like McCarthy would notice the treasure of talented quarterbacks ahead of him in the upcoming draft.
It would likely cause him to return to Michigan where he could hopefully have a monster number season and boost his draft stock. If both he and Beck return to school and have great seasons in 2024, then that crop of quarterbacks could be just as good as this year's. But if McCarthy can't stop the NFL calls from coming, he could be an interesting option.
The Steelers do have Kenny Pickett in place for now as their starter, so maybe a young quarterback that could learn and take over eventually could be the way to go. McCarthy has a lot of play-extending ability and a rifle for an arm. It would probably take him a little time to learn the offense and the speed of the NFL. He could be an interesting draft option if he enters the event.
Bo Nix could remind many scouts of Kenny Pickett coming out of college
There might not be a closer prospect coming out of college this year than Kenny Pickett. There are a lot of similarities, but Nix has been able to produce more consistently in college. He started off his career at Auburn where he'd start as a true freshman. He was ranked as one of the highest recruits coming out of high school in his recruiting class.
After his first season at Auburn which proved to be starting a promising career, the next two seasons didn't go as planned. He transferred to Oregon and that is where he played the past two years. That move has worked out perfectly and it will get Nix into the first round conversation come draft time. The comparisons between him and Pickett during their final collegiate years are eerily similar.
Both will have been 24 years old by the time they get drafted, which is on the older side for a quarterback coming into the NFL. Both have similar numbers coming out of college during their final seasons. Fans might be apprehensive about potentially taking another Pickett-type, but Nix has been a great player at Oregon and should be in consideration.
The improvement that Nix has shown since his transfer over to Oregon has been tremendous. He has a better pocket presence than ever and has been able to thrive. Another question mark might be if Nix is a product of only being able to run a specific type of offense that he did in college. The NFL is a different animal and the Steelers would need to decide if he could handle that or not.
Michael Penix Jr. is a playmaker that has produced great numbers
One of the more realistic options that could be there when the Steelers pick is Michael Penix Jr. He is another top quarterback for this class who found a new lease on life after he transferred from his original college. He started at Indiana and had a respectable start to his career. He did not apply huge numbers to his stats, but he was able to move out.
He went onto Washington where he has been for the past two seasons. He has been able to produce back-to-back years that could rival some Heisman numbers. One of the biggest concerns with this quarterback has been his early days of college ball which were up and down due to injury. Penix has been able to stay healthy at Washington and that provided positive results.
Another knock on his game could be the lack of rushing ability that he has not focused on building. It is not that he is an unwilling runner, but he looks to scramble and make plays with his arm, which is a great trait to have. The NFL does seem to require a mobile quarterback and someone like Penix will need to run the ball at the next level when called upon.
Another knock is that Penix will be 24 shortly after the NFL Draft wraps up. The Steelers might be afraid of investing another top pick into a 24-year-old, but Penix has been a proven playmaker at Washington. If he can stay healthy in the NFL, then he could be one of the best quarterbacks coming out of this potentially loaded quarterback group.
Jayden Daniels might be the best of the bunch available for the Steelers
It might be a little bit of a stretch depending on where the Steelers end up drafting, but Jayden Daniels could be their top quarterback on the board. He will be 23 in a couple of weeks, so he is not as old as some of the other quarterbacks in this article. He is having a phenomenal season and might end up winning the Heisman trophy.
Many do not like taking a Heisman winner, as previous winners rarely make it in the NFL. Daniels should not carry that worry as he continues to develop into an all-around weapon at quarterback. He started his first three seasons at Arizona State before transferring to LSU where he has been the past two years. There is no other quarterback in the draft who is as good all around as Daniels is.
His arm is strong, and he can find the open receiver in tight windows. Perhaps one of his best abilities is using his legs. Daniels has amassed about 5,000 total yards of offense by himself for the Tigers this year. Maybe he is not getting as much hype as the top two quarterbacks in this draft because of LSU's record this season.
The only other concern here could be the Lamar Jackson comparisons that might happen. Both are electric playmakers and are skinny guys coming out of college. Daniels should be able to add some weight to his frame at the next level and continue his development. He might be the lightning rod that the Steelers offense needs to turn things around.