At this point, it doesn't seem overly likely that the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to get left at the altar by future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers has just about run out of options for 2025, and so have the Steelers. If he wants to play this coming season, the Steelers are probably going to be his best bet.
With that in mind, the Steelers still have the leverage of the 2025 NFL Draft in their back pocket and they can use the Draft as a "break in case of emergency" if Rodgers decides to retire. In a recent four-round 2025 NFL Mock Draft over at NFL Spin Zone, the Steelers came away with an absolute haul of players. That haul included Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo in the 3rd round and Florida defensive lineman Cam Jackson in the fourth round.
So what did they do with the 21st overall pick? In this mock draft, the Steelers went with Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe. As with literally any quarterback selection, that pick is bound to be polarizing. There is not going to be a consensus love for a Jalen Milroe selection no matter what team he goes to because he's a projection at a crucial position, and you're using premium draft capital to select him.
With that being said, the Steelers can't be afraid to throw darts at that position. Milroe would be a great pickup for this team whether or not Aaron Rodgers comes to town.
Steelers take Jalen Milroe in 1st round of recent 2025 NFL Mock Draft
Let's lay out a case for the Steelers justifiably using a 1st-round pick on Jalen Milroe in this year's draft. First and foremost, the quarterback position is the most important in the sport. If you don't have one, you've got nothing.
Does that mean you just keep taking 1st-round swings at the position year after year and hoping for instant gratification? No, you have to have a long-term plan. Many Steelers fans are going to be scared off at the idea of taking a first-round quarterback in the 20s after the debacle that was Kenny Pickett a couple of years ago.
That kind of NFL Draft failure stings.
But a failed first-round investment at the QB position like Pickett doesn't mean you should shy away from drafting a quarterback in the first round if you feel like that guy can end up being the face of your franchise. Jalen Milroe, just like every prospect coming up from the college ranks, has flaws in his game. Unless your name is Andrew Luck, every single quarterback coming up from the college ranks has flaws one way or another. "Generational" guys don't come around often, and the Steelers won't be in position to pick them regardless.
You have to take calculated risks at the position.
A great warning of why you shouldn't be afraid to take a quarterback you like in the first round is the Denver Broncos. In 2016, the Broncos took a risk on Paxton Lynch in the first round of the draft. They had just won the Super Bowl, were playing with house money, and felt like Lynch's traits would translate to the NFL level. Steelers fans know very well how that worked out, because Lynch had a cup of coffee in Pittsburgh not too long ago.
The failure of Lynch caused former Broncos GM John Elway to pass on the talented Josh Allen in the 2018 NFL Draft, a decision he now says is his greatest regret as general manager of the Broncos.
Past NFL Draft failures are not always predictors of the future. It's similar to scouting a player based on the college they attended. It's a horrible way of doing business. If the Steelers believe Jalen Milroe is a good fit for their organization, he could be a home run selection in round one, and the ideal pivot away from Aaron Rodgers.