With the NFL draft less than a week away is to predict where the best quarter slopes in this class will be chosen quite tough.
One of the league’s most quarterback-needed teams, Pittsburgh Steelers, will not be on the clock until well into the night on Thursday, as they have No. 21 overall election after a playoff last season.
But after moving on from Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, the only quarter backs on Pittsburgh’s list are Skjar Thompson and Mason Rudolph. Certainly, Steelers will continue to play the waiting game for Aaron Rodgers to decide in a free agency.
But a 41-year-old Rodgers, a traveling backup in Rudolph and an exercise group candidate in Thompson is an underpar room in what way you are slicing it.
According to Beat reporter Gerry Dulc, Pittsburgh’s brass has a first round of rating on Jaxson Dart, an opportunity that has not received glitter and glamor of the best quarter backs Seedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, but a player who silently climbed up draft nationally.
“They have a first round at Jaxson Dart,” said Dulc at The Rich Eisen Show. “And they really like Seedeur Sanders.”
It is interesting to hear Dart’s name mentioned above Sanders, which at one time seemed to be a lock to be a top-five selection, but has seemedly tumbled in hollow drafts when the NFL draft has grown closer.
Top draft analyst Todd McSshay recently predicted that Dart would be prepared in front of Sanders, which would be a massive surprise.
Keep in mind that Dart rejected his invitation to participate in the NFL draft from Green Room in Green Bay. Usually players without guarantee will be selected in the first round to choose to look from home. While the broadcast would love the drama about a prospect that slides like Lamar Jackson did in 2018, it is usually safer for the player to just watch from his own home.
But Dart will not participate after initially committed to being personally. Sanders will not be there either.
Steelers have done their homework on almost every top quarterback prospectus in this class. Traditionally, developing all the way back in the 20th century a death sentence for a team that needed a quarterback. But this year? It seems that at least one of these top QB will slip.
Dart is only 21 years old and threw more than 4,000 meters during his final season at Ole Miss. Maybe he could sit and learn from Rodgers for a season before putting his own big arm on the test 2026.
