We’re in the twilight period of the NFL season. Free agency’s main wave has come and gone, and anticipation for the NFL Draft has reached a boiling point. The writers of BTSC are still churning out draft profiles and other related content, but the bulk of our research and preparation for the draft is done. We’ve made our big boards, tracked Pittsburgh’s pre-draft visitors, and taken part in our fair share of Mock Draft Mondays.
As we wait for the draft to finally kick off its opening night in Pittsburgh,
Read & React felt this was a good time to open this up to the readers and host a good old-fashioned mailbag. We opened things up to you all; any football topic was on the table. Naturally, we got a lot of questions about the draft, but we received enough questions on enough topics to turn this mailbag into a two-parter.
Part two will come out on Monday, but let’s dive into our first segment of questions.
Quarterback questions will continue until morale improves
From SteelersSince73!: “Is there a quarterback who represents a realistic selection at pick 21?”
RB: The only quarterback who you could argue makes sense at No. 21 would be Alabama’s Ty Simpson. Fernando Mendoza will be long gone by then, and I don’t think even Drew Allar and Garrett Nussmeier’s most ardent supporters see them as Day 1 selections.
I wouldn’t be completely blindsided by a Simpson pick even if I don’t believe the Steelers have shown anywhere near enough interest in him this draft cycle to make him a likely selection. But to a certain extent, I understand the strategy of drafting quarterbacks early – whether you feel good about it or not – until one hits.
Last draft, I wasn’t a fan of taking Jaxson Dart or Tyler Shough (although may the record show I was a fan of his) early. And maybe neither will pan out to be true “franchise quarterbacks” – I’m still a bit skeptical of both – but it’s fair to say the Steelers would be in a slightly more optimistic spot right now if they had taken the gamble on either.
That said, I still wouldn’t like Simpson as a first-round pick. He’s undersized, lacks ideal tools, and was inconsistent to close out his one year as a college starter. With Pittsburgh seemingly set to take a swing at a passer in 2027, Simpson isn’t a risk worth taking early in 2026, in my opinion.
But Simpson’s early-season stretch of games in 2025 – check out his Georgia game if you want to understand some of the hype – did showcase some high-level quarterbacking. You could talk me into liking the pick.
RP: To be honest, I struggle with this one. The only prospect that theoretically could go that high as QB2 is Simpson, as Ryland mentioned. If I were in Omar Khan’s shoes, I would think there are just too many risks in Simpson’s profile to justify the pick. He hasn’t started many games, he’s undersized with durability concerns, and he doesn’t possess any physical traits that I would describe as special. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have reasons to be optimistic about his potential — his pre-snap processing is advanced for a player with his limited starting experience — but I view him as a player whose best-case scenario is performing like a Brock Purdy or a Kirk Cousins type of player. The issue is that both of those players were acquired under far lesser stakes than the 21st-overall pick.
I also have doubts that Simpson matches the kind of quarterback profile that Mike McCarthy has previously described as ideal for him. But if the Steelers do secretly like Simpson more than they’ve let on, I still struggle to see him at 21. If Simpson is available at 21, that means other quarterback-needy teams like the Jets (16) passed on him, and teams like the Browns (24), Dolphins (30), and Cardinals (34) didn’t feel the need to jump ahead of the Steelers to take him. I think Khan is too savvy to take such a risk without hedging with additional moves to lessen the impact if the pick misses.
All that said, if you believe that the Steelers should be throwing darts until they find their quarterback, I can’t really fault you for that line of thinking. I’d just prefer a trade back, or trade back into the first, over just using the 21st pick straight up.
From AmpersandSteel: “You’re forced to use a 3rd round pick on a QB in this class. Everyone but Mendoza and Simpson is available. Who are you betting on with the goal being a Dak Prescott or Russell Wilson type of result?”
RP: It isn’t a great class, so with the caveat that I’m highly skeptical any of these options could become a Prescott or Wilson, I’ve decided that North Dakota State’s Cole Payton is the guy I’d like to see developed. He’s got the size McCarthy likes (6’3, 232 pounds, 315/8” arms, and 101/4” hands), which pushes him past a smaller prospect like Garrett Nussmeier (6’2, 203 pounds, 303/8” arms, 91/8” hands) for me.
I’m not a Drew Allar believer, though I understand why he’d likely be the pick if we polled our readers. Likewise, I’ve seen enough of Carson Beck that I think he’s closer to tapped out on his development. Taylen Green is a size-speed freak, but his accuracy is scatter-shot, and I think he’s started long enough in college to have doubts that his bad habits and inconsistencies aren’t core to who he will always be as a passer.
In my estimation, Payton gives you the happy medium between those other options. Payton doesn’t have Green’s speed (4.36 40-yd dash), but his 4.56-second time (91st-percentile) is nothing to sneeze at, and Payton was a weapon on the ground for the Bison with 777 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. He’s far from a refined passer, with mechanical inconsistencies and issues with pressure that I think can be chalked up to his inexperience.
Green and Payton are roughly the same age (23.5) and have some of the same flaws. They’d be my top two choices. All things being equal, I find myself leaning more towards Payton, simply because I can talk myself into developing those same flaws out of a player with limited starting experience more than I can for a guy who was a four-year starter and still has those same flaws.
Plus, when Taylen Green faced pressure when I saw him in person, he threw multiple interceptions on ill-advised throws. Payton, on the other hand, showed off some of his underappreciated athleticism on this throw, where I’m still not sure how he had enough torque to make this throw under duress.
Not a throw I’d advise trying on a Sunday, but it did offer a good indication of his athleticism and core flexibility.
RB: I’m not quite as high on Payton as Ryan – as I’ve written a few times for BTSC this year, I’m not bullish on the NDSU product’s arm talent, and paired with a jump from the FCS to the NFL, I have a hard time justifying spending a third-round pick on him.
LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier is my QB3 in this class, but he comes with his own set of concerns and doesn’t fit the mold of “big, AFC North quarterback” the team has been pushing this draft cycle. If you make me take a quarterback in the third round, I’d probably go Nussmeier, but I don’t think it’s realistic and there are legitimate questions about how he’d hold up in Pittsburgh. I just like the way he plays the game.
More realistic would be Drew Allar, who I’m not that high on either, but he at least has prototypical NFL size, and his arm is one of the most exciting in this class. He has a long way to go in development and I wouldn’t project him as a future starter, but there aren’t many inspiring choices when it comes to Day 2 quarterbacks in this year’s class.
But as I’ve written a few times this year, if the Steelers do decide to draft a quarterback in 2026, I’d hope they roll the dice on a traitsy name (Allar, Green, etc.) rather than another solid-all-around but somewhat limited passer like Will Howard.
Truthfully, my ideal quarterback pick in this year’s class for Pittsburgh would be Taylen Green in Round 5 or 6. 2019 Jameis Winston decision-making and a 9.99 RAS? Sign me up for that rollercoaster ride this preseason.
From Blkgoldtom:
“Hypothetically, you are the GM and the rookies flew off the board before you grabbed one. It’s the morning of Day 3, and you have been ordered to trade for one of Tyson Bagent, Tanner McKee, or Will Levis. Assuming the cost for each is identical, which one do you trade for? Where would you rank these vet options talent-wise against this year’s Day 2 & 3 rookies?”
RB: Fun question. Personally, I’d go for McKee. I’ve never really understood the Bagent hype (fine backup, but the starter talk has always felt a tad unfounded), while Levis remains too inconsistent and is coming off a season-ending shoulder injury.
That said, I did revisit some Levis games after reading this and was reminded just how great his arm talent and tight-window throw ability can be. I wouldn’t rule out a late-career renaissance of some sort just yet, especially once he gets out of Tennessee.
But McKee has simply been far more consistent over his time with the Eagles, and he still possesses some solid physical tools with a good arm and great size at 6’6, 231 pounds. His ball placement and decision making have stood out in his limited playing time so far.
You could talk me into seeing McKee as the QB3 if he was part of the 2026 draft class, but that’s more of a reflection of the class than McKee – and he has the benefit of some proven NFL experience.
RP: For me, it’s Tanner McKee, and it’s not particularly close among that trio of veteran options. Will Levis is a mess of a player, and one I never understood much of the appeal for. Likewise with Bagent, who, like Levis, has mobility, but not much else I like. Plus, Bagent is short and slight for the position. McKee fits more of the mold of an AFC North quarterback and has the size that more aligns with what McCarthy likes — 6’55/8, 231 pounds, 327/8” arms. He has a big arm and looks to get the ball downfield.
But everything about McKee is pure projection. He has just two starts and has participated in only six games at the NFL level. His numbers are respectable given the small sample size — 61.4% completion rate, 597 yards, five touchdowns, just one interception — but you certainly can’t project a future NFL star from such a limited snapshot. Still, of those three options, I’d have him the highest.
It gets more interesting when you pair him against the rookie crop. He doesn’t have the mobility that Payton or Green would give you, but I think he’d give you a similar skillset, if not better, than Allar. I wouldn’t draft Beck, and I’m a fan of McKee’s size and arm strength more than either of Nussmeier’s or Simpson’s football IQ.
I think it’d be a coin flip between Payton and McKee for me, so if McKee comes in cheaper than the hypothetical third-round pick we were tasked with using in the previous question, I’d roll with McKee for a Day 3 pick and set my sights on the 2027 class.
From Jon Voight’s Car: “Who is the Steelers’ starting quarterback… in 2027?”
RP: Speaking of, that’s anyone’s guess. I won’t go too long here as it’ll be purely speculation. I don’t see the Steelers being bad enough in 2026 to land in a position to draft Arch Manning or Dante Moore without trading the farm. So for now, I’m going to say it’ll either be Miami’s Darian Mensah or South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers as the third or fourth QB off the board. That, or a trade/signing to bring in CJ Stroud, coming off a disappointing fifth season for Houston.
Sadly, my crystal ball has a terribly costly set of fees for anything farther in the future than “What will I eat for dinner tonight?”
RB: I’m right there with Ryan – this feels impossible to predict but I definitely would guess it’s a first-round rookie. I highly doubt Manning will be available when Pittsburgh is on the clock, but there’s no saying what an extra year could do to hurt or help Dante Moore’s draft stock. Mensah and Sellers would also be my next tier, so to speak. Also keep an eye on Jayden Maiava and Trinidad Chambliss.
There are also quite a few mid-tier quarterbacks set to hit free agency in 2027. I wouldn’t be surprised in the least to see the time sign McKee, Davis Mills, or even a bigger name such as Bryce Young to keep the incoming rookie from having to start too early.
Your burning draft questions
From LongJourneyAhead: “What are the chances of us packaging multiple 3rds for an extra 2nd, and is it a good idea?”
RB: Possible enough that I had Pittsburgh doing exactly that in my predictive seven-round mock earlier this week. If the Steelers don’t address offensive guard or wide receiver in the first round, I could see them moving up to make sure they secure two names they like at those positions on Day 2.
I think the Steelers will almost certainly be making double digit draft picks this year – maybe even all 12 – but the team does have a whopping three third-round picks. They can afford to burn one of them without losing out on too much capital.
I think a Day 2 trade up could definitely be in the cards, and as I mentioned in my mock draft, a team such as Chicago (No. 60 overall in the second round) makes a a lot of sense.
RP: I’ve been saying for months now that I think the Steelers are going to wind up making more of their 12 picks than I think most of the fanbase assumes. Omar Khan has shown he isn’t afraid to move around the board, which lends some credence to the popular idea of a trade up. However, in his three previous drafts, he’s been far more likely to trade down or move a pick for a veteran player than he has been to trade up.
In three drafts with Khan calling the shots, the Steelers have moved up in the draft without sending away a player just once: Khan’s first-ever pick when he moved from 17 to 14 for a first-round swap and a fourth-round pick. The three other trades that involved the Steelers receiving an upgraded pick involved sending away Kenny Pickett (for pick 98 and two 2025 seventh-round picks), Kevin Dotson (for pick 155 and a 2025 sixth-round pick), and a player swap where the Steelers sent away Diontae Johnson for Donte Jonshon and upgraded their seventh-round pick into a sixth-round pick.
On the other hand, the Steelers have made six trades where they’ve traded back to acquire a combination of more picks and veteran players. Three trades involving picks in the 2023 draft happened before the draft took place, with Pittsburgh acquiring Ahkello Witherspoon, Allen Robinson, and Malik Reed. The team did trade back during the 2023 draft, swapping third-round picks to add a fourth rounder. In the 2025 draft, the Steelers gave up a second-round pick and upgraded a seventh-round pick into a sixth-rounder for DK Metcalf. They also traded pick 156 to acquire picks 164 and 226.
So it certainly isn’t out of the question, especially in a scenario where the Steelers might covet a guard or receiver in the second round that they don’t believe will fall to pick 53. I’m skeptical that there is a player in the first round they prize enough to make a trade up for, but anything is possible.
From Steeler Tide: “We see all of these mocks and comments on who/which position the Steelers should or could draft. Name an offensive and a defensive player that you would not like to see drafted by the Steelers on day one or two of the draft, and why. To make it more interesting, it must be in a position of need or a position that has been widely speculated to be drafted in the first couple of rounds.”
& From Castiron: “For both of you: What player would make you throw something if the Steelers take them at 21? For me it’s any WR.”
RP: These questions were both getting at the same topic, so we decided to merge them and include both.
Personally, I don’t think I’ve ever reacted that strongly to a draft pick I didn’t like, even if there were some head-scratching selections in the final years of Kevin Colbert. Once the pick is turned in, I might remain skeptical, but ultimately, I want the team and player to find success. The point is taken, though!
This year, I lean towards wanting the Steelers to take receiver Germie Bernard in the second round and go elsewhere with their top pick. I don’t think I’d be as disappointed about a Denzel Boston pick as some of our readers would be, though.
Ty Simpson in the first round would make me a little queasy too, though I’d understand the reasoning behind it.
I’d also be worried about the team making the Broderick Jones mistake again if they took fellow green Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling.
Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor also wouldn’t be my favorite, especially at tackle, but I could talk myself into him working out as a guard if the Steelers trend towards a more gap-scheme running attack under McCarthy.
I’d be fine if they ultimately took an edge rusher, but I’d be underwhelmed if they took TJ Parker or one of the undersized rushers like R Mason Thomas or Cashius Howell. I’d also like them to avoid an older prospect with durability issues like Akheem Mesidor if they insisted on drafting an edge rusher.
Defensive line also wouldn’t be my favorite at 21, unless it was an upside swing at Peter Woods falling down the board. I like Kayden McDonald, Lee Hunter, Christen Miller, and Caleb Banks to varying degrees, but all of them would feel like overpays given their skillsets or durability concerns in Banks’ case.
The same goes for linebacker, where I like guys like CJ Allen and Jacob Rodriguez, but would feel like the Steelers left very little room for error for either prospect at such a high cost.
RB: I think it’ll be especially hard to get mad at a Steelers first-round pick this year as the team just has so many long-term needs you can justify just about any player as long as they are a top-32-ish talent in the class.
As Ryan pointed out, even edge rusher could make some sense, assuming Pittsburgh has a clear future planned out for TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig. That said, it would be near the bottom of my “wishlist” for that pick.
Of the players more commonly mocked to the Steelers, I wouldn’t be too pleased with a Denzel Boston selection. I think he can be a good starting wideout down the road, but the poor separator, good contested catcher archetype is always a risky one to bet on early in the draft, even if Boston is a smoother athlete than past draft busts in that mold. Still, he’s my WR6 and I can almost guarantee someone ahead of him in that ranking will be available at No. 21.
I also wouldn’t be too excited for a Ty Simpson pick for the reasons outlined earlier in this article.
Actually, an inside linebacker pick might confuse me the most. C.J. Allen is cool, but there’s really not a non-Ohio State off-ball linebacker worth taking in the first round this year, especially when you consider positional value.
From TorchM:
“Where would things ideally play out for us in position depth relative to needs and any concentrations around our picks? What might be a mistake in taking any positions early and running out of options at other positions in later picks? I’m hoping for more pure BPA early on, then flipping to [taking players with] the highest ceiling later, rather than targeting positions of need.”
RB: I’d largely agree with the strategy you mentioned in the second half of your comment. As for the first, I’m not sure if it’s a major concern as the draft is fairly deep at most of the positions the Steelers seem to be prioritizing (outside of quarterback).
Wide receiver and left guard are the two biggest immediate needs on the team, and I’d hope both are addressed before Day 3. I’d expect Day 2 runs for both positions– there’s a clear top four at guard that would be the safest bets for Pittsburgh, and I’m beginning to doubt Day 3 gems at wide receiver such as Ted Hurst and Bryce Lance will even last that long.
The good news is the Steelers have five picks in the top 100, so I’m not too worried about them losing out on talent at positions of need unless something really unexpected happens.
As for other positions of interest for the Steelers, it’s a deep class at both inside linebacker and defensive back. Offensive tackle, defensive line, and tight end aren’t great, but I still think there are a handful of intriguing, high-ceiling names on Day 3, and the Steelers don’t need immediate contributors there, anyway.
RP: I touched on this slightly at the previous answer, so I think I’ll answer this question more by highlight where I think significant tier drops occur.
- WR: I’m fine with missing on the top group of guys (Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, USC’s Makai Lemon, Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, Washington’s Denzel Boston, or Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion) but they will be taking some chances if they do. Alabama’s Germie Bernard (58) is the only second-round projection I’d be genuinely excited about, though Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell II (54) would be intriguing, even if I value him more as a third-rounder. Still, there are a bevy of third and fourth-round level talents I would be fine with including: Clemson’s Antonio Williams (75), Georgia State’s Ted Hurst (79), North Dakota State’s Bryce Lance (93), USC’s Ja’Kobi Lane (104), UConn’s Skyler Bell (83), Ole Miss’ De’Zhaun Stribling (119), TCU’s Eric McAlister (224), and Missouri’s Kevin Coleman Jr. (170). But the Steelers need to take one, if not two pass catchers by the end of Day 2.
- OG: We’ve talked a lot about the big four that should go in the first two rounds (Penn State’s Vega Ioane, Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon, Georgia Tech’s Keylan Rutledge, and Texas A&M’s Chase Bisontis), but there are options later if the Steelers feel comfortable enough with Spencer Anderson and Brock Hoffman. Kentucky’s Jalen Farmer (97) is a round three/round four option I enjoy quite a bit, but the team will likely need to take a tackle convert like Boise State’s Cage Kasey (126), or players with their own warts like Notre Dame’s Billy Schrauth (139) or Iowa’s Beau Stephens (152) on Day Three if they wait any longer than that.
- OT: If the Steelers don’t go for a round one tackle, guys like Miami’s Markell Bell (120), Boston College’s Jude Bowry (121), are guys to watch in the fourth round. Memphis’ Travis Burke (150) and Ole Miss’ Diego Pounds (157) are some names for the fifth round. Keep in mind the tackle cost is very real, so they could leap a whole round compared to their rankings on consensus boards.
- Safety and cornerback are both very deep. While I think there is a reason to be excited if the Steelers take a guy early at these positions, it’s less critical than some other spots. Jadon Canady (163), Jalen Huskey (184), and Thaddeus Dixon (198) are all guys I’d still be thrilled to add late in the draft at cornerback, for example. At safety, VJ Payne (133) is the last safety I’d pound the table for, but some interesting role players like Texas’ Michael Taaffe (171), Miami’s Jakobe Thomas (186), Indiana’s Louis Moore (221), and Texas Tech’s Cole Wisniewski (245) are projected late.
From Polamolecules_Dude: “Should the Steelers continue to draft defense high so they can begin to let the older high-priced players go?”
RP: It should be noted that while defense dominated the Steelers’ top picks of the 2010s (eight picks, including seven straight from 2013-2019), the Steelers actually spent the first five top picks of the 2020s on the offensive side of the ball. That trend was broken last year when they selected defensive lineman Derrick Harmon last year. They’ve also only spent their second pick on defense twice this decade: Alex Highsmith in the third round (2020), and Joey Porter Jr. (2023) as a pseudo first-rounder with the 32nd pick in his draft class.
That said, if the Steelers want to spend a first-round pick on defense, I don’t think fans should be that upset about it.
- The defensive line is shallow past the starters. Cam Heyward is in his late 30s, and Keeanu Benton’s rookie contract set to expire after the season. Adding there wouldn’t be unwise.
- At edge rusher, the Steelers need to figure out if they are willing to extend Nick Herbig. TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith are likely past their primes, even if they are still above league average. They’ve both battled injuries in recent years. I also believe you can never have enough pass-rushing talent.
- The linebacker room has been a weak spot. Patrick Queen hasn’t lived up to his contract and Payton Wilson still struggles on running downs. I don’t think there is a first-round worthy prospect where they pick, but a Day 2 selection wouldn’t be surprising.
- The secondary is solid, but much of the Steelers’ collection of cornerbacks and safeties are either on short-term deals or front-loaded contracts that the Steelers could end early without hurting their cap too drastically. Only Porter Jr. could qualify as a superstar at this point, with Jalen Ramsey aging and Jamel Dean being a very good corner, but not someone I’d label as elite. Getting younger, especially if they can add a potential superstar with an early pick, would not be the worst use of resources.
RB: I tend to be a BPA apologist most years so I’ll respond with the always annoying “It depends what the board looks like.” But I do think that the defense is rapidly approaching some big changes.
Cam Heyward can’t play forever. Patrick Queen is a 2027 free agent and there was a lot of trade smoke around him this offseason. Pittsburgh likely won’t be keeping its three-headed monster at edge rusher much longer. And in the secondary, Jalen Ramsey, Jamel Dean, and DeShon Elliott aren’t exactly nearing retirement, but I don’t think you can count on all three being around long term.
Most of the names I listed above are key cogs of the Steelers’ current defense, so I don’t think it would hurt at all to get ahead of the turnover and draft some talented youngsters this year as eventual replacements. That’s why I wouldn’t be mad at early investments at defensive line, linebacker, safety, or cornerback this year. They may not be massive contributors early, but the team will definitely need them soon.
Join in on Steelers R&R by sharing your takes on this week’s topics. Feel free to pitch future questions in the comment section or on Twitter/X: tag @_Ryland_B or @RyanParishMedia, or email us at steelersreadnreact@gmail.com.
