All signs point to the Pittsburgh Steelers treading water in 2025 with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback and loading up to land a franchise quarterback in the 2026 NFL draft, potentially. Rodgers is playing on a one-year contract and there’s no apparent heir to the position on the roster who moves the needle at this point.
But in the latest three-round mock draft from Pro Football Network, they go a completely different direction and don’t select a quarterback until the third round. Let’s take a look at all four picks and break them down.
First round: Avieon Terrell, CB Clemson
PFN went cornerback for the Steelers after five quarterbacks went off the board in the first 10 picks, and the Steelers picked at No. 17. This would put the Steelers in a tough spot. But if these five guys are really that hyped up and projected to go this high, we would expect the Steelers to trade up to land their guy rather than just pass it off until the 2027 NFL draft.
Second round: Malachi Fields, WR Notre Dame
Malachi Fields is a nice prospect with elite size and physicality but enough athleticism to not be typecast as a jump-ball receiver or possession guy. If he can show a bit more speed this season and some separation, he could see his route tree expand, which would help his draft stock.
Third round: John Mateer, QB Oklahoma
Mateer joins the Sooners after transferring from Washington State, where he put up gaudy numbers in their scheme. Mateer is hoping to continue that in Oklahoma, which would make this pick more plausible but hardly the answer at quarterback.
Third round: Tristan Leigh, OT Clemson
Leigh is a rock-solid player and we have no issue using a third-round pick on an offensive tackle despite Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu in place. Leigh could be the long-term solution for the Steelers’ shaky depth at offensive tackle right now.
Overall
This draft fails for me, mainly because of the first round. We don’t believe the Steelers leave the round without a quarterback and if this means they trade up to get one so be it. There’s no doubt those five will be in the mix to go in the top half of the round. However, if, in the predraft process, the Steelers identify one of these guys as a potential Ben Roethlisberger replacement, they have the draft capital to go get them.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Takeaways from Steelers picks in new three-round mockdraft