The Steelers surprised many as pick after pick went by in the 2025 NFL Draft and they continued to watch Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders slide throughout the draft. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the reason Pittsburgh never made the call was because the organization “did not reach a consensus on Sanders as a slam dunk pick.”
The Steelers came into the draft with a need at quarterback. Sure, they were (and still are) in talks with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but nothing had been signed or decided on that front, and even if it had been, Rodgers is 41 years old and is three full years removed from playing the elite level of ball we’ve come to associate him with. Securing a top passing prospect would have still been a smart move if Rodgers ends up on the roster because it would give them a student to learn and develop behind him.
Pittsburgh did end up taking a quarterback in the draft, but that selection wouldn’t come until late into Day 3, when Will Howard was selected in the sixth round. Following the departures of one-year rentals Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, Howard joins a group that contains former Steelers backup Mason Rudolph and former Dolphins backup Skylar Thompson. Both have seen time as starters in injury replacement situations in their careers, and while Rudolph has fared decently in his opportunities, neither quarterback inspires much confidence heading into the 2025 season.
This begs the question: why didn’t Pittsburgh take a swing on a quarterback earlier? Or, if they knew they were going to wait to select one, why, when they saw Sanders freefalling round after round, did they not take a flyer on his obvious potential?
One can certainly see where they liked the value they were getting for versatile Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon as a potential eventual replacement for Cameron Heyward or the hole-filling potential of third-round Iowa rusher Kaleb Johnson, who could compete with Jaylen Warren for some serious carries. But once the fourth round rolled around and Sanders, a projected first- or second-round pick, was still around, how important was it to add Jack Sawyer to blend in with a group that already contains T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig? Does Sawyer add more value to that group that Sanders would’ve to a position that only contained Rudolph and Thompson at the time? The Steelers will need to hope so.
Ultimately, Fowler tells us that the team was “comfortable with (Sanders)…