Mock Draft Monday: The Steelers add a rising quarterback with their top pick

The Pittsburgh Steelers are moving through the 2025 offseason. With free agency continuing to shape next season’s roster, it will be followed by the NFL draft in April. The Steelers still have the opportunity to add some free agent acquisitions before making their first draft selection. With the NFL combine behind us, player pro days are winding down as teams look to set their big boards before the draft.

When talking about mock drafts or NFL free agency, one first has to first identify the team’s main needs for the offseason. As the Steelers navigate free agency, there are some who would like to see the Steelers go with either cornerback or defensive line with their first-round pick. Others feel wide receiver, running back, or even quarterback could still be on top of the list. With plenty of chances for the Steelers to continue to shape their roster prior to April, their goal is usually to get into position to draft the best player available rather than target a specific position. When it comes to what position the team will select with their first pick, it is certainly up for debate.

In a recent seven-round mock draft by ProFootballNetwork.com, they have the Steelers addressing the quarterback position this season before anything else. With the Steelers in a holding pattern at the position, this has national outlets looking only at what is listed as the top need and filling in based only on this. Since the Steelers could go in any number of directions with their first selection, it is important to look at all the possibilities presented by various mock draft outlets.

Check out the Steelers 21st pick:

21. Pittsburgh Steelers | Jaxson Dart | QB | Mississippi | SR |

Despite being late in the draft process, there may be some players most fans are not familiar with. If this is the case, here is a breakdown of Jaxson Dart according to bleacherreport.com (from January of 2025):

Jaxson Dart

• HEIGHT: 6’2″
• WEIGHT: 223
• HAND: 9½”
• ARM: 30″
• WINGSPAN: 72⅞”

POSITIVES

— Possesses above-average arm strength with multiple arm slots.

— Throws with good touch to layer passes over MoF defenders.

— Good athlete with good size/build, extends plays and effective on QB designed runs.

— Flashes downfield passing ability against one-on-one coverages; if he identifies it early, he’s taking the shot.

NEGATIVES

— Slower mental processing reading defenses post-snap.

— Less than ideal anticipatory thrower from the pocket.

— Mechanics and throwing efficiency is inconsistent; he does not bring his feet in the action and will muscle throws down the field.

— Ole Miss’s offense provides isolated QB-friendly reads, not a pro-style system.

NOTES

— Born May 13, 2003

— 4-star recruit in the 2021 recruiting class per 247Sports

— 2024: First Team All-SEC; Conerly Trophy Winner; Manning Award Finalist

— 2023: Davey O’Brien Award Semifinalist

OVERALL

Jaxson Dart is a talented quarterback who is at his best when he can quickly get the ball to his designed reads.

Dart excels at throwing isolated and schemed-up routes between the hashes in the middle of the field. He tends to attack one-on-one matchups. He identifies these favorable matchups pre-snap and gives his wide receivers a chance to make a play. Whether in the middle of the field or outside the numbers, if Dart spots single coverage, he will test it—the results have been successful this season.

Dart uses multiple arm angles/slots to fit passes based on defender location. He throws with a quick, sound, and snappy release when kept clean in the pocket. If there is no pass rush or pressure threat, Dart is patient in the pocket to survey the field and go through his reads. He throws with good velocity in the short and intermediate parts of the field. Dart toggles between throwing with velocity and touch with good decision-making. His throwing mechanics are sound and clean, Dart generates enough torque to drive throws between into voids in the defensive coverages.

Dart is a strong and tough runner. He is functional athletically to threaten unsuspecting defenses in the red zone. He is comfortable extending plays, keeping his eyes down the field, and throwing on the move. Dart is hard to defend because of his ability to get out of the pocket and make something happen.

As a result of Ole Miss’s heavily schemed offense, processing past the first read is slower than expected for a senior quarterback. Dart is accustomed to favorable schemed/open routes that he struggles to quickly get through his reads and find the next open target if the initial read is covered. Dart does not anticipate throwing lanes well at this stage of his career. He is a see-it, throw-it style passer. Instead of anticipating the receiver’s breaks and throwing before completion, he waits for the target to separate and work themselves open. This leads to holding onto the football and inviting pressure.

Dart struggles to throw under pressure while inside the pocket. His mechanics and accuracy go awry. He will fade away and throw off his back foot instead of standing tall to deliver the pass. Dart lacks confidence throwing against tight man-to-man coverage, leading to a higher pressure-to-sack percentage.

Overall, Jaxson Dart has a good physical skill set to be an effective starting quarterback. His ability to change up the speeds of his passes will translate well to the league. He is more than willing to take the check down underneath. Dart’s ability to pickup an NFL offense will determine how early he sees the field and the success that comes with it.

GRADE: 7.5 (Potential Impact Player—2nd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 65

POSITION RANK: QB3

PRO COMPARISON: Shades of Carson Wentz

For all you who are preparing yourself for the draft, what do you think of the selection? Would you be on board with the Steelers taking Jaxson Dart with their first pick? Or do you feel there is a better player at this position, a different one who may still be available, or that Dart will not make it to the 21st pick? Personally, I think this is a terrible idea. Dart was originally a third round pick that then got pushed up into the second round based more on lack of options at the position in this draft than his actual value. Now he’s being projected up into the first round by some? To me, this screams being a terrible reach. The Steelers have been burned by taking a quarterback that was only ranked high based on it being a weak class, so I would be shocked if they do it again. It’s nothing against Dart, and if he was still sitting there in the third round I’d be fine with the pick. But the Steelers need to do more with their top selection than to take a third round player (as I get 2018 flashbacks).