Mock Draft Monday: The Steelers have a quarterback fall to them for their top pick

The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into the 2025 offseason. With free agency as the next big event to shape next season’s roster, it will be followed by the NFL draft in April. The Steelers will have a number of decisions with players who were on the 2024 roster and will have the opportunity to add some free agent acquisitions before making their first draft selection. With the NFL combine behind us, player pro days will also shape the team’s 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. Before any gains or losses in 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 or even quarterback could be on top of the list. With plenty of chances for the Steelers 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 somewhat recent one-round mock draft by CBSSports.com, they have the Steelers addressing the quarterback position this season before anything else. With the Steelers only having Skylar Thompson under contract heading into free agency, selecting a quarterback in the first round is not beyond the realm of possibilities if the right player is there and depending what the Steelers do in free agency. 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 | Shedeur Sanders | QB | Colorado | SR |

Being early 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 Shedeur Sanders according to bleacherreport.com (from October of 2024):

Shedeur Sanders

• HEIGHT: 6’1″
• WEIGHT: 198

POSITIVES

— High-level passer, throws with great accuracy, and ball placement from the pocket.

— Displays mental resolve in late-game/clutch situations. Trustworthy when the game is on the line.

— Accustomed to throwing from muddy pockets. He stands tall to deliver the ball downfield.

— Plus-level athlete, can create second-reaction passing opportunities with his legs by extending plays.

— When protected, picks defenses apart with precision and surgical process.

NEGATIVES

— He does not utilize his athleticism enough to escape the pocket quickly and avoid pressure.

— Needs to limit pocket drifting when sensing pressure and step up instead.

— Improving route anticipation, tends to wait for his WR to break and look for the ball before throwing.

— Needs to improve instincts and feel in the pocket to avoid additional pressure and sacks in career.

NOTES

— Born Feb. 7, 2002

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

— Son of Hall of Fame DB, Deion Sanders

— 2023 Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year (AP)

OVERALL

Shedeur Sanders is one of the purest passers from the pocket in college football and the NFL Draft class. This will make him appealing to NFL offensive coordinators and head coaches.

He throws a catchable ball on the move or inside the pocket. He has outstanding poise to make plays out of structure when forced out of the pocket. Sanders is an incredibly accurate and precise passer, especially in the short-to-intermediate parts of the field. He possesses the velocity to thrive when targeting receivers in those areas.

Sanders excels at throwing his receivers away from coverage and protecting them from big hits. He displays innate comfort, throwing from muddy pockets with pressure bearing down. He brings outstanding poise and calmness in late-game situations to lead his team to victory.

However, Sanders takes too many hits because he tries to make a play and holds onto the ball. Those hits add up in the NFL and can create injuries for the most important person on the roster. Sanders must improve his anticipation; he tends to be a see-it, throw-it style quarterback. This is part of why he holds on to football, which increases his vulnerability. He is equipped with an NFL-caliber arm, but drifting backward in the pocket negatively impacts the velocity behind his passes.

Although Sanders has been willing to throw from muddy pockets and under pressure, defenses with consistent pass-rush packages can disrupt his timing and speed up his process. He is a QB you want to hit early and often, limiting his ability to become comfortable and settle into the game. It would benefit him to be more proactive with his legs to give himself a better chance to overcome pressure packages earlier in games.

Overall, Sanders’ natural and pure passing abilities are the strength of his game. He is capable of winning from clean pockets and out of structure. Sanders will pick defenses apart with his quick release and accuracy, especially if he’s kept clean. He is a high-floor prospect with a good enough ceiling to buy into. With his experience and the challenges he has faced, he is worth betting on.

GRADE: 8.0 (Year 1 Starter — 1st Round)

OVERALL RANK: 16

POSITION RANK: QB2

PRO COMPARISON: Teddy Bridgewater

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 Sanders 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 Sanders will not make it to the 21st pick? Personally, I don’t know what I think about this. I haven’t really looked at Sanders as a realistic possibility to draw an opinion. If he drops all the way to 21, that’s concerning. I just don’t see it happening. If he does, I still don’t know that the Steelers are a team that would take him regardless of how their quarterback position shakes out in the coming hour/days. The reason I highlighted this mock draft was because it was finally something different. More than anything, I’d love to hear everybody else’s opinion on the subject.