Steelers Silence Rumors on SEC Quarterback

The Pittsburgh Steelers are uniquely positioned to reach for a quarterback in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. A hint of desperation, a mid-to-late first-round pick, and the looming threat of teams taking a passer early in Round 2 all work against the Steelers making a good-process decision on Day 1, and fans are right to be nervous about the possibility.

Among the options to be the third quarterback off the board are Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, the latter of which became a focus of the Pittsburgh faithful’s conversations after accepting an invite to the NFL Draft in Green Bay.

The path out of quarterback purgatory may very well be through taking a consensus Day 2 passer, but doing so on Day 2 is an imperative part of that process.

For Steelers fans looking for relief, insider Mark Kaboly did his part to silence the rumors on an SEC quarterback prospect going in Round 1.

"I don't make much out of it, 'cause everything I heard the week before that is they're not really interested in the quarterback [Dart] in the first round," Kaboly said, transcribed by Sports Illustrated. "However, you know, it depends on how the board breaks and if you find a value at 21, or even if you wanna move back or anything like that, you have to do your due diligence on a guy like that. Because I don't know how much tape he really had."

"You can look at, he had a couple good games, right? Penn State game, I think. So, the Steelers are just doing their due diligence, but I still don't think he gets anywhere near [them]."

Dart has some appealing traits, namely above-average arm talent and athleticism paired with a strong tendency to operate the quick game. However, concerns over his transition from Lane Kiffin’s play-action-heavy, RPO-laden attack to a more traditional offense have lingered and he can be late against NFL windows (especially vs. man coverage) more often than one would like.

Pittsburgh may have to swallow the risk of the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, or another team stealing Dart or Milroe atop the second round. In Round 1, though, plenty of decent options should be on the board, whether it be along the defensive line or the secondary.

Another team could also get aggressive on Day 1 and jump ahead of the Steelers, pushing an extra quality prospect down to No. 21.

If Pittsburgh can close the deal on Aaron Rodgers, it might be the nail in the coffin for the Round 1 quarterback rumors altogether, given the urgency to win with him and the diminished need under center. Until then, expect speculation – however well-founded it may be – to continue.