Think you can figure out which Steelers player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!
Hey Steelers fans! We’re back for another day of the Behind the Steel Curtain in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.
The goal of the game is to guess the correct Steelers player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.
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The definitive boom or bust prospect in this year’s draft.
Approaching the 2025 NFL Draft, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on anywhere from Rounds 1 through 7. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital and their fit with the Steelers.
Could Jalen Milroe be the best realistic option at quarterback for the Steelers in this year’s draft?
Milroe’s draft stock is defined by his wild ups and downs as a starter at Alabama, but neither of those extremes paint an accurate picture.
We’ll start with Milroe as a runner, where there seems to be the most consensus. Spoiler alert: he’s the best rushing quarterback in this draft class, to the point where there’s a legitimate chance he develops into some sort of ball-carrying weapon in the NFL even if the quarterback gig doesn’t work out.
His first-step quickness is incredible for a quarterback. Watching him run the read option was always a treat because of how quickly he could get downfield.
Jalen Milroe is so much fun running the read option. Insane acceleration for a 220-pound quarterback. pic.twitter.com/uPuENvKdp6
Milroe was electric on designed quarterback runs and constantly turned scrambles into big gains. His running highlights show off his impressive speed and some ability to make defenders miss in the open field.
Before the comparisons get too out of hand, Milroe is a strong, tough player — but in the games I watched he wasn’t a true, Cam Newton-esque battering ram with the football. And the Lamar Jackson comparisons are a bit rich even if I’ll concede that they have similar open-field speed. But Jackson is in a league of his own when it comes to elusiveness and the uncanny vision to dart through gaps in the defense.
Still, Milroe is very, very good with the ball in his hands. He has 33 career rushing touchdowns, with 20 coming last season.
As a passer, his evaluation gets far more complicated. But we can start with the good once again.
Milroe’s arm strength is not even a question. He can push the ball downfield and I’d say his deep ball might be the strongest aspect of his passing abilities. It’s not always perfect, but there are moments of incredible accuracy.
His arm strength is great, though. Some deep balls dropped in the bucket on his tape. First throw in this clip is my favorite I saw of his all year. pic.twitter.com/7stQ51bhd8
Milroe has a fast release and can generate power without fully stepping into his throws. While his out-of-structure playmaking is wildly inconsistent (more on that later), there are some elite throws scattered across his tape: cross-body passes that laser into tight windows downfield.
Some “wow” throws on the run and into tight windows. Can get the ball out quickly. pic.twitter.com/fKIDF0uA2I
While I’m hardly the first person to point it out, a lot of these issues seem to be mechanical. Milroe whips his upper body forward to generate power, but his lower body is significantly less active. He doesn’t step into throws consistently. Fix that, and I think we’ll see some improvements.
Every now and then, he’ll perfectly rip a ball to a seam route or crosser that shows off his upside.
Plenty of instances where he drove the ball on time and generated great velocity pic.twitter.com/HbKWRy90P2
Paired with his tendency to miss high, Milroe just isn’t a very wide receiver-friendly quarterback at this stage in his career. His touch is spotty, and he was consistently bailed out by his pass-catchers with acrobatic grabs instead of hitting them in stride.
I didn’t see many instances of him throwing a receiver open; he was often late to throw the ball on curls, and he’d toss the odd hospital ball from time to time as well.
Milroe isn’t a rhythm passer, generally a little late to get through his reads. His inconsistencies in the short game mean he’s a boom-or-bust playmaker rather than someone who wins by dissecting defenses.
The good news is he shows the toughness to hang in the pocket and deliver throws, and generally isn’t too quick to scramble.
The downside of that is his pocket awareness could still use some work; Milroe is routinely slow to sense pressure, resulting in last-second panic plays.
Milroe has all the physical tools to succeed, but has a significant amount of work to do before he’s an NFL-caliber passer. The good news is he was playing against SEC competition in college rather than being an FCS project, but the flip side is that he was surrounded by excellent talent and coaching at Alabama and it still never “clicked” in his four years with the Crimson Tide.
But Milroe seems coachable. Just about everyone who’s interacted with him this draft cycle has raved about his character, work ethic, and leadership. If Milroe aced his interviews as much as the consensus seems to think, that could be enough to convince a team to take a gamble on the talented quarterback.
Milroe is a massive project, but I’ll admit the good/bad ratio was a bit better than I expected when I finally dove into his 2024. In a weak quarterback class, his upside stands out in a big way. Is Milroe first-round good? I’d say that’s a bit rich given his five touchdowns to 10 interceptions in SEC play last season. But it’s certainly reasonable to take a risk on him Day 2.
Strengths
Elite runner at the quarterback position; high-end speed, burst, and production; some power
Great arm strength
Quick throwing motion
Flashes of high-end NFL throws: downfield accuracy and difficult completions on the move
Tough in the pocket and ability to drive throws on a line when needed
Reports of high character
Weaknesses
Consistently missed ugly in 2024
Questionable decision-making and processing
Propensity to miss throws high; issues with throwing mechanics
Milroe is an explosive athlete who is very capable outside the pocket, but he lacks accuracy, touch and decision-making when he’s inside the pocket. A lack of anticipation and timing leads to interceptions and contested throws to intermediate areas of the field. He has an NFL arm, but he might need to fine-tune his footwork and delivery to improve accuracy on all three levels. He can get through his reads when he’s confident and feels protected but becomes predictable and easier for defenses to manipulate when he’s rattled. He’s built like a Will linebacker, runs like a receiver and is a threat to hit the home run on called runs and scrambles. Milroe was a much better deep-ball passer in 2023, but his 2024 regression makes it harder to project success from the pocket at a high enough rate to become a capable NFL starter. A strong arm and elite speed will have teams intrigued, but if he doesn’t make it as a starter, it’s incumbent upon his team to find a way to get the ball in his hands with packaged plays.
Milroe in his current form is a typical high-ceiling prospect who has the athleticism to be a dynamic quarterback at the next level. To reach that ceiling, he’ll need a lot of development. His arm talent and running ability will elevate his floor, but that won’t be enough if he can’t improve how fast he processes information and his accuracy on routine throws. He’ll need to be in a quarterback-friendly system that won’t require him to play right away, with a coach who has a track record of developing quarterbacks. Malik Willis‘ situation in Green Bay is the path for Milroe to be successful at the next level.
Milroe is not a one-size-fits-all quarterback. He is not likely to be a great fit for traditional West Coast offense schemes due to his ball placement inconsistencies and his lack of presence layering middle-of-the-field throws. Teams with a power-oriented run scheme and an appetite to assimilate quarterback run scheme into their offense make the most sense, particularly if they have vertical passing threats on the perimeter to counterpunch off of. Milroe should be considered a developmental starter, but his running ability could justify a package of plays early in his playing career, not dissimilar to how Baltimore rotated in Lamar Jackson during his rookie season.
To go off of Kyle Crabbs’ scouting report cited above, Milroe isn’t a great fit for every offense. But the Steelers’ offense? If he develops, he’s the type of passer Arthur Smith is looking for. Big arm that can stretch the field. Ability to dominate in the quarterback run game. Milroe’s character and AFC North-caliber toughness are a good look as well.
But can Milroe develop? More importantly, can the Steelers develop Milroe? He’s almost certainly not close to being starting-caliber as a rookie, but there are extremely high-end traits there if it all works out. The best bet is using him as an occasional change of pace runner his rookie year and hoping he makes strides by the 2026 offseason. I still don’t have a first-round grade on Milroe, but the Steelers could do worse at No. 21, and I’m on board if he lasts to No. 83.
TL;DR: Milroe possesses elite athletic traits and lived up to the hype as a dangerous runner at the quarterback position during his time at Alabama. As a passer, he has a lot more work to do, with major inconsistencies in nearly every aspect of his game. The arm strength is there, but he throws far too many air balls and makes dangerous decisions. He’ll need to learn under a veteran for a year at minimum to develop into an NFL starter down the road.
What are your thoughts on Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!
Although Shedeur Sandersprobably enters the draft with the most compelling storyline, a player who came off the board on Day 3 13 years ago is pushing for a front-row spot. The Kirk Cousins situation remains foggy, even after the demoted Falcons quarterback reported on time for his team’s offseason program.
Cousins is still eyeing a way out of Atlanta, and teams continue to come up as interested parties. Even after their Joe Flacco addition — one that came after Cousins consideration — the Browns are being mentioned as a candidate to add Cousins. So are the Steelers and Vikings, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. How teams proceed in the draft will obviously play a central role in Cousins’ willingness to sign off on a trade, as he is not planning to waive his no-trade clause before the draft — in an effort to avoid a redux of his 2024 storyline.
Of the above-referenced trio, Russini points to the Vikings being the least likely to add Cousins — in what would be a quick reunion — due to J.J. McCarthy‘s presence. With McCarthy’s path to the Minnesota starting job clear enough the team has brushed off Aaron Rodgers, it would be understandable if Cousins — his production under Kevin O’Connell notwithstanding — would be leery of landing there again. Cousins would be against a trade that sends him to a team with a starter-level young passer, Russini adds. Considering the teams in this mix, that might be a difficult play.
Employing ex-Cousins Vikings OC Kevin Stefanski, the Browns are candidates to circle back to address their QB situation after making their first-round pick (likelyTravis Hunter). The Giants, Saints, Rams and Dolphins join the Steelers in being linked to early-round QB investments. Cleveland already signing Flacco and adding Kenny Pickett via trade would stand to block a Cousins path — if a rookie is tabbed, at least. If the Browns somehow leave this draft without a QB, they could be in play to reunite Cousins and Stefanski, where a Flacco competition would stand to be on tap.
As odd as it would be to see the Falcons send their high-priced backup to their top rival, the Saints should also be considered on the Cousins radar, Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline writes. Falcons GM Terry Fontenot came from the Saints, and Pauline adds the Falcons would consider dealing Cousins to any team willing to pay a sizable chunk of the QB’s 2025 money. Cousins’ 2025 base salary ($27.5MM) is guaranteed, giving the Falcons no incentive to move on without someone taking on part of the salary. We heard earlier this offseason that Atlanta wanted an acquiring team to pay at least $20MM of Cousins’ tab. That has seemed highly unlikely to occur.
Donovan McNabb and Drew Bledsoe were traded within their divisions this century, creating a precedent for Fontenot and Co. The Saints, however, want to leave this draft with a quarterback. Mickey Loomis evaded Derek Carr questions at his pre-draft presser today, further muddying this situation, one that has the veteran starter in danger of missing some (or all) of the 2025 season due to a shoulder injury. New Orleans has done extensive work on prospects but is viewed as less likely to spend its No. 9 overall pick on the position. This would send them into a battle royal of sorts with the lot of teams eyeing this draft’s second wave of passers.
The Steelers could be the spot teams eyeing a trade-up maneuver to target, though they are not certain to use their first-rounder (No. 21) on a QB, either. Mike Tomlin has said Mason Rudolphwould be an acceptable starter, but Pittsburgh — recent doubts aside — is still pursuing Rodgers. It had been expected around the league, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, the Steelers would have an answer from the future Hall of Famer by the draft. With that not happening, the Steelers need to cover their bases. On that note, they have also done work on potential Day 3 options in Syracuse’sKyle McCordand his Ohio State successor (Will Howard), per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler.
More notably, Fowler adds the Steelers want to take a QB swing in one of the next two drafts. That could create the illusion of flexibility, though if Rodgers does not show in Pittsburgh, Rudolph would move to the front of the line if the Steelers do not make a first- or second-day addition. Cousins, then, would become insurance against Rodgers balking at a longstanding Pittsburgh offer. Would the Steelers make a preemptive play for the Falcons backup if they lose patience with Rodgers?
Offering a final wrinkle here, Schultz adds Arthur Blank could also opt to keep Cousins (after presumably not seeing other teams agree to take on much salary). Several sources inform Schultz that Cousins could be effectively held hostage (a well-paid hostage, but still) as Michael Penix Jr.‘s backup. Considering Penix’s injury past, the Falcons considering Fontenot’s previous decree to retain Cousins as QB2 has some merit.
This would drain a year from Cousins’ career, his age-37 season, while giving the Falcons insurance ahead of a smoother 2026 release. It would stand to reason we still have plenty of Cousins updates to come between now and this potential reality.
The Steelers have an established history of centering their wide receiver groups around one notable payment, while making other pass catchers one-contract players. Hines Ward and Antonio Brown served as cornerstones, and the team surrounded Diontae Johnson‘s extension with rookie-contract cogs.
Our Adam La Rose profiled Pickens as a trade candidate before the Metcalf acquisition, Pickens has produced in stretches. Not unlike Johnson, maturity issues have impacted his three-year run in Pennsylvania. Teams still stand to be interested in the team’s former No. 1 receiver, and Schultz adds the Packers are one of them. Calling the Steelers “more serious” than people know about moving Pickens now, an AFC GM informed Schultz Green Bay is among the teams involved in this developing trade sweepstakes.
Green Bay has four notable rookie-contract receivers on its payroll, but Romeo Doubs is now in a contract year. So is Christian Watson, whose walk year will not begin until maybe midseason due to the ACL tear he sustained in Week 18. Two years remain on Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks‘ rookie deals, but calls for the team to acquire a higher-ceiling receiver have come out; Josh Jacobs has been one of those who mentioned this. Famously not choosing a first-round receiver since Javon Walker in 2002, the Packers have resisted such moves. They have found tremendous second-round value, via Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams. Reed is carrying that baton now.
Also a former second-round pick, Pickens came into the NFL with maturity concerns. But he has also displayed a penchant for acrobatic catches. Despite working with Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph in 2023, Pickens led the NFL with 18.1 yards per reception. He followed that 1,140-yard season 900 last year, though he missed three games due to injury. The Georgia product has otherwise shown perfect attendance during his NFL career.
The Steelers have gotten ahead of contract-year WR matters by trading the likes of Johnson, Chase Claypool, Santonio Holmes, Martavis Bryant. Conversely, they let Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders walk in free agency. Pickens, 24, could be valuable on a fourth rookie-deal season for Pittsburgh — especially if Aaron Rodgers or a first-round QB enters the picture — but he also could fetch a premium draft pick, being 3-for-3 in 800-yard seasons.
The Steelers have regularly addressed their receiving corps on Day 2 of a draft, doing so most recently with Roman Wilson last year. The team did not see much from Wilson during an injury-plagued rookie year, and it surrendered a second-round pick in the Metcalf deal. These factors offer potential complications in a Pickens swap, but it is fairly clear the team is gauging the market — likely as a way to see if a Day 2 pick can be recouped — ahead of the draft.
The Giants held the No. 1 overall pick going into Week 17, but a Drew Lock-led upset win over the Colts dropped them out of that slot and vaulted the Titans to pole position. Week 18 did not change Tennessee’s draft position, and the team now appears a day away from adding Cam Wardas its next franchise centerpiece.
Around the Combine, we heard the Giants as a team interested in acquiring the No. 1 pick. Even as Ward-Titans links emerged, the Giants took their shot. They called the Titans multiple times with trade offers for No. 1, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. New GM Mike Borgonziconfirmed Tuesday the Titans are staying at 1, with a Ward pick imminent.
Multiple offers emerged, per Russini, who describes the Giants as being the most aggressive team with regards to acquiring the pick. It is unclear what the Giants offered, but this push — presumably for Ward — reminds of their Drake Maye pursuit last year. New York made a strong offer for New England’s No. 3 overall pick. The deal would have given the Patriots the Giants’ first- and second-round picks last year and first-rounder this year; instead, the Patriots took Maye. The Giants then passing on J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix and Bo Nix thrust them into their current predicament, holding a top pick without a quarterback deemed worthy of it.
Strongly linked to passing on a QB at No. 3 to take one of this draft’s top two talents — eitherAbdul Carter or Travis Hunter— the Giants look to be readying to trade back into Round 1 for a passer. They are in talks with teams with picks near the bottom of the first round, Russini adds. They join the Browns in that effort. Cleveland, New York and New Orleans appear in this boat, as the Saints have also been tied to tabling their QB need beyond their No. 9 overall pick.
Both the Browns and Giants added two veteran QBs apiece, which at least would send a capable starter for both teams into Week 1. But Joe Flacco and Russell Wilson are not enviable options for 2026; they are bottom-half options for 2025. Yet, each team has access to this draft’s best players. It is looking like the Browns and Giants’ trade-up efforts will need to be monitored after Hunter and Carter go off the board. The Giants may be split on Sanders, but more Jaxson Dart–Brian Dabollbuzz is circulating. Chatter continues that Daboll likes the Ole Miss QB more than Sanders or any other non-Ward option, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano notes.
Although the Browns have still been linked to Carter in recent days, Hunter looks more likely to be Cleveland-bound. When asked about his potential draft destination, Carter’s reply (via SNY) pointed to a New York landing. The Giants traded for Brian Burns last year and used a top-five pick on Kayvon Thibodeaux in 2022. The latter has not quite justified that investment, though he has not been a bust like 2022 No. 7 overall pick Evan Neal. Carter, however, could displace Thibodeaux in New York’s lineup. Then again, the team has a past (under John Mara) of adding on the edge (Mathias Kiwanuka, Jason Pierre-Paul) when it already possessed a strong group.
The Steelers‘ No. 21 overall pick has come up with regards to a trade-up spot, per Graziano. That information comes after an early-week report indicated Pittsburgh is interested in trading down. This would seemingly add the Steelers to the list of QB-needy teams who do not believeShedeur Sandersor one of the other second-tier options is worthy of the pick. Mike Tomlinbeing a Sanders fan would stand to negate a trade-down move, but the Steelers were not originally planning to use No. 21 on a QB. A Sanders fall could change that, and that will be a Day 1 draft subplot to monitor.
Teams are also potentially leery of the Rams at No. 26, Graziano adds, with trade-up discussions appearing to factor Matthew Stafford‘s age into this equation. The Giants pursued Stafford aggressively in February, but the Super Bowl-winning QB regrouped and stayed with the Rams. It would seem unlikely the Rams would use their top draft asset on a QB in a maligned class, but the team is running short on time to add a Stafford heir apparent.
All 32 teams still own their first-round pick as the countdown to the draft nears an end. Movement up and down the order could be in store soon, although 2025 is not expected to witness many blockbuster trades given the nature of this year’s class.
As a result, the list of teams interested in moving back is lengthier than usual. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Steelers are among those looking to trade down, something which comes as little surprise. Pittsburgh’s acquisition of Pro Bowl wideout D.K. Metcalfincluded the team’s second-rounder in 2025, so trading back to recoup some of that lost capital would be a feasible approach. As Schefter notes, however, there are few known parties looking to trade up.
The Steelers own pick No. 21, which may put them in range to add a quarterback. Per Schefter, the team did not originally intend to select a signal-caller on the opening night of the draft, but the board may allow for that to take place. Shedeur Sandershas been viewed at times as a first-round lock but has seen his stock drop recently, something Schefter adds the Steelers did not anticipate. The Colorado product may be available as a result, and head coach Mike Tomlin has been named as a Sanders supporter.
Pittsburgh is also among the teams which have put together a strong evaluation of Jaxson Dart. The Ole Miss product is considered a first-round prospect by the Steelers, a team still in need of a long-term Ben Roethlisberger successor. Mason Rudolphis back in the organization, but it would come as no surprise if a rookie were to be added this week as competition for the starting gig in 2025 or at least an option to take over QB1 duties down the road.
Aaron Rodgerslooms as a stopgap option for next season, but it remains to be seen if he will play in 2025 (and if so, for the Steelers). Pittsburgh has remained patient while awaiting a decision on the Rodgers front, and that process could easily extend past the draft. It will be interesting to see if a first-round signal-caller is in the fold shortly in the Steelers’ case or if the team aims to trade down on the opening night of the draft.
The Steelers have a first-round grade on Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, though that does not mean they’ll prioritize the position over other needs in next week’s draft.
Instead, Dulac writes, Pittsburgh will likely target a defensive lineman or even a running back with their first-round pick. Both positions have projected top-10 picks (Michigan’s Mason Graham, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty) who are not expected to fall to the Steelers with multiple second-tier talents that should be available at No. 21.
The team’s defensive line targets include Georgia’s Walter Nolen, Oregon’s Derrick Harmon, and Michigan’s Kenneth Grant, per Dulac. At running back, Pittsburgh could target North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton or Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson, though they may wait until Day 2 to pick from a deep class.
Pittsburgh used 17 of their top-30 pre-draft visits on defensive linemen and running backs, another indication that their first-round pick will target one of the two positions.
The Steelers’ top brass also did their homework on this year’s quarterback class. They have a first-round grade on Dart and “really like” Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, per Dulac, making both potential options with the 21st round pick if the talent at DL and RB thins out. The team also scouted a number of Day 2 quarterbacks via pro days and top-30 visits.
Ultimately, though, it’s hard to believe that the Steelers would pass up the opportunity to draft a potential franchise quarterback after cycling through a half-dozen starters since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. They may still sign Aaron Rodgers to start this year, but they have no long-term options on the roster and a clear desire to add one. It would be strange to have first-round grades on Dart and potentially Sanders but prioritize other positions when quarterback is such a dire need in 2025 and beyond.
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