Quarterback Options For The Steelers In The 2024 NFL Draft
With the newly added Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, and the trade of Kenny Pickett to Philadelphia, The Steelers now need a third-string quarterback and could look to the mid to late rounds of the draft to grab one. There's some value in the later rounds despite how top-heavy the draft class is at quarterback.
Joe Milton
Joe Milton is an intriguing prospect. He’s a physical specimen, weighing in at 6’5 and 235 pounds at the NFL Combine. He can throw it a country mile too. He impressed with some of his throws at the Combine as well, showing off the long bomb.
Milton spent three seasons at Michigan, backing up Shea Patterson for the first two before transferring to Tennessee to wear the creamsicle orange. He was Tennessee’s starting quarterback before an ankle injury opened the door for current Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker to become the starter for the next two seasons.
He regained his starting role last season and played in 12 games for the Volunteers. He posted a 64.7% completion rate with 2,813 yards, 20 passing touchdowns, five interceptions, and seven rushing touchdowns. Milton finished eighth in the SEC in passing yards and sixth in Touchdowns Responsible For. He’s a project but could be worth the gamble in the right situation. A Josh Allen type of player.
Jordan Travis
Before a gruesome ankle injury that ended the season of Jordan Travis and the Florida State College Football Playoff hopes, the 23-year-old quarterback was having a Heisman season and still finished in fifth place for the award despite only playing 11 games. In those 11 games, Travis posted a 63.9% completion rate with 2,756 yards, 20 passing touchdowns, two interceptions, and seven rushing touchdowns.
Travis spent one season at Louisville before transferring to Florida State for his final five college football seasons, finding his most success in 2023 when he won ACC Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, and he was a First Team All-American. In 2022, Travis made Second Team All-ACC and was the Cheez-It Bowl MVP.
He appears to be healed from his ankle injury and will hopefully compete at his Pro Day. Travis posted 31 rushing touchdowns in his college football career and would be a fun project for a team with a good mentor, that’s where Russell Wilson comes in.
Spencer Rattler
Spencer Rattler has been a hot topic lately after he won MVP of the Senior Bowl after having a good season at South Carolina, where he spent his last two years after his three-year stint at Oklahoma with Lincoln Riley. Rattler is only 23 years old still and was widely considered a five-star prospect coming out of high school.
Rattler had a great season in 2020, winning the Big 12 Championship with Oklahoma and the Championship MVP Award along with First Team honors. In that 202 season, Rattler posted a 67.5% completion rate with 3,031 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns, seven interceptions, and six rushing touchdowns with Oklahoma. He led the Big 12 in Passing touchdowns, total yards, touchdowns responsible for, total yards per play, and completions.
The South Carolina play-caller had a good year in 2023 as well, posting a 68.9% completion rate with a career-high 3,186 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns, eight interceptions, and four rushing touchdowns. He has had 18+ passing touchdowns in three out of his five collegiate seasons. With his good Senior Bowl showing, Rattler could be on the Steelers radar.
Steelers Shake Up
For the first time in a while, the Steelers probably won’t have Mason Rudolph sitting on the sideline holding a clipboard, instead, they have crafted an entire new quarterback room. Mike Tomlin said he wanted to bring in competition for Pickett, and now there is no Pickett to be completed with. It’ll be an entirely new room.
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