The Pittsburgh Steelers appear to occupy a critical inflection point in Thursday night's NFL Draft. Once upon a time, the idea of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders falling to Pittsburgh at No. 21 was a pipe dream. A fluke possibility. Now, it feels like the absolute highest he could rise. Sanders' stock has declined dramatically in recent weeks after middling interviews (and a scourge of veteran QB signings in free agency).
The Steelers are still an obvious fit with Mason Rudolph as the only viable veteran QB on the roster. But the Steelers are also interested in Aaron Rodgers, and there are several second-round prospects that could deliver "better" value. Jalen Milroe has been a hypothetical Steelers target for ages.
Some believe Pittsburgh could opt to focus on Mike Tomlin's defense. Others think the answer is running back, with names like North Carolina's Omarion Hampton and Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson picking up steam.
Former Steelers quarterback and future Pro Football Hall of Fame member Ben Roethlisberger was asked if Pittsburgh should use the No. 21 pick to upgrade over current RB1 Jaylen Warren. His response was a hard no.
"I would not go, in the first round, running back," he said on Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger. "I'm not a proponent of that. I think there's always a couple guys that if they came could be game changers, but there's not going to be one at [pick No. 21] that I would mess with."
Ben Roethlisberger strongly believes Steelers should avoid RB in first round of NFL Draft
Big Ben is not the Steelers' GM, but he's a franchise legend with major sway in the fanbase and, frankly, in the organization. He won't be able to phone in the pick for Omar Khan, but there's a world in which Roethlisberger's comments spark a dialogue in the clubhouse.
He's dead right. Using a first-round pick on a good-not-great running back in the first round would qualify as an egregious misuse of resources. Warren, who has compiled 1,674 yards and six touchdowns across three campaigns in Pittsburgh, was an undrafted free agent. There is no easier position at which to find value late in the draft (or even outside the draft) than running back.
Instead, the Steelers should perhaps consider fielding their Big Ben successor. Kenny Pickett flamed out. The Russell Wilson era was short-lived. Rudolph, with all due respect, cannot start games on a regular basis. The Aaron Rodgers fantasy is alive and well, but even then, Pittsburgh needs to start thinking beyond this season. No winning franchise more desperately needs stability at the position.
Maybe Shedeur Sanders isn't the right pick at No. 21, but FanSided's Cody Williams has the Steelers trading back into the first round to select Sanders at No. 31. Pittsburgh can also target Milroe, or even a Tyler Shough or Will Howard type, in the second round. Anyone with a hint of long-term starting upside is worth a spin.
Sanders feels like where this is all heading, though. No team has been more connected to Coach Prime's prodigy in recent weeks. While concerns persist about arm strength and processing speed, Sanders throws with feather-soft touch and he's unafraid of pressure. He feels like a natural fit for Arthur Smith's quick-hitting, well-balanced scheme.