5 NFL Draft prospects the Steelers can pick to break first-round draft slump

1. Steelers can bet on Michael Penix Jr. as long-term QB solution

Michael Penix Jr. is another rather unique QB prospect. He, too, will be roughly 24 years old on draft night. He also comes with a long list of injuries on his ledger, which could dissuade teams from betting on the obvious talent.

That opens the door for Pittsburgh to extract maximum value in the No. 20 spot. Penix thrived at the NFL Combine and he's coming off one of the best offensive campaigns in recent college football history. The leader of Washington's explosive scheme, Penix orchestrated innumerable deep balls. There isn't a more gifted vertical thrower on the board. His southpaw mechanics are unconventional, but there are few football plays more aesthetically pleasing than watching Penix float it downfield.

Penix is an admittedly strange fit for Arthur Smith's scheme, at least relative to what he used to run in Atlanta, but he also has more arm talent than Desmond Ridder or Marcus Mariota. Perhaps with the option of engineering long-range bombs, Smith ventures deeper into his playbook and unveils more wrinkles for a Pittsburgh offense in desperate need of more zest.

The injury and age concerns are very real, and the Steelers will need to do their due diligence before taking the plunge. But, when push comes to shove, no prospect at No. 20 is going to yield a higher ceiling. If Penix can stay on the field and reach his maximum potential, he has a chance to lead Pittsburgh's offense for the next decade.