Steelers' Potential First-Round Pick Would Be A Major Reach At Pick 21: "Reminds Me Of Kenny Pickett"

The Pittsburgh Steelers have masterfully amassed a ton of draft capital so they can make a big trade-up in the 2026 NFL Draft and get a future franchise quarterback if desired. The only problem is that every single projected top pick did not play well in 2025, and their stocks plummeted hard. Fernando Mendoza was the only one who rose into the first-round conversation, but he is now the consensus first overall pick, and there is likely no chance that the Las Vegas Raiders would move down to pick 21 and let him go to Pittsburgh. 

The next best quarterback option according to numerous college / draft analysts is Ty Simpson from the Alabama Crimson Tide. He has a lot of talent, but he has only been the starter for one season at the collegiate level. He would be a long-term project, and it's not like the Steelers have a passer currently in place to where they can afford to take their time on someone like him in the draft. 

While making an appearance on 93.7 The Fan, insider Mark Kaboly gave a troubling comparison with Simpson to two other Steelers draft picks, including their most recent first-round quarterback. 

"Ty Simpson, he reminds me of Kenny Pickett; he's the best of the worst," Kaboly said. "Maybe in other drafts, he doesn't even go in the first round considering he would be the second quarterback off the market [in 2026]. That pushes him up a little bit. That's just as big of a project as Will Howard in my opinion. If you bring in Ty Simpson, you might have to treat him like how you treated Will Howard."

First of all, the comparison to Kenny Pickett is spot on, as neither quarterback was really seen as a first-round talent. The former first-round pick was only selected that high because Pittsburgh was desperate for a young passer and none had been taken off the board yet. Even though Mendoza would go first overall, the same logic could apply to Simpson: first round prospect because of lack of talent at the position. 

Pickett never truly developed under a stagnant offensive scheme, and he was traded after just two years due to him not being happy about potential competition coming in. In his rookie contract, he has been traded three times already. At this point, it seems like his ceiling is career backup bouncing from team to team. That selection was a major bust for the Steelers. 

Meanwhile, Will Howard is seen as a possible starting quarterback option if Aaron Rodgers does not come back, even though he was a sixth-round pick that has yet to even take a snap in preseason, let alone the regular season. If Simpson is truly as much of a project as Howard is, there would be no point in using a first-round selection on him. They could just roll with what they have and see how he develops.

Steelers Have Plans To Keep Developing Howard No Matter What

With all the different reports coming out about how the team loves Howard, it seems like he will at least get the promotion over Mason Rudolph, whether that is for QB1 or QB2. If Rodgers comes back or if a big-time free agent is signed, he would likely be the backup. If the third quarterback comes via the draft, there is a very realistic chance that the former sixth-rounder will be the starter for the 2026 season. 

What do you think about the comparisons between Simpson and both Pickett and Howard? How would you feel about the Steelers drafting the Alabama quarterback? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB. I will follow back.

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