Steelers Will Be Watching Potential Combine Star As Desperate Quarterback Search Continues

The Pittsburgh Steelers have seen how rough all the draft-eligible quarterbacks have been in the 2025 season, so there would be no surprises if they decide to pass on that position in the first round. They could wait until the 2027 draft to find their future franchise player, but 2026's class was supposed to be great too. With the decline in quality passers at the college level, it's hard to justify putting all of their eggs into one basket. They may have to stack quarterback picks in hopes that one turns out well. 

Insider Mike DeFabo may have the solution. It likely depends on how well this player does in the 2026 NFL Combine, but Pittsburgh may have its future here in this draft class.

"[Garrett] Nussmeier, whose father, Doug, coached with [Mike] McCarthy in Dallas, began to revitalize his stock during the Senior Bowl," DeFabo said. "Will the momentum carry over to this week? Last year at the combine is when people started talking more seriously about Jaxson Dart as a first-round pick, moving him out of the range the Steelers would have been comfortable selecting him. It’s unlikely Nussmeier will climb all the way back into the first round, but maybe he can jump into the second or solidify himself in the third."

If the Steelers can find their franchise quarterback in Day 2 of the draft, that would be ideal for the franchise. Garrett Nussmeier had projections of being as high as the first overall pick before his concerns became more of a trend, as opposed to just a minor inconvenience. Now, he's trying to prove to scouts that he is actually a quality, capable starter, and that he can lead an NFL team. 

As DeFabo mentions, Nussmeier's poor play may have been influenced by an oblique injury, but he will have to prove that very soon. If he shows that he can move and throw better now without that issue nagging him, his draft stock could climb back up. If not, there's no limit to how long his free fall could go. This one day at the combine could be the difference in if he's seen as 50 picks better or worse. 

Also, as DeFabo mentioned, Head Coach Mike McCarthy already has some sort of relationship with Nussmeier, as his father was a part of his coaching staff. While the Steelers' scouts have done their work on this group of quarterbacks, there is already a deep knowledge of this kid from the LSU Tigers. Whether he rises or falls in the draft, he immediately becomes an early favorite to be selected by Pittsburgh.

McCarthy was hired specifically to find and develop the future franchise quarterback for the Steelers. Nussmeier may be his best chance to prove that Pittsburgh was right in hiring him and that his reputation as a quarterback guru is not some smoke-and-mirrors show. The fans were clearly not on board with this decision, so this could be the year to turn them around and get them excited again. 

Steelers Should Be Cautious Of "Combine Stars"

Every year, there is a player who sees a massive jump in draft stock due to their performance at the combine. There are those who show that they have every right to be drafted high, like Jaxson Dart and DK Metcalf, but there are plenty of other players that show off these amazing physical traits, but without anything else that could translate to the NFL level. 

Maybe Nussmeier can be the one that proves himself, but not everything can be determined based off of a single day of practice while wearing shorts and having no defense to go against. If the Steelers use a second-round pick on him, it will have to be justified with his performance on the field, or else things could turn disastrous quick.

What do you think about Nussmeier's combine potentially leading to the Steelers drafting him? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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