The Pittsburgh Steelers had multiple opportunities to take Shedeur Sanders in last week’s NFL Draft. They passed each time they had the chance, though.
Pittsburgh’s decision to not draft Sanders despite a glaring need at the quarterback position drew plenty of puzzled reactions and some outrage, too.
But Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac provided some clarity on why the Steelers opted not to go with Sanders on Tuesday while appearing on the “Rich Eisen Show.”
“Quarterback was not going to be a priority…They are all in in 2026 on moving up and trying to get what they believe to be their next franchise quarterback or certainly their starter for a number of years,” Dulac said, as transcribed by PennLive’s Nick Farabaugh. “And so, I think their plan all along has been geared that way. I know obviously the Steelers thought he had a nice skill set and everything, but…I never got the impression that he was high on their list to draft Rich, at any point. At any point.”
The Steelers clearly weren’t the only team dubious of Sanders. Sanders experienced a freefall down draft boards as he didn’t get selected until the No. 144 overall pick in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns.
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Pittsburgh waiting until next year’s draft must mean the Steelers feel pretty confident that Aaron Rodgers will join them for the 2025 season before turning things over to a young signal-caller.
Texas’ Arch Manning, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, Penn State’s Drew Allar and UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava are considered the top quarterbacks in the 2026 draft class at the moment.
Featured image via Troy Taormina/Imagn Images