Steelers Could Spend First-Round Pick on Texas Tech QB

The Pittsburgh Steelers might not have to wait until the 2027 NFL Draft to find their quarterback of the future.

Appearing on the Rich Eisen Show, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer laid out the case for the Steelers to select Texas Tech signal caller Brendan Sorsby if he enters, and is approved, for the supplemental draft amidst an NCAA investigation into him for gambling.

"What if you're Pittsburgh and you say, 'Brendan Sorsby is going to be a top-five pick next year,'" Breer said. "Some people look at him that way. If you're the Steelers, do you say, 'If Aaron Rodgers is here, we think we're gonna win nine or 10 games, Mike McCarthy is our coach. Sure, that's going to be the 20th pick in the draft, that's gonna be the 23rd pick in the draft. We'll throw that at him.'"

Would Selecting Sorsby Be Worth It?

In the event that Sorsby loses his remaining collegiate eligibility and does join the supplemental draft, each NFL team would be divided into three groups: non-playoff teams with six or fewer wins, non-playoff teams with over six wins, and playoff teams, with a lottery that gives better odds to organizations with worse records determining the order in each of those categories.

Because the Steelers fall into the last of those groups, their chances of landing Sorsby naturally would take a hit. If they're willing to part ways with their 2027 first-round pick in order to bring him in, though, there's a chance no other organization is willing to do so and thus would add another young quarterback to their roster.

There are some questions about Sorsby given his ongoing situation, but he is worthy of spending a first-rounder in a vacuum on due to his strong arm and dual-threat ability, though his processing and mechanics need work.

Parting ways with its top selection in the 2027 draft comes with a ton of risk for Pittsburgh, and the same can even be said if it bids its second-rounder, simply because there are a number of comparable prospects in next year's class that don't come with the potential red flags that Sorsby does at the moment.

Do Steelers Even Have Room for Another Young QB?

With it appearing likely that Rodgers will return to the Steelers, he'd join Will Howard, Drew Allar and Mason Rudolph in the team's quarterback room.

Howard has drawn praise from head coach Mike McCarthy on numerous occasions, and even though he was a sixth-round pick in 2025, Pittsburgh would still like to see what it has in him.

There's some high hopes for Allar too as a third-round pick in this year's draft due to his arm talent and size, though it's unlikely he sees the field in 2026.

If the Steelers do land Sorsby, that would essentially mean the end of Howard's time on the 53-man roster since Rodgers and Allar aren't going anywhere.

Perhaps Pittsburgh is willing to take that risk and try and sneak Howard onto their practice squad, but it would quickly become a complicated situation.

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