Chris Adamski: Steelers can’t resist taking their swing at nabbing a franchise QB

Will they or won’t they?

All of the oxygen for the immediate reaction of the 2022 Pittsburgh Steelers draft will be spent on whether they spent their first — or, perhaps, second — pick on a quarterback.

For the first time in almost two decades, that’s a possibility for a franchise that said goodbye to Ben Roethlisberger in January. Roethlisberger was a first-round pick in 2004, and the Steelers haven’t had much need to seriously consider taking a quarterback that high since.

That’s so long ago that social media didn’t exist. Mel Kiper did, but the draft as a consumer product and valued NFL entertainment/event property was still in its infancy. As such, it could be argued that Steelers Nation is the last fanbase standing that never had to debate, dissect and, of course, argue both the decision to select a franchise QB and the weighing of which one to take.

Too bad for Jordan Davis or Chris Olave or Trevor Penning or Tyler Linderbaum. If any of them — or for that matter, any other prospect at any other position — gets picked at No. 20 overall, half the fans will scream that the Steelers should’ve instead taken a quarterback. The other half probably will just defend why they’re glad it wasn’t.

In the end, I predict the Steelers can’t resist the temptation to grab a player at the most important position in the sport. If the retiring Kevin Colbert hits on that decision, his legacy as Steelers general manager could extend beyond his 22-plus years in the gig to another decade-plus when a player from his final draft is still the face of the franchise.

1.(No. 20) — Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss

This exercise assumes the Steelers won’t trade, and it’s not likely Liberty’s Malik Willis drops to 20th overall. The Steelers potentially could have their choice of any other QB here, though, so they deliver a mild surprise by taking the undersized but competitive Corral.

2. (No. 52) — Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State

Though the urgency of the need for a safety waned when Terrell Edmunds re-signed this week, he is on only a one-year deal, and Brisker (a Gateway graduate) has the physicality the Steelers covet.

3. (No. 84) — Phidarian Mathis, DL, Alabama

After taking Crimson Tide defensive linemen in 2018 and 2019 and having an Alabama first-rounder last year, the Steelers again say, “Roll Tide.”

4. (No. 138) — Calvin Austin III, WR, Memphis

Though barely 5-foot-8, Austin ran the fifth-fastest 40-yard-dash at the combine (4.32 seconds) and is a home-run threat.

6. (No. 208) — Isiah Pacheco, RB, Rutgers

The Steelers like to take fliers on complementary skill-position pieces who have speed, and Pacheco is another burner (4.37).

7. (No. 225) — Jeremiah Moon, ILB/OLB, Florida

Moon was oft-injured in college but is 6-5 and has enough of a skillset that he’s worth bringing in as a potential chess piece for a modern NFL defense.

7. (No. 241) — Connor Heyward, TE/FB, Michigan State

It’s harder to find a mock that doesn’t include Heyward to the Steelers than one that does. The Steelers have a history with brother tandems, and Cameron’s little bro figures to be a usable special-teamer and H-back toy for Matt Canada’s offense.

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