The Pittsburgh Steelers head into the 2025 NFL Draft with one of the more unpredictable outlooks in the league. While rumors continue to swirl around a possible union with free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh also holds the No. 21 overall pick, and that leaves the door wide open for a long-term move under center.
With uncertainty clouding the veteran QB market, the Steelers may look to solve their quarterback dilemma through the draft. And if Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders is still on the board, that decision might be a lot easier than expected.
Are the Steelers Eyeing Shedeur Sanders as Their Future QB?
The Steelers are one of the more intriguing teams heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. They’ve been linked to Rodgers, who is a free agent quarterback option, but they can’t afford to wait on whether the future Hall of Famer signs with them.
According to PFSN’s recent seven-round mock draft, Pittsburgh is predicted to select Sanders, the Colorado quarterback, with the 21st pick in the draft.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers have a solid roster, but their long-term quarterback situation is uncertain. At No. 21, they are lucky that the QB2 in the 2025 NFL Draft fell into their laps,” PFSN’s Jacob Infante said about the pick.
“A smart, accurate quarterback who improved consistently in college, Shedeur Sanders has the tools to start in the NFL. The Steelers have some pieces in place for him to work with, and when you get a shot at a potential franchise quarterback, you don’t pass it up.”
This would make Sanders the second quarterback selected in the draft, and he would join the quarterback room of Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson. Sanders was named the 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and finished the season completing 353 of his 477 (74.0%) of his passes for 4,134 yards with 37 passing touchdowns to 10 interceptions.
The Steelers Reportedly ‘Hit It Off’ With Sanders
There have been teams that seemingly are afraid of the presence of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders commenting about his son and even some negative anonymous quotes coming out, however, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the teams linked to the quarterback.
NFL Draft insider Todd McShay reported in his latest newsletter that he is getting the sense the Steelers are going to draft him if he is available with the 21st pick as well.
“Based on conversations I’m having with people in the league, there’s a growing sense that Sanders will be the pick at 21,” McShay wrote. “As I’ve said multiple times over the past couple of weeks, Mike Tomlin and Sanders did hit it off during the pre-draft process—any reports to the contrary are false.”
The Steelers have been searching for an answer at the quarterback position since Ben Roethlisberger retired. With the offensive addition of DK Metcalf, the team is ready to be competitive in a tough AFC. Sanders could be the answer to be the quarterback of the future, whether or not they get a commitment from Rodgers.
