With the future of 2025 starter Aaron Rodgers on shaky ground, the Pittsburgh Steelers may dip into the 2026 NFL draft for his replacement.
Upon joining the Steelers, Rodgers, who signed a one-year deal in June, said he was "pretty sure" 2025 would be his last in the NFL. Rodgers has changed his tune a bit since then, but the fact remains that he's 41 years old and retirement remains a realistic outcome for him after this season.
Of course, the Steelers have rookie signal-caller Will Howard, but because he's a sixth-round pick, the chances of him panning out are slim. Furthermore, Howard might not even see the field in 2025, so it'll be hard to gauge if he's ready to take over next year.
The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner posted his latest 2026 NFL mock draft a few days ago and has the Steelers drafting Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt.
The sixth QB in our mock, Leavitt plays with much better feet than many of the players you see his age and has enough arm talent to make big throws, off platform and on the move. He has to continue working on footwork consistency while adding strength to his frame, although he’s also a very capable runner. We’ll see if he’s ready to start as a rookie, but Leavitt absolutely has first-round potential.
Leavitt threw for 2,885 yards, rushed for 443 yards and scored 29 touchdowns (24 passing) in 2024, his first full year as a starter.
According to The Draft Network, here's some of Leavitt's strengths:
Athleticism: Leavitt uses his athleticism to escape pressure in the pocket and is a legitimate threat to tuck the ball on RPO plays, picking up significant yardage.
Pocket Manipulation: He demonstrates strong pocket awareness, effectively evading pressure and finding creases to create opportunities to throw the football.
Throwing on the Run: Leavitt excels at throwing outside the pocket, maintaining good mechanics, and consistently delivering accurate passes on the move.
And here are some of his weaknesses:
Decision-making: Leavitt sometimes attempts low-percentage throws in an effort to create big plays, which can result in missed opportunities or turnovers.
Arm Strength: His arm strength is generally average, which may limit his ability to consistently push the ball vertically and accurately target deeper areas of the field.
Forced Passes: Leavitt has high confidence in the velocity of his throws, but he occasionally tries to squeeze the ball into tight windows, increasing the risk of incompletions or turnovers.
The problem with projecting Leavitt to the Steelers is that the young signal-caller may not declare for the draft in 2026, seeing as how he'll have just two years of starting experience at that point.
However, if Leavitt continues his ascension and establishes himself as one of the top collegiate quarterbacks, he could be a first-round pick next April.
MORE PITTSBURGH STEELERS NEWS
NFL trade prediction sees Steelers acquire 6-time 1,000-yard wide receiver
Aaron Rodgers' former teammate spurns Steelers for 49ers
What Skylar Thompson making Steelers' roster means for Will Howard
Aaron Rodgers changes tune on retiring after 2025