ESPN's Field Yates raised some eyebrows when he predicted in his latest mock draft that the Pittsburgh Steelers will spend the 21st overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft to acquire Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart.
During the latest edition of the "Kaboly and Mack" YouTube program, Steelers insider Mark Kaboly of "The Pat McAfee Show" took somewhat of a shot at Philadelphia Eagles backup Kenny Pickett while pouring cold water over Yates' idea.
"It doesn't make sense that they would go that route whatsoever," Kaboly said about the Steelers taking a quarterback at choice No. 21, as shared by Jake Brockhoff of Steelers Depot. "Twenty-first overall pick for a quarterback [who is] probably worse than Kenny Pickett. I'm not wasting that pick there, especially when you got other needs."
Long before Pickett became a Super Bowl champion as Philadelphia's QB2 this past Sunday, the Steelers made him the only quarterback selected in the first round of the 2022 draft. He ultimately flamed out with Pittsburgh by the end of his second pro season, and the Steelers traded him to the Eagles last March shortly after the AFC North side signed Russell Wilson to a team-friendly contract.
Meanwhile, the Steelers could benefit from getting a Day 1 starter at multiple positions on both sides of the ball via the 21st pick of the upcoming draft. Dart impressed analysts and onlookers during Senior Bowl practices, but he's probably a project for the future who shouldn't play much, if at all, as a rookie.
History shows that even plugged-in analysts often overvalue quarterback prospects ahead of drafts. Back in the spring of 2022, multiple reporters insisted Malik Willis was his class' top quarterback in the eyes of some teams. Willis ultimately fell to the third round before he landed with the Tennessee Titans, and he's now a backup with the Green Bay Packers.
For what it's worth, The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner predicted this past Monday that the Steelers will address other positions during the 2025 draft before they take Ohio State's Will Howard in the third round. That seems like the better option for a team that will have some veteran atop the depth chart before the final Thursday of April arrives.
