Prisuta: What Were the Steelers Thinking With the Draft?

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy is introduced at a press conference, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)

Once the dust finally settled after three frenzied days of drafting, the Steelers landed two starting offensive linemen, a much-needed No. 3 wide receiver, an elite kickoff and punt returner, help on special teams, an actual fullback (hallelujah!). There also was a heartwarming feel-good story — a local-boy made good from the United States Naval Academy who will act as a play-making gadget.

Potentially, that is.

The Steelers will get help where they’ll need it this season. It’s a draft class that, in subsequent seasons, should be appreciated.

Again, potentially.

The question that lingers in the immediate aftermath of the draft is why?

Why would the Steelers draft Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, particularly where they drafted him using their first of three third-round selections?

The apparent answer is because head coach Mike McCarthy believes to his core that you can never have enough quarterbacks to develop, and that he is absolutely, positively the guy to do the developing — the guy who can take a lump of quarterback clay and mold it into a work of quarterback art.

Allar’s shortcomings aside (and those are as obvious as his attributes to anyone who’s watched him play), the list of players the Steelers passed on between Allar and their second third-round pick, Georgia cornerback Daylen Everette, includes Missouri defensive tackle Chris McClellan, LSU safety A.J. Haulcy, Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch, USC wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane and Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hurst.

All of those guys could have helped the Steelers this season, especially one of the wide receivers.

Potentially.

Instead, they opted for a second definite “maybe” in line behind Aaron Rodgers to whom McCarthy’s quarterback whispering and footwork expertise can be applied.

They already had one such project, Will Howard.

MASON RUDOLPH | PHOTO BY KARL ROSER/PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Neither is likely to be transformed by McCarthy from a lump of QB clay into the Christ the ReDeemer of QBs, no matter how much better their footwork gets. It also remains to be seen how the Steelers can absolutely, positively find out about Howard or Allar in terms of their long-term value when they’ll be trying to develop both at the same time.

There are, after all, only so many practice reps and only so many exhibition game snaps to go around.

McCarthy, who was hired for his offensive acumen in general, and his quarterback whispering in particular, remains undaunted.

“I will coach the hell out of that (quarterback) room,” he insisted. “I have a lot of confidence. I have history and experience. I will give everything I can to any quarterback in that room. We want to grow the quarterback room.”

They also want to win a playoff game, several in succession, actually. After trades, veteran free agency and three days of frenzied drafting, they still appear to be at least one wide receiver shy of having enough wide receivers.

Yes, the Steelers traded for Michael Pittman Jr.

And yes, they traded up to draft Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard in the second round.

And yes, both are excellent additions that should make life a whole lot easier for Rodgers in his second season with the Steelers.

But when you’re planning to play three wide receivers at a time the majority of the time, as McCarthy’s history suggests, you probably need a fourth wide receiver more than you need a second developmental quarterback.

You also need a veteran backup quarterback you can trust, which the Steelers have in Mason Rudolph, whom they might have a hard time finding a roster spot for if Howard and Allar are taking up space while marinating.

It’s complicated, as it seemingly has been ever since Ben Roethlisberger became a podcaster.

“We have a way of how the quarterback will be trained here,” McCarthy maintained. “I’ve done it a long time.”

He has a vision, apparently, of how he’ll do it again. A quarterback room with a view, no matter how hard it is for non-quarterback whispers to see.