The Pittsburgh Steelers and General Manager Omar Khan have done a wonderful job rebuilding their quarterback room so far in the 2024 offseason. They released Mitch Trubisky, traded Kenny Pickett, and let Mason Rudolph walk in free agency. They have since signed Russell Wilson on a cheap deal, and gave up next to nothing to acquire Justin Fields from the Chicago Bears. They then signed Kyle Allen for some added depth. Due to all the new faces in the quarterback room, many thought drafting a quarterback was out of the question, but recent reports indicate that might not be the case.
Despite already reshaping the quarterback position and bringing in two starting-caliber players in Wilson and Fields, the Steelers seem to still be playing with the idea of bringing in a quarterback through the 2024 NFL Draft. The draft is loaded with quarterback prospects, headlined by Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye. Those three prospects are expected to be gone within the first five picks, but according to recent reports, the Steelers are bringing in Michael Penix Jr. for a visit, as reported by Brady Henderson of ESPN.
Penix Jr.'s draft projection has fluctuated throughout the end of the 2023 college football season all the way through his Pro Day, which was held on Thursday. He is currently a fringe first round selection, but he had an impressive performance in front of many scouts when he ran a sub-4.6 40-yard dash. This could shoot him up draft boards and cement him as a first round player.
Penix Jr. finished his college career at Washington where he lost the 2023 National Championship. He started at Indiana where he played from 2018 through 2021, and struggled mightily with injuries. He bounced back when he transferred to the west coast, winning the Maxwell Award in 2023, which is given to the best all-around player in the country. He has plenty of experience, and seems to have the physical attributes to succeed in the NFL.
Should The Steelers Draft Penix Jr.?
Penix Jr. would likely need to be selected with the 20th overall pick if Khan wants him in Pittsburgh. He will surely be gone by the team's second selection, which comes in at 51st overall. With debates already spurring around a possible competition between Fields and Wilson, one would think there is no need to use a high pick to bring a rookie into the mix when Pittsburgh has so many other needs to focus on. We'll just have to wait and see what the organization decides to do come late April.
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