Steelers Could Make The Most Unexpected Selection Of The 2024 NFL Draft In Round 1

The rumors continue growing for who the Pittsburgh Steelers will select in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Most Insiders have the Black and Gold looking to select an offensive lineman, such as Amarius Mims or Graham Barton. Then late on Tuesday, there were rumors regarding the Steelers trading up for Toledo cornerback, Quinyon Mitchell. Now, one NFL insider thinks that the Steelers could throw a curveball with who they will select with the 20th overall pick.

In an appearance on 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk thinks that the Steelers could address their questions at quarterback beyond this season by selecting former Washington Huskies signal-caller, Michael Penix Jr. in the first round. 

"If he [Penix Jr.] is there at 20, I think you have to consider it. The Steelers don't waste their time when it comes to visits, and they brought him in."

The Steelers scheduled a visit with Penix to come in for a top 30 visit early on in the process. Though the visit was announced by ESPN, it was never confirmed by the team. The Heisman finalist assisted in leading the Huskies to the College Football Championship game earlier this year where they fell to the Michigan Wolverines. He threw for just over 4,900 yards and had a 36-11 TD-INT ratio in the 2023 as a whole. 

The Steelers already made mass changes to the quarterback room replacing Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, and Mason Rudolph with Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Kyle Allen. The team typically likes to go into training camp with four quarterbacks on the roster, and may add one later in the draft, but General Manager Omar Khan already mentioned that even if Penix Jr. should be on the board at pick 20, that it's "unlikely" they take a quarterback in round one.

If The Steelers Aren't Taking Penix Jr. In The First Round, Why Bring Him In?

The Steelers may be prioritizing offensive line in the first round, but Florio thinks that Pittsburgh may be playing chess, not checkers by doing their homework on Penix Jr., who is being regarded as potentially the second best quarterback in the class.

"They may have brought him in knowing that people may try to trade up to get him. They want to know about the player so they can properly value the price of the pick."

The price to trade up early in the first round of the draft will be significantly higher than moving with say the Steelers at 20. However, if the Steelers know that Penix can be a future superstar that is worth significant draft compensation, then the homework is well worth it. 

The speculation that Pittsburgh may simply just be doing their homework on Penix only becomes stronger after the comments earlier this week by Mike Tomlin that he likes to throw smokescreens to throw people off. The Steelers don't waste pre-draft visits, so there may be reason to believe that Florio's comments maintain some truth.

Penix is projected to be selected anywhere from the beginning of the draft, to the early second round. Despite the reconstruction of the Steelers quarterback room, there is no player from the room under contract beyond this season, after the Steelers were reported to be soon declining Fields' fifth-year option. In this regard, taking Penix would make sense for the Steelers, though again, not likely in the first round.

Penix's stock is all over the place due to four season ending injuries suffered in his collegiate career, including multiple ACL injuries to the same knee. His talent however, continues to raise eyebrows, even this close to the NFL Draft. It's unlikely the Steelers draft Penix at all, but if there is one thing Khan has done during his tenure so far as general manager, it's keep the fans off guard by making splashes when we don't expect him to.

Will Michael Penix Jr. be a Pittsburgh Steeler?