Even with Kenny Pickett on the bench, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ hopes of picking a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft faded after the team won its final three regular-season games. However, intriguing quarterback prospects could still be available to the Steelers in the second round. That is what Pro Football Network’s A.J. Schulte predicted when he drafted Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. to the Steelers in his most recent 2024 NFL mock draft.
On January 27, Schulte predicted that the Steelers will take Penix at No. 51 overall in the second round.
“Michael Penix Jr.’s draft stock varies from scout to scout, but I kept running out of reasons for him not landing with the Steelers,” Schulte wrote in a blog post. “Penix adds a different element to the Steelers’ quarterback room with his downfield ability and pocket management.”
During his senior season in 2023, Penix completed 65.4% of his throws for 4,903 yards, an average of 8.8 yards per attempt. He also threw 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Penix guided Washington to a perfect regular season, Pac-12 championship, and a spot in the national championship game.
Could the Pittsburgh Steelers select quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the second round?
In January, NFL mock draft experts linked Penix to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Christian D’Andrea of USA Today’s For the Win predicted the Steelers would select Penix in their NFL mock draft on January 10.
D’Andrea assigned Penix to Pittsburgh for the same reasons Schulte did. Penix will provide something new to the Steelers behind centre.
“Penix can be the deep shot savant Pittsburgh hoped it was getting in Kenny Pickett,” D’Andrea wrote in an email. “And with a selection outside the top 20, he’d be only a modest risk for a team in need of a franchise QB.”
Obviously, the main difference in D’Andrea’s mock draft was that he had the Steelers selecting Penix at No. 23 overall.
Penix is ranked No. 20 on the Pro Football Focus draft board among all NFL prospects in the upcoming class. The Washington signal caller is ranked No. 30 on the ESPN big board.
As a result, it appears unlikely that Penix will make it past the first round, let alone reach No. 51 overall.
However, if Penix is only a moderate risk at No. 23, he appears to be a low-risk, high-reward option for the Steelers in the second round.
How Penix Could Fit With Steelers
Penix’s deep-ball ability makes him an intriguing option for the Steelers. Big plays in Pittsburgh’s passing attack were clearly absent until Mason Rudolph entered the starting lineup.
However, free agency will most likely have a significant impact on the Steelers’ interest in signal callers from the 2024 draft class.
Rudolph revealed on “The Ramon Foster Show” that Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan indicated interest in re-signing him.
The Steelers have also been linked to a number of quarterbacks in free agency, including Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, Baker Mayfield, and Ryan Tannehill.
It’s also possible to trade for a signal caller. NFL analysts have said that Justin Fields could end up with the Steelers.
If the Steelers make a significant move behind centre before the draft, quarterback will not be a priority on draft weekend.
However, if the Steelers just re-sign Rudolph and a QB prospect like Penix becomes available after the first round, Pittsburgh might acquire a quarterback on Day 2 of the draft.
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