Why the NFL Scouting Combine has been a disaster for the Pittsburgh Steelers
The 2022 NFL Scouting Combine has been a disaster for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Is that a bit extreme? Maybe. But I think it's the reality of the situation for the Steelers. It all comes down to Liberty quarterback Malik Willis, who has been a popular mock draft pick for Pittsburgh at No. 20. The feeling […]
The 2022 NFL Scouting Combine has been a disaster for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Is that a bit extreme?
Maybe. But I think it's the reality of the situation for the Steelers.
It all comes down to Liberty quarterback Malik Willis, who has been a popular mock draft pick for Pittsburgh at No. 20.
The feeling has been that if the Steelers were going to take a quarterback in the first round, it would be Willis.
Mike Tomlin spent a lot of time eying Willis at the Senior Bowl. Pittsburgh drafting Willis would make a lot of sense. He could be the quarterback of the future while a veteran, or Mason Rudolph, holds down the job in 2022.
There's just one problem — Willis is shooting up draft boards now thanks to his performance at the combine this week.
A couple of weeks ago, there was a question of whether or not No. 20 would be too early for Pittsburgh to take Willis. Now in order to land him, they'll almost certainly have to trade up.
Willis was so good at the combine that he might not slip past the Carolina Panthers at No. 6 at this point.
The Steelers thought they might have their quarterback of the future at No. 20. Now they'll have to mortgage some of their future to move up to get him. Pittsburgh would've been better off had there not been a combine this year.
Willis has the tools and the character to be an elite quarterback in the NFL. And he was destined for Pittsburgh before combine week.
Fortunately for the Steelers, they have other quarterback avenues they can explore (even Aaron Rodgers seems to be an option). This, however, was the easiest option for the Steelers. And now, it doesn't look like it's an option at all anymore.
Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
