The Pittsburgh Steelers already know they will need another starting quarterback after the 2026 season. What they don’t know is whether that answer is already on the roster.
Aaron Rodgers has made it clear that this will be his final NFL season, leaving Pittsburgh with Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar behind him.
One early 2027 NFL mock draft, however, sees Pittsburgh going much bigger at the position.
Draft Sharks’ Shane Hallam predicted the Steelers will select Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin with the No. 9 overall pick, a move that would say plenty about where Pittsburgh believes its quarterback room stands after Rodgers.
Steelers Predicted to Draft Julian Sayin at No. 9
Hallam used Super Bowl betting odds at the time of publication to set the draft order, so Pittsburgh’s spot at No. 9 isn’t a direct prediction that the Steelers will finish with the NFL’s ninth-worst record.
Sayin was the fourth quarterback Hallam placed inside the top nine picks, behind Arch Manning, Dante Moore and LaNorris Sellers.
“Sayin will be a controversial prospect,” Hallam wrote. “He certainly is propped up by his offense with WR Jeremiah Smith as his main target. But, his weak arm strength and lack of highlight throws makes him a tough sell. Even so, his accuracy and ability to work within a system fits well with HC Mike McCarthy and could make him the Steelers QB of the future.”
Sayin enters his second season as Ohio State’s starter after producing one of the most efficient passing seasons in the country in 2025.
The Buckeyes quarterback completed a nation-leading 77% of his passes for 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also finished second nationally in passing efficiency and was a Heisman Trophy finalist.
Those numbers give Sayin plenty to build on entering a season that could determine whether he becomes the type of top-10 prospect Hallam projects.
Julian Sayin Pick Would Raise Questions About Steelers Young QBs
The more interesting part for Pittsburgh might be what selecting Sayin would mean for Allar and Howard.
The Steelers selected Allar in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, No. 76 overall. Pittsburgh has repeatedly emphasized Allar’s arm talent and developmental upside since drafting him.
Howard, Pittsburgh’s sixth-round pick in 2025, remains in the developmental picture as well. McCarthy said in May that the Steelers had four quarterbacks “that we love,” even joking about wanting enough roster space to keep all of them.
A year can change plenty.
Rodgers has already removed himself from the 2027 equation. Rudolph is a veteran backup, while Allar and Howard still have an entire season to make their cases as potential successors.
If Pittsburgh is actually picking ninth next April and Sayin is available, though, Hallam’s projection presents a much different scenario. Teams generally don’t spend top-10 picks on quarterbacks to sit behind former third- and sixth-round selections indefinitely.
That would make the 2026 season an audition for more than Rodgers’ final run. It could also determine whether Pittsburgh believes its next quarterback is already in the building, or whether another major swing is coming.
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