The Pittsburgh Steelers already have two young quarterbacks waiting behind Aaron Rodgers, but that apparently hasn’t taken them out of the conversation for another potential franchise passer.
Rodgers has said the 2026 season will be his last, leaving Pittsburgh with a major decision to make next offseason. Will Howard and Drew Allar are on the roster, but neither has established himself as the long-term answer.
One new first-round projection has the Steelers going back to the quarterback position, this time for a Missouri standout whose stock has climbed considerably this fall.
Steelers Predicted to Select Austin Simmons at No. 12
A to Z Sports’ Ryan Roberts projected Pittsburgh to select Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Roberts and Joe DeLeone released their latest first-round projections Wednesday, with five quarterbacks coming off the board in the first 12 picks.
“Pittsburgh takes a swing at quarterback, selecting Simmons as a potential long-term solution under center,” Roberts wrote.
The projected order is based on then Super Bowl odds, not the current NFL standings. Pittsburgh sits at 3-2 following Sunday’s 34-22 win over the Indianapolis Colts, so the 12th selection is only a hypothetical landing spot.
Simmons, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound transfer from Ole Miss, has thrown for 1,434 yards, 14 touchdowns and one interception in six games for Missouri this season. He’s completing 64.8% of his passes, a promising step forward after a difficult 2025 in which he threw four touchdowns and five interceptions for the Rebels.
His latest outing wasn’t nearly as sharp, though. Simmons completed 14 of 28 passes for 147 yards, one touchdown and an interception in Missouri’s 27-6 victory over Texas A&M. That uneven performance is another reminder that his evaluation is far from finished.
And there’s a separate issue with this projection: Simmons might not even enter the draft.
In an earlier article, A to Z Sports’ Joe DeLeone wrote that scouts he spoke with were skeptical Simmons would leave Missouri after this season. His limited experience as a full-time college starter could make another year attractive, regardless of where he’s projected.
Steelers Face Quarterback Decision Beyond Aaron Rodgers
Pittsburgh has spent two consecutive drafts adding quarterbacks. Howard arrived as a sixth-round pick in 2025, while Allar became a third-round selection, No. 76 overall, in April. The Steelers also kept veteran Mason Rudolph on the roster behind Rodgers.
That investment makes another early quarterback selection far from automatic. Allar, in particular, has barely had time to develop under Mike McCarthy, who was hired to coach Pittsburgh this year. The former Penn State quarterback entered the NFL with traits scouts rave about, although questions about his consistency helped shape his draft outlook.
But Rodgers’ impending retirement leaves the Steelers without an established starter for 2027. He confirmed in May that this would be his final NFL season and reiterated his decision before training camp.
Pittsburgh can give Howard and Allar opportunities before deciding whether to spend premium draft capital at quarterback. If neither convinces McCarthy and general manager Omar Khan, a first-round prospect like Simmons becomes easier to envision.
Steelers Predicted to Take ‘Swing’ On 14-TD QB as Aaron Rodgers’ Replacement