MOBILE, Ala. — If not Kenny Pickett, then who?
The Steelers continue to evaluate quarterbacks in the 2022 draft at the Senior Bowl this week, and every level of the organization is present for the process. Team president Art Rooney II joined the Steelers front office contingent and the coaching staff when he flew in Tuesday to watch this week's practices.
Rooney doesn't typically make the annual trek to Alabama to watch college football's top senior prospects, but then again, it isn't every year the Steelers are trying to replace a future Hall of Famer.
Five of the top six quarterbacks in the draft are here and the Steelers, who pick at No. 20, could be in range to select some of them. Pitt's Pickett is the top quarterback prospect and could end up getting drafted in the top 10 if he continues to impress.
This is not considered a banner year for quarterbacks. Unlike last year, when five were selected in the top 15 picks, the belief is some of the top quarterbacks this year could be available in the second half of the first round or even the second round.
Malik Willis of Liberty is one of them. He spoke with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin after practice on Tuesday.
"He's a pretty cool dude," Willis said. "That was my first time meeting him. He was just trying to introduce himself."
Willis, who is 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, has more raw potential than any quarterback in this class, but the consensus among scouts is he likely needs time to develop with an NFL team before he could help.
Nevada quarterback Carson Strong met with Tomlin and the Steelers on Monday. His mission this week is to convince NFL teams his knee is healthy after surgery last year limited his mobility during the fall. Strong threw for 4,186 yards with 36 touchdowns and eight interceptions despite some post-surgery flare-ups with his knee that bothered him throughout the season.
Tomlin told Strong he appreciated him playing the season when he was not completely healthy.
"During the season I was dealing with some inflammation problems," Strong said. "My leg was getting swollen. It wasn't quite ready, but there was no way I wasn't going to play the season. As the year went on, I got better. I played the last game without a knee brace. I feel comfortable now without it. I'm still getting my feet under me right now. I'm still getting better, but I feel good."
Strong is the most gifted natural passer in the draft, but he is the least mobile of any of the quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl. In another NFL era, he might have been the top quarterback prospect, but as Rooney expressed last week, the game has evolved and quarterback mobility is a trait teams covet.
"If he's looking for a guy who wants to do read-option and quarterback power, then no, I won't fit that scheme," Strong said. "I'm definitely not Lamar Jackson by any means. I definitely have to beat teams with my mind. If they're looking for a guy who can extend plays, step up in the pocket and keep his eyes down the field, then absolutely yes, I can do that."
Strong said his game revolves around timing and anticipations with his receivers. He grew up watching Peyton Manning and Brett Favre and tries to combine their best qualities.
"I want to take care of the ball like Peyton Manning, but I also want to rip it a little bit like Favre," he said. "They were my idols growing up."
Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder, who is being projected as a second-round pick, models his game after Deshaun Watson and Ryan Tannehill and does fit into the modern-day NFL mold.
For Cincinnati last season, Ridder threw for over 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns, and he had 355 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Cincinnati scaled back his running this season. He had over 500 rushing yards in each of his first three seasons as a starter and 12 rushing touchdowns as a junior in 2020.
North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell also is a dual-threat. He posted better passing statistics in his first two seasons as a starter, throwing for over 7,000 yards with 68 touchdown passes in 2019 and 2020. He had a younger team around him last season and was asked to use his running ability more.
Howell, who is 6-1, 220, rushed for 828 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior, showing he had the athleticism to create when plays break down.
Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com called Howell "a poor man's Baker Mayfield," although he clarified Howell is a much better passer than Mayfield.
"I'm a great leader," Howell said. "I can rally a team better than anyone else. I just want to show teams I have no limitations athletically or mentally. I can handle an NFL system, any system a coordinator wants to run."
Howell had a chance to enter the NFL after the 2020 season, but he returned to school in hopes of getting drafted higher.
"What I improved most on was my leadership," he said. "I had to get those younger guys up to speed and get them to a place where they were comfortable on the field. I was definitely challenged in that aspect, and it made me a better leader, so I'm grateful for that."
The only underclassman who is considered a possible first-round selection is Matt Corral of Ole Miss. He's not here this week, but the Steelers will get a chance to interview him and watch him work out at the NFL combine in Indianapolis in a few weeks.
