PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – One of the lead draft experts on ESPN projects the Steelers will draft a quarterback in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
They aren’t moving up to get Fernando Mendoza, rather staying at pick 21, according to Field Yates in his first mock draft of 2026, and selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
The 6’2”, 208-pound redshirt junior, like most quarterbacks in the class, have slipped dramatically in the prospect rankings taking what was to be a great quarterback group to what some analysts project as one of the worst QB classes.
Stats
Passing-305 completions on 473 attempts, 3567 yards, 28 touchdowns, 5 interceptions
Rushing-90 rushes for 93 yards and 2 touchdowns
Sacked 32 times
Positives
· In 523 attempts in college, he threw only five interceptions, which is the lowest percentage in Alabama history
· To that point, he is lauded for his accuracy
· Ranked 34th overall by Pro Football Focus—excelled at intermediate passes and good at deep throws although those percentages waned as the season continued
· Confident in his abilities to make any throw and has shown toughness in his 2 seasons
· Won first 3 games against ranked teams with 7 total touchdowns and one interception
Negatives
· While he can move a little in the pocket, he’s not an elusive runner
· Creates negative plays trying to hold onto the ball and not recognizing when a play is over
· One of the worst QBs in the draft at dealing with pressure
· PFF listed his adjusted completion rate at 75.3% (tied for 40th in FBS)
· PFF average depth of target 8.6 (112th in FBS)
· Struggled down the stretch with his four worst games in the last 8
· Lost 3 of his last 4 games against ranked teams with 4 TD and 2 INT. His last game against Indiana, 12-16 for 67 yards
Field Yates take
‘Regardless, I think the Steelers could take a chance on him here. They might bring back quarterback Aaron Rodgers if he doesn't retire, but that is far from a certainty. And while new head coach Mike McCarthy has praised Will Howard, he was a sixth-round pick last year. It feels unlikely Pittsburgh would completely anchor its future around him.’
Players still available at pick 21 in Yates mock
· Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane
· Washington receiver Denzel Boston
· Texas A&M receiver KC Concepcion
· Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood
· Texas A&M guard Chase Bisontis