There is No Denying It; Steelers Highly Interested in Drafting a QB

[Steeler Nation]

Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin, and General Manager Kevin Colbert are putting in the miles this week. They’ve also whipped out the business credit card for some dinners. We will get to that in a minute. But today the Steelers will be attending the Cincinnati Pro Day to scout quarterback Desmond Ridder. We know that because Tomlin was spotted at a swanky steak house in Cincinnati last night with Ridder.

Tomlin and Colbert started their week at the Pitt Pro Day watching Kenny Pickett work out. That was obviously the easy one of the week as they didn’t have to travel anywhere. Colbert was honored by Pitt for his years of service in the industry as he gets ready to step down as general manager.

Steelers GM Kevin Colbert was honored by @Pitt_FB and @CoachDuzzPittFB during their Pro Day today. Narduzzi thanked Colbert for all he had done through the years for the program. pic.twitter.com/mlb8iDwlNO

— Teresa Varley (@Teresa_Varley) March 21, 2022

Now from there is when things got busy. That night Tomlin and crew headed to Virginia to have dinner with Malik Willis. Willis wowed the Steelers brass along with everyone that attended with his cannon for an arm. (See the videos here)

From Virginia they headed to Mississippi on Tuesday night for dinner with Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral.

Mike Tomlin and Matt Corral vibing here at Mississippi pro day

pic.twitter.com/tuBdPwuuU0

— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) March 23, 2022

Corral was hurt during Mississippi’s Bowl Game, but showed off his healthy ankle to potential teams. Corral completed 67.9% of his passes for 3,349 yards and 20 touchdowns against five interceptions last season as a junior. He was a finalist for both the Manning Award and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

And from Mississippi Wednesday afternoon to Cincinnati by dinner time for for Ridder. A photo of Tomlin and Ridder circulated on Twitter on Wednesday night, but has now since been deleted. That’s 4 quarterbacks in 4 days for Tomlin. Along with three dinners with three of those quarterbacks. The Steelers aren’t interested in smoke screens, and they’re certainly not going to fly around the country if they’re not interested in these quarterbacks.

Pro Football Focus had this to say about Ridder in a recent mock draft:

Ridder has some size and athleticism to him and rarely put the ball in harm’s way this season, ending with a 2.0% turnover-worthy play rate. This may seem like a reach to some, but quarterbacks always get pushed up the draft board, and few teams are as desperate for a fix as Denver.

It’s likely Ridder would be an option in the second round for the Steelers and not the first. But it’s always a guessing games with quarterbacks. We’ve seen teams trade way up to get their guy if they think he’s their guy.

Stay tuned for more coverage of Ridder’s Pro Day as the day goes on.

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[Fiji Mariner]

Hoping this is just due diligence with a bit of smoke screen involved. Hopefully if they do pull the trigger it isn’t in the first.

Where there’s smoke there’s usually fire.

 

[SteelBuckeye]

They're going QB at 20, DB at 52 ... and here will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth in the Buckeye household.

 

[thesteelcity]

I am hoping all of the QBs are gone by #20. The hype will be so great on Corral, Willis and Pickett that teams rush to the podium to draft them early. If Ridder is there in the 2nd or 3rd round and they must take a QB, go for it, but not in the first round.

 

[Troglodyte]

I am hoping all of the QBs are gone by #20. The hype will be so great on Corral, Willis and Pickett that teams rush to the podium to draft them early. If Ridder is there in the 2nd or 3rd round and they must take a QB, go for it, but not in the first round.

Seems to happen every year. Stock in The QB prospects rises and they go a lot higher than was expected before their pro days.

 

[ZonaBurgh]

Hoping this is just due diligence with a bit of smoke screen involved. Hopefully if they do pull the trigger it isn’t in the first.

Where there’s smoke there’s usually fire.

In recent years, I can't think of a single instance where the Steelers attempted a smoke screen, instead they run to the podium after 3 seconds have elapsed on the clock.
Drafting any of these QB's with 1.20 would be a mistake, trading up for one would be a disaster.

 

[thesteelcity]

In recent years, I can't think of a single instance where the Steelers attempted a smoke screen, instead they run to the podium after 3 seconds have elapsed on the clock.
Drafting any of these QB's with 1.20 would be a mistake, trading up for one would be a disaster.

the only player that deserves to be traded up for is Jordan Davis. He is a freak of nature and I would be in the camp of moving up for the young man.

 

[Drink IRON City]

Stranger things have happened, the STEELERS / Tombert have been tricky in the past. I just a NO-brainer like DAVIS is there.!




Salute the nation

 

[Steelr4evr]

the only player that deserves to be traded up for is Jordan Davis. He is a freak of nature and I would be in the camp of moving up for the young man.

Completely agree. I'd be downright giddy if they got him. Hell I'll go buy his jersey and I don't even buy jerseys of anyone.

DL,CB,OL,WR is pretty much the order I'd like to see it go.

Save that qb stuff for next year. Give the guys on the roster a shot to make things happen.

 

[fedderone]

In recent years, I can't think of a single instance where the Steelers attempted a smoke screen, instead they run to the podium after 3 seconds have elapsed on the clock.
Drafting any of these QB's with 1.20 would be a mistake, trading up for one would be a disaster.

In years past, the Steelers NEVER spent like they have this year in Free Agency.
Mainly because they've never had the money, but mostly because they believe in building through the draft and developing/paying their own.
But then this year, they've spent like drunken sailors on 24 hour leave ( vs every other year ).
Sooooooo, here's me hoping that the Steelers have thrown out the old playbook and are finally doing a HUGE smokescreen.
( fingers crossed )
I just can't see any of this crop of QBs being a franchise and/or "wasting" a 1st rounder on one of them.
Obviously not an NFL coach/GM/scout and didn't stay at a Holiday Inn, so what do I know.
But this would suck.

 

[thesteelcity]

Completely agree. I'd be downright giddy if they got him. Hell I'll go buy his jersey and I don't even buy jerseys of anyone.

DL,CB,OL,WR is pretty much the order I'd like to see it go.

Save that qb stuff for next year. Give the guys on the roster a shot to make things happen.

funny because I was going to type the same thing. I would own a #99 jersey before April is out.

 

[fedderone]

I am hoping all of the QBs are gone by #20. The hype will be so great on Corral, Willis and Pickett that teams rush to the podium to draft them early. If Ridder is there in the 2nd or 3rd round and they must take a QB, go for it, but not in the first round.

No way Ridder makes it to 3rd round.
If he's there in the 2nd for us, I'd be OK with that.

 

[thesteelcity]

No way Ridder makes it to 3rd round.
If he's there in the 2nd for us, I'd be OK with that.

oh, I know, I DON'T want a QB in this draft. I don't think he makes it to the 2nd when we pick and I'm fine with that.

 

[madinsomniac]

I am hoping all of the QBs are gone by #20. The hype will be so great on Corral, Willis and Pickett that teams rush to the podium to draft them early. If Ridder is there in the 2nd or 3rd round and they must take a QB, go for it, but not in the first round.

Yeah i can will myself into being a fan of these guys but id be disappointed if we blow tge 20th on one… at leadt trade down and then take one… get an extra high third or low second and a 30th pick in the first and ill be happy with whomever they take

 

[fedderone]

oh, I know, I DON'T want a QB in this draft. I don't think he makes it to the 2nd when we pick and I'm fine with that.

I hope we don't either.
But with the Steelers big wigs dining all these QBs, and our penchant for NOT having a poker face and showing the other 31 teams our cards, I'm hoping IF we take a QB, I'd rather it be in round 2 than round 1 because of this crop.

 

[SteveA]

I just don't get the hate on this forum for drafting a franchise QB...

In Mitch we trust ???

 

[Fiji Mariner]

Not a hate for drafting a franchise QB, but more of an overwhelming feeling this draft lacks a franchise QB. I think most people here don’t want to waste a high pick on a slappy QB that isn’t any better than T-biscuit, Rudy or Haskins when we need serious help at WR, DL etc

 

[ZonaBurgh]

I just don't get the hate on this forum for drafting a franchise QB...

In Mitch we trust ???

I don't think it's hate, I just think this current crop looks more like the class of 2007 than 2004.
IMO, there isn't a franchise QB among them, but I don't make that decision.

 

[Drink IRON City]

funny because I was going to type the same thing. I would own a #99 jersey before April is out.

I have a '99' jersey but it has Kirkland on the back.

I'll put white athletic tape over the name and majic marker DAVIS in on it.



Salute the nation

 

[Troglodyte]

In recent years, I can't think of a single instance where the Steelers attempted a smoke screen, instead they run to the podium after 3 seconds have elapsed on the clock.
Drafting any of these QB's with 1.20 would be a mistake, trading up for one would be a disaster.

I don’t buy into the usefulness of teams creating smokescreens anywhere except maybe the very top of the draft.

There’s 32 teams all with the ability to trade up or down. Are teams really going to try to figure out every possible scenario of what other teams might do? Who they might draft and where? If teams weren’t allowed to trade up and down, it’d make a lot more sense, otherwise it seems like a huge waste of time.

 

[thesteelcity]

I just don't get the hate on this forum for drafting a franchise QB...

In Mitch we trust ???

There's no hate in drafting a franchise QB, but I don't see this year's crop that has THE guy for us. With Mitch, I don't think we need to reach this year.

 

[SteelBuckeye]

I have a '99' jersey but it has Kirkland on the back.

I'll put white athletic tape over the name and majic marker DAVIS in on it.



Salute the nation

You know you can buy the nameplates, right?

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

levon doesnt deserve that. Sad.

 

[BamaSteeler52]

I hope it is all a smoke screen... Would be a monumental waste of a 1st round pick for QB's that are not 1st round talent but it's Tomlin I expect it.

 

[Drink IRON City]

You know you can buy the nameplates, right?

YES I do but this will be my "soft" protest against nfl spending.!



Salute the nation