R yan Smith of Pro Football Focus outlined the best-case scenario for every team in the 2026 NFL Draft . For the Pittsburgh Steelers , Smith thinks finding a quarterback of the future and a No. 2 wide receiver for Aaron Rodgers should be the team's goal. He tabbed Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson and USC wide receiver Makai Lemon as ideal picks at No. 21 overall.
"Breaking down the Pittsburgh Steelers gets tricky when you consider whether or not Aaron Rodgers returns for one more year. Should he return, the team may opt to surround him with better weapons after their wide receivers ranked just 29thin PFF receiving grade in 2025. If Rodgers retires, the search for their next franchise quarterback and more of a rebuild mentality may take priority," Smith wrote.
"A quick separator, Makai Lemon would be a natural fit alongside D.K. Metcalf. Lemon led the FBS with a 91.4 PFF receiving grade while ranking top 10 among qualified wideouts in yards per route run and missed tackles forced.
"Should the team look at the quarterback position, Alabama's Ty Simpson could be in play early in the draft. He's shown the ability to make NFL throws (30 big-time throws in 2025) but his PFF passing grade splits when kept clean (91.0) versus under pressure (45.7) are a cause for concern."
Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) looks to pass during the fourth quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs during the 2025 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Dec 6, 2025. — Brett Davis/Imagn ImagesCredit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Simpson and Lemon both met formally with the Steelers at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis .
Lemon did not perform athletic testing at the combine, instead choosing to wait for the USC pro day to put down times in the 40-yard dash, three-cone and shuttle runs.
That in of itself might some eyebrows, but probably wouldn't have hurt Lemon's stock, but apparently, his efforts in the meeting rooms of Indiana Convention Center did.
According to multiple reports, Lemon "bombed" his interviews with teams at the combine, and while specific details have not come out about what went wrong, his podium interview with members of the assembled media drew some eyes, as well.
Simpson is the lone quarterback considered to be a first-round option for the Steelers, who are picking at No. 21 overall.
Simpson was the top quarterback prospect that threw at the combine, as Indiana quarterback and presumptive No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza skipped throwing at the combine in favor of his on-campus pro day in Bloomington, Indiana.
The Steelers are pursuing Aaron Rodgers to return as its starting quarterback for 2026, but that wouldn't necessarily take the team out of the running to draft a quarterback as high as the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Rodgers has already mentored one future franchise quarterback, when he helped the Green Bay Packers develop Jordan Luck after drafting him in the first round as Rodgers' heir apparent, and the Steelers could be hoping some of that success rubs off on a future quarterback in Pittsburgh, as well.
Alan Saunders contributed.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : What Would Be the Best-Case Scenario for Steelers in Draft?
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