3 QBs the Steelers Should Already Be Targeting in 2021 Draft to Succeed Ben Roethlisberger

The Pittsburgh Steelers did not choose to find Ben Roethlisberger's replacement in the 2020 NFL Draft, instead opting to go into the season with Mason Rudolph as the No. 2 quarterback. While Rudolph has proven to be a solid backup, he is by no means a franchise quarterback.

Pittsburgh will likely need to look to the 2021 NFL Draft to find a franchise signal caller, and there are plenty of solid options available even though they're expected to miss out on Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields.

3. Brock Purdy, Iowa State

It's been decades since the Cyclones have had a first-round pick, but Purdy might be able to sneak into the first round even though his measurable (6-1, 210) aren't fantastic. Purdy is coming off of season in which he passed for just under 4,000 yards and 27 touchdowns against just nine picks while completing 65% of his passes. 2020 will be Purdy's third straight year as a starter in the Big 12, and that experience and production could land him in Pittsburgh.

2. Jamie Newman, Georgia

Newman broke out at Wake Forest, where he ran Dave Clawson's long mesh point RPOs to perfection. He threw 26 touchdowns and ran for 574 yards and 6 scores. Newman will go from an average Demon Deacons team to a Georgia squad ready to win an SEC Championship, and the Bulldogs will give him the offensive line and receivers to maximize his arm strength and playmaking ability. Watch for Newman to soar up the quarterback rankings as the season progresses.

1. Trey Lance, North Dakota State

All you need to know about Trey Lance is that as a redshirt freshman, he scored 42 touchdowns without turning the ball over. Lance threw for 2,786 yards with 67% completion percentage, 9.7 yards per attempt, and 28 touchdowns. He added 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns as a runner. Accurate, poised, and a playmaker in every sense of the word, Lance might be a first-round selection despite making the jump from FCS to the pros.