Steelers Could Land Next Jalen Hurts

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback target is drawing some big-time comparisons.

Nov 23, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) warms up before a game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are in need of a quarterback for the second straight season after flipping their quarterback room over once again.

With the free agent pool drying up and the only real options remaining there being former Steeler in Russell Wilson and a divisive, aging Aaron Rodgers.

Therefore, it is possible the Steelers look towards the NFL draft in order to assess their needs.

In a recent mock draft, NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah had the Steelers selecting a college quarterback in Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart with the 21st pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

In his selection, he compared Dart to an elite quarterback in Jalen Hurts.

"I don't know who's playing quarterback for them. And I ask myself a very simple question: do I think Jaxson Dart would beat out Mason Rudolph? And I think he would, sooner rather than later. And I also with Jackson Dart, I've used this before, but he, he does remind me of Jalen Hurts," Jeremiah said. "Jalen Hurts, who wasn't a finished product coming out, but when you watched him every year in college, he got better and better and better. They're both strong, sturdy guys. You look at the way they can move around. Obviously, Jaxson Dart doesn't move around quite like Hurts does, but he rushed for over 1,500 yards in his three years in the SEC. He's athletic. So all those things together, I thought, man, you could find some similarities there."

Dart would provide youth, which comes with upsides and downsides. While he would provide rushing upside and a strong arm, issues with maturity and adjustment to an NFL-level offense could prove to be tough. The Steelers play in one of the more physical divisions in football, and the adjustment would need to be immediate as the Steelers look to stay competitive.

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