Steelers Take QB Amid Aaron Rodgers Rumors in Field Yates' Latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft

As the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to weigh their quarterback options for next season, including potentially bringing back Aaron Rodgers, one prominent NFL draft analyst has them addressing the position in the first round.

In a new mock draft from ESPN's Field Yates, Alabama's Ty Simpson is projected as the Steelers' first-round pick at No. 21 overall:

"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."

This is not a good draft class if you need a quarterback. Fernando Mendoza is the overwhelming favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick to the Las Vegas Raiders, but there isn't another clear-cut option at the position to go in the first round.

B/R's NFL scouting department has Simpson ranked as the second-best quarterback, but No. 28 overall prospect in the 2026 draft class. His first season as Alabama's starter was a tale of two halves that left his stock all over the place.

Simpson looked like a Heisman frontrunner through his first nine games with 2,461 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, one interception and a 66.9 completion percentage. He played good competition during that period, including wins over Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri and Tennessee.

Over the final six games, though, Simpson badly regressed. He had just 1,106 passing yards, seven touchdowns, four interceptions and completed 60.5 percent of his attempts. Alabama went 3-3 during that period, including a 38-3 loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff.

New Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy said during his introductory press conference the team would "definitely" be interested in bringing Rodgers back. The two previously worked together for 13 seasons with the Green Bay Packers from 2006 to '18.

Rodgers has not yet confirmed if he will play in 2026, but NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on Sunday the "odds are increasing" for the four-time MVP to return.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio added the Steelers, like they did last year, are willing to wait for Rodgers to make a decision. He waited until June before signing a one-year deal with Pittsburgh last offseason.

If Rodgers does return, the Steelers could still select Simpson as a developmental quarterback for a year before letting him take over as the starter in 2027.

Simpson only has one full year of starting experience at the college level, so it wouldn't be a surprise if he needs time to get ready to face NFL defenses.