Steelers Draft Mason Rudolph, Ben Roethlisberger's Possible Successor

The Pittsburgh Steelers hope to have found their quarterback of the future after selecting Mason Rudolph out of Oklahoma State with the No. 76 pick of the 2018 NFL draft Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. 

The Steelers strengthened the passing game earlier in the day when they selected Oklahoma State wide receiver James Washington in the second round at No. 60 overall. In Rudolph, Pittsburgh is taking a long-term outlook with Ben Roethlisberger locked in as the starter for at least 2018.

Many commented on how Rudolph and Washington will continue their successful partnership in the Steel City:

Here's how others reacted to the pick:

The team traded up in order to get Rudolph, announcing it sent the 79th and 220th picks to the Seattle Seahawks.

Rudolph was one of the most productive quarterbacks in college football throughout his career, leading the nation with 4,904 passing yards in 2017 to go with his 37 touchdowns and nine interceptions. His 170.6 efficiency rating was the third-best in FBS.

The three-year starter totaled 13,618 passing yards during his college career, good enough for 11th-most in NCAA history, per Sports Reference.

While he had talented receivers around him like Washington, the quarterback didn't rely upon yards after catch as much as some others in the class, as Chris Trapasso of CBSSports.com highlighted:

He also benefited from a great offensive system at Oklahoma State. But Rudolph doesn't believe this defines him.

"I've been tagged with the system label for a long time now," he told Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski in February. "If you watch the film, I was asked to throw the ball in ways that marry up with NFL concepts. ... My production increased in each of the past three seasons and won a lot of ballgames along the way."

On the downside, the quarterback doesn't have great arm strength for his 6'3", 235-pound frame. He also lacks mobility and can struggle when facing pressure.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller listed him as the No. 6 quarterback in the class to go with a Round 2 grade.

The Steelers still see plenty of upside in Rudolph, though, and he could be the heir apparent for Roethlisberger when he retires. The 36-year-old veteran said he plans to return in 2018, but he seems to be making that decision on a year-by-year basis.

Although the team drafted Joshua Dobbs in the fourth round last season, there will apparently be some competition to replace Roethlisberger in the future.