The Pittsburgh Steelers have conducted pre-draft visits and interviews with several quarterback prospects, including Carson Beck and Taylen Green. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette beat writer Ray Fittipaldo indicated Beck has a 'bullseye' on him for a potential third-round selection. Former Steelers linebacker James Harrison expressed intrigue in drafting Green on the right day.
The Steelers, holding 12 picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, are not desperate at quarterback with Aaron Rodgers possibly returning and Will Howard as a young option. However, they have shown outward interest in Day 2 and Day 3 candidates. They formally met with Georgia's Carson Beck at the NFL Combine and later brought him in for a visit. The team also hosted Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green and held pre-draft interviews with Cole Payton and others, but not with prospects like Ty Simpson despite his potential availability later in the first or second round. No visits were noted for Simpson, partly due to concerns over his experience. Beck brings a proven record of 43 collegiate starts, a 37-6 mark, and recent College Football Playoff experience, though he has issues with arm strength, turnovers, and mechanics under pressure. Fittipaldo, speaking on the North Shore Drive podcast, said, “If they would use their first third-rounder on one of those guys, I would say it would be Carson Beck... There seems to be real interest there.” He added, “If there’s one guy that I think maybe has a bullseye on him at this point, just reading the tea leaves, I would say it’s Carson Beck.” Meanwhile, Harrison, on his Deebo and Joe podcast, highlighted Green's athletic traits: nearly 6-foot-6, 227 pounds, a 4.36-second 40-yard dash, and 43.5-inch vertical. Despite Green's inconsistencies—slow processing, holding the ball too long, and 11 interceptions in 12 games—Harrison noted, “All you need is coaches that can develop him,” suggesting a Day 2 or 3 selection could work given the Steelers' seven Day 3 picks and coaching staff.
