The Steelers had four collegiate quarterbacks make pre-draft visits.

Will one get drafted?

It’s presumed Aaron Rodgers is coming back. Mason Rudolph is a needed, capable backup. New coach Mike McCarthy pontificates about second-year pro Will Howard, but that might be just talk. McCarthy is a quarterback guy. Howard’s smokescreen of intangibles — “He’s a winner!” — shouldn’t fool McCarthy.

It shouldn’t fool you, either. But it has.

Without Howard yet taking an NFL snap, not even in preseason.

Howard won a national title in 2025 with a foolproof Ohio State team. But he’s just not an NFL starting quarterback-level talent. Doesn’t have the arm. That’s why Howard got drafted in the sixth round. (No, he’s not Tom Brady.)

Howard’s ceiling is NFL backup.

That’s why the Steelers should draft Penn State’s Drew Allar with, say, one of their three third-round picks. Then cut Howard. Don’t waste his time.

Allar’s ceiling is NFL starter.

It’s hardly guaranteed.

But, to quote Allar’s NFL.com scouting report, Allar looks like he was “assembled in a quarterback factory.”

“Can make every pro throw.”

“Capable of stacking more yardage on his scrambles.”

Allar is a bit over 6-foot-5, weighs 228 pounds. He’s a quarterback straight out of central casting.

But his scouting report isn’t all good: “Can be slow to process and get to his best option. He also struggles to adjust his pre-snap plan to fit the coverage.”

Allar has the tools, but needs to build a toolbox.

McCarthy can help Allar do that.

But McCarthy can’t give Howard what he doesn’t have.

Allar was projected to be a first-round pick until a broken ankle derailed his final season at Penn State. Rebuilding Allar’s confidence will be a project, too.

Allar is far from a sure thing. But the potential is there. Allar has a touch of Josh Allen about him. (Hey, if you can compare Howard to Brady…)

Howard is closer to a “no way.” He’s a much more unlikely project.

If the Steelers take any quarterback in this year’s draft, there’s no need to keep Howard. There won’t be enough snaps to go around. (But McCarthy believes in having a lot of quarterbacks.)

But if the Steelers do take a quarterback, it should be Allar in the third round. (If he’s there.) Not Alabama’s Ty Simpson at No. 21 overall.

But getting Simpson wouldn’t be surprising.

With the draft in Pittsburgh, picking a quarterback in the first round gets the biggest pop.

Owner Art Rooney II wants stability at quarterback. That means a clear line of succession after Rodgers.

Simpson would provide that, in theory.

Just like Kenny Pickett did. In theory.