2026 NFL Mock Draft Gives Steelers Their Aaron Rodgers Successor

Coming off back-to-back 10-win seasons, the Pittsburgh Steelers surely could be in a worse spot. Still, even this version of the roster reflects an organization that is desperately searching for more pleasant answers.

Adding veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the fold is a good start. With that said, it seems the four-time NFL MVP will only be in town for a year. After the season, Pittsburgh will likely go back to the drawing board. The search for a Rodgers successor will include 2026 NFL Draft developments, and it’s never too early to take a look ahead.

That’s exactly what ESPN’s Matt Miller did in his recent mock draft. The mock, which ranks teams’ draft order based on the outlet’s Football Power Index, slotted the Steelers in at 16th. With that selection, Miller sent uber-talented South Carolina signal-caller LaNorris Sellers to the Steel City.

LaNorris Sellers Represents True ‘Boom or Bust’ NFL Draft Profile

Sellers is an polarizing NFL Draft prospect. On one hand, he just recently turned 20 years old and is oozing with potential. His natural arm talent, play extension ability and rushing chops make him a perfect fit for the modern NFL. On the other hand, he’s very rough around the edges and needs to develop quite a bit before being league-ready.

That’s exactly what Miller factored into his early projection, also pointing out that Sellers may not even enter next year’s draft.

“Aaron Rodgers eventually signed with the Steelers, but all signs indicate it’s a one-year arrangement, which makes quarterback Pittsburgh’s offseason focus again in 2026,” Miller wrote. “Sellers is one of the nation’s most exciting prospects, as he threw for 18 touchdowns to seven interceptions last season while rushing for 674 yards and seven scores. The 6-foot-3, 242-pounder is big, strong and mobile and could be picked way before this if he cleans up some decision-making mistakes. With two years of eligibility following next season, Sellers is no lock to be in the draft, but his potential excites evaluators.”

In 12 games for the Gamecocks a season ago, Sellers completed 65.6% of his passes and threw for 2,534 yards. According to Pro Football Focus, he posted a jaw-dropping 97.5 “in-game athletic score” this past year. If everything clicks for him, he could be the NFL’s next big thing at the quarterback position. The mock draft pick is undoubtedly a swing for the fences by the Steelers in an effort to replace Rodgers.

Aaron Rodgers’ Performance Could Impact Steelers’ Ability to Land Replacement

The aforementioned FPI is a nice metric to help get a picture of how a team may perform. There’s no denying that. There is, however, denying that it’s the best catch-all statistic. That simply might not exist. Because of that, it’s borderline impossible to determine exactly where the Steelers will be picking in next year’s first round. Heck, there’s a nonzero chance that selection won’t even belong to the franchise once April rolls around.

Of every player currently on the roster, Rodgers’ performance figures to swing the team’s outcomes the most. Although he did throw for nearly 4,000 yards with 28 touchdowns last year with the New York Jets, Rodgers struggled to stay healthy. He looked, somewhat predictably, like a diminished version of the player who won consecutive MVP awards in 2020 and 2021. Should he struggle in what is tracking to be his final year, Pittsburgh will earn a more favorable pick. Inversely, Rodgers delivering a deep playoff run would be good for the team in the moment, albeit not necessarily once the first round arrives.

So much must fall into place in order for Sellers to become a Steeler, but nothing is in the way of hypothesizing.