Pittsburgh Steelers Fix Quarterback Need With Shedeur Sanders And Dillon Gabriel? NFL Draft

With the NFL Draft on April 24th, Pittsburgh Steelers fans may be hoping the team picks up former Oregon Duck quarterback Dillon Gabriel to fix their quarterback drought. Pittsburgh could draft Colorado Buffaloes' Shedeur Sanders and Gabriel.

Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) throws a pass in the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2025 Rose Bowl college football quarterfinal game at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The drama of the Pittsburgh Steelers searching for their next starting quarterback after trading Russell Wilson to the New York Giants has been filled with relentless NFL free agent Aaron Rodgers speculation, a visit from former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders and fan misery around a seemingly empty quarterback room.

To fill out their roster, what if the Steelers' next hope under center could be a former Oregon Duck in the 2025 NFL Draft?

Though Alabama's Jalen Milrose, Louisville's Tyler Shough, and Mississippi's Jaxson Dart are a few immediate NFL Draft considerations surrounding the Pittsburgh job, perhaps veteran college quarterback Dillon Gabriel could be the solution. Plus, as Gabriel is projected to be a fourth-round or later pick, it wouldn't cost the Steelers much gravitas to acquire.

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel throws out a pass during the Oregon football’s Pro Day Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Older than Milroe and Dart, the Steelers could find an upside in Gabriel's seniority and expereince. At UCF, Oklahoma, and Oregon, the quarterback has displayed his dual threat ability, clinching over 3,000 yards in passing for five of his six years in college (four of those years surpassing 3,500), which contributed to his No. 2 ranking in all-time passing yards (18,722), and 1,209 yards in rushing.

Though there are concerns levied about his under-sized 5'11 stature, Gabriel has show his capability of landing long passes during the NFL Scouting Combine and Oregon's Pro Day. ESPN Draft Analyst Matt Bowen also recently named Gabriel the best decision making quarterback of the NFL draft class.

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel throws out a pass during the Oregon football’s Pro Day Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Gabriel is an older and smaller QB prospect, but he offers a tremendous amount of game experience and productivity. He operates with poise and confidence from the pocket. His field vision is average, but he typically takes care of the football. He’s capable of playing within the confines of an offense and can create yards with his legs as needed," said NFL analyst Lance Zierlein about Gabriel.

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Feb 1, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; National team quarterback Dillon Gabriel of Oregon (8) throws the ball against the American team during the first half at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

“Gabriel is always calm in the pocket while reading the post-snap picture," Bowmen said about Gabriel. "And he showed that ability in three different systems in college (UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon). He threw only six interceptions last season and had a 1.5% interception rate over his six college seasons."

As of Monday, April 8th, the Steelers hold the following draft picks:

Pittsburgh Steelers' 2025 Draft Picks:

Round 1, Pick No. 21
Round 3, Pick No. 83
Round 4, Pick No. 123
Round 5, Pick No. 156
Round 6, Pick No. 185 (from a trade of Seattle through Chicago)
Round 7, Pick No. 229 (from Atlanta through Philadelphia)

With several late stage round picks, grabbing Gabriel is a very likely possibility for a team that desperately needs to address their quarterback corps and could very well need a back-up for Sanders if he's selected through their No. 21 overall pick.

As of this week, only two quarterbacks remain on Pittsburgh's roster: Mason Rudolph (who re-signed to a two-year contract over the off season) and Skylar Thompson (who signed a futures contract in January).