Andrew Weber – USATODAY Sports
The Pittsburgh Steelers have intimated in the past few days that they may be looking to take a quarterback in the upcoming NFL Draft. With former Miami University Red Hawks quarterback Ben Roethlisberger leading them to great things throughout his career, is it possible that the Steelers will draft another Miami quarterback this year in Zac Dysert?
Depending on how you look at it, Pittsburgh couldn’t have picked a better or worse year to go after a quarterback. Why would the Steelers think that taking a quarterback in one of the weakest quarterback classes in recent memory would be a good decision? But taking a quarterback this year may actually work in their favor because they won’t have to spend an early round draft pick to get one, as few of the quarterbacks available warrant an early-round selection. Pittsburgh also has the advantage of not needing a quarterback they draft to play right away, which will enable them to draft someone that needs a year or two of development before being ready to play in the NFL. This makes the Steelers drafting Dysert a real possibility.
With Roethlisberger showing signs of wearing down, the time may be right to draft his successor, and Dysert could be the perfect fit for the Steelers. Aside from both playing at the same college, there are a number of other similarities between Roethlisberger and Dysert. Both are big, physical quarterbacks with strong arms and good mobility. Dysert ran his team’s offense in college, so mentally he’s capable of running an NFL offense, although he does have mechanical issues that should be fixed.
If they choose to do so, the Steelers could groom Dysert for a couple years, preparing him to be Roethlisberger’s successor. The similarities between Roethlisberger and Dysert are too obvious to ignore, and so drafting Dysert to back up Roethlisberger and one day replace him is an avenue Pittsburgh needs to explore. So when the middle rounds of the draft come along, don’t be surprised if the Steelers are looking for a quarterback, and don’t be surprised if Dysert is the one that ends up in Pittsburgh.
Bryan Zarpentine is a New York Mets writer at www.RantSports.com. He also writes frequently about the NFL, College Football, College Basketball, and International Soccer. Follow him on twitter @BZarp and add him to your network on Google+.
