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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Steelers draft prediction adds quarterback with 12% chance to be No. 1 pick
The Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to get just one year out of veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers said on "The Pat McAfee Show" that he's "pretty sure" he'll retire after the 2025 campaign, which is not surprising considering he'll be 42 in December. If Rodgers leaves, the Steelers will be left with in-house options in Mason Rudolph and Will Howard before making any moves. The problem is that Howard is a late-round pick and may not prove to be the long-term solution Pittsburgh needs and Rudolph is a good backup but not someone the Steelers should be relying on for more. The Steelers have three options if they aren't happy with Rudolph and Howard. They can trade, sign and/or draft a quarterback in 2026. Pittsburgh fans will almost certainly clamor for the third option given how recent quick-fix solutions haven't worked out and the team hasn't had a true franchise quarterback since Big Ben. If the Steelers do draft a quarterback in 2026, Steelers Wire's Curt Popejoy predicts it will be Indiana signal-caller Fernando Mendoza, who he considers the "hottest name at quarterback in college football." "Right now, Mendoza is the hottest name at quarterback in college football. If he can live up to the hype, his first-round grade will be earned," Popejoy wrote. Mendoza exploded onto the scene in 2024 at Cal, with the young quarterback tallying 3,004 yards and 16 touchdowns to six picks. You can check out more information on Mendoza by reading this film breakdown from Ian Cummings of Pro Football & Sports Network. He has since transferred to Indiana, where experts believe he could take that next step toward cementing himself as a top quarterback prospect. In fact, ESPN's Jordan Reid thinks highly enough of Mendoza to give him a 12% chance to be the first pick in the 2026 draft. Why he could be the top pick: Mendoza transferred from Cal to Indiana, where he enters a quarterback-friendly offense. Kurtis Rourke transitioned from the MAC to Curt Cignetti's offense and was drafted in the seventh round of this past draft. The ceiling for the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Mendoza is even higher. There's still a long way to go between now and next year's draft before anyone can be crowned the top quarterback prospect, but Mendoza is definitely in the running to at least be a first-round pick. The Steelers should teeter around .500, at worst, this year, so it's fair to project them to come away with a mid first-round pick. That puts them in the ballpark of being able to nab Mendoza, or another quality quarterback prospect on Day 1. MORE PITTSBURGH STEELERS NEWS Cam Heyward lands shockingly high in PFSN's top-100 list J.J. Watt has 3-word reaction to T.J. Watt's extension T.J. Watt reacts to record-breaking extension
USA Today
30-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Arizona Cardinals rookie G Hayden Conner not projected to make All-Rookie Team
Arizona Cardinals rookie G Hayden Conner not projected to make All-Rookie Team Draft Wire projects the NFL All-Rookie Team on offense. As expected, Cardinals G Hayden Conner isn't among the projections. The Arizona Cardinals only selected one offensive player in the 2025 NFL with their seven selections. That was sixth-round pick Hayden Conner, a guard out of Texans. As a sixth-round pick, he is not expected to play much or at all in 2025 and there isn't a guarantee that he will make the roster. So it should be no surprise that he was not among the players that Draft Wire's Curt Popejoy predicted would make the All-Rookie team. Who is predicted to make the All-Rookie Team? Predictions for 2025 NFL All-Rookie Team QB Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans RB Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers WR Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars WR Tet McMillan, Carolina Panthers WR Jack Bech, Las Vegas Raiders TE Mason Taylor, New York Jets OT Armand Membou, New York Jets OT Will Campbell, New England Patriots G Donovan Jackson, Minnesota Vikings G Grey Zabel, Seattle Seahawks G Jonah Savaiinaea, Miami Dolphins Analysis Johnson over Jeanty is a bold pick and it might be harder than you think for Hunter to make this team after Brian Thomas had the season he had in 2025. So the Jags will need to feed Thomas. Also Taylor over Tyler Warren, who landed in a perfect spot in Indianapolis is a surprise as well. If Conner somehow were to end up being one of the best rookies, that would be such a surprise. And it would have meant that one of the starters got hurt and he was a pleasant surprise. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
USA Today
27-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Way-too-early 2026 mock draft has Arizona Cardinals with top-10 pick
Way-too-early 2026 mock draft has Arizona Cardinals with top-10 pick It is way too early to think about the 2026 draft, but this mock draft has the Cardinals picking in the top 10 The 2025 NFL draft was just completed Saturday and the Arizona Cardinals came away with seven players, six on defense. We are barely sleeping off the haze of the draft that was just completed, but there is already a 2026 mock draft. Draft Wire's Curt Popejoy mocked the first round of the 2026 draft, giving us way-too-early projections. In his projections, the Cardinals, who have the sixth overall pick, go with Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. One thing stands out immediately — that the Cardinals have the sixth pick in the draft. After an eight-win season in 2024 in which they were 6-4 at the bye week and in the NFC West lead, they are expected to be contenders in the division and hopefully make the postseason. To be in a position to have the sixth pick in the draft next year would be an epic failure. As for taking a safety with the sixth overall pick, that also doesn't track, considering the philosophy of general manager Monti Ossenfort. Safety is an important but not premium position. In three drafts, Ossenfort has selected two safeties, both on Day 3. Downs is a promising player. He played in 2023 as a freshman for Alabama and led the SEC with 70 solo tackles and 107 total tackles, picking off two passes. For Ohio State last season, he was an All-American and had 82 total tackles, eight for loss, a half sack, two interceptions and six pass breakups. The Cardinals could need a new safety, as Jalen Thompson enters the final year of his contract, but they do have 2023 fourth-round pick Rabbit Taylor-Demerson potentially in line to replace him. That said, 2026 mock drafts are more about two things — where teams might be picking and who will be the top prospects in next year's draft. Downs will certainly be a player to watch, but hopefully the Cardinals are picking somewhere in the 20s or later in next year's draft. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
USA Today
22-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
3-round mock draft makes 3 questionable picks for Arizona Cardinals
3-round mock draft makes 3 questionable picks for Arizona Cardinals In these projections, the Cardinals go with a CB, an OT and a DT with their first three selections in the draft. The NFL draft is two days away, so there is still time to get in a few final mock drafts. Draft Wire's Curt Popejoy put together three-round projections entering draft week and has three quarterbacks going in the first round. Cam Ward obviously goes first overall to the Tennessee Titans. After that, Shedeur Sanders lands ninth overall to the New Orleans Saints and the Pittsburgh Steelers take Jaxson Dart with the 21st overall pick. But you, as an Arizona Cardinals fan, care more about what your team is projected to do. In these projections, they go with a cornerback, an offensive tackle and a defensive tackle with their first three selections in the draft. Take a look. Arizona Cardinals three-round mock draft picks Round 1, No. 16 overall: Texas CB Jahdae Barron Round 2, No. 47 overall: Minnesota OT Aireontae Ersery Round 3, No. 78 overall: Texas DT Vernon Broughton Analysis Barron is an interesting prospect. Many view him as an impact nickel/safety-type player. It reminds me of Antrel Rolle long ago. If that is the case, then this pick only makes sense if the Cardinals view Garrett Williams as being great on the boundary, or if they love the idea of Barron on the outside. After all, Williams is an impact nickel player. So unless the Cardinals see one or the other as being able to be very good on the boundary in coverage, the pick wouldn't make sense. Ersery is fine in the second round, although it is hard to envision them taking him over Ohio State's Donovan Jackson, who goes with the very next pick to Miami. Broughton is part of a solid defensive line class, and the Cardinals are already deep on the roster on the defensive line. However, UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger goes with the very next pick, a very promising player at a position where the Cardinals could use starting talent. So overall, this wouldn't be an ideal draft result for the Cardinals. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
USA Today
14-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Denver Broncos land RB and WR in NFL mock draft
Denver Broncos land RB and WR in NFL mock draft In his recent three-round NFL mock draft for Draft Wire, Curt Popejoy has the Denver Broncos selecting a running back and wide receiver with their first two picks (that has been a common theme in mock drafts for the Broncos). With their first pick in Popejoy's mock, the Broncos select North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton at No. 20. Hamption, who totaled 3,749 yards from scrimmage and scored 33 touchdowns in his final two seasons at UNC, has been a popular pick for Denver. After that, the Broncos select TCU wide receiver Savion Williams in the second round at pick No. 51. Williams hauled in 60 receptions for 611 yards and six touchdowns in his fifth college season last fall. After adding two more weapons for young quarterback Bo Nix with their initial picks, Denver lands a defensive tackle with their third pick in the mock. To view Popejoy's complete three-round NFL mock draft, visit Draft Wire. These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans
