NFL Draft 2017: Do The Pittsburgh Steelers Want Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer?

It seems improbable that the Pittsburgh Steelers, one win removed from a Super Bowl appearance last year, would spend a first round pick on a quarterback they wouldn’t intend to use right away.

The NFL Draft has officially entered the Twilight Zone.

Charlie Campbell, a senior draft analyst at WalterFootball.com, reported Tuesday that the Steelers “have been asking around to other teams, trying to gauge where DeShone Kizer could be drafted and who could be interested in taking him. Pittsburgh has to start planning for the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger and it sounds as though Kizer is viewed as their developmental starter in waiting while Roethlisberger finishes out his career.”

What makes this report even more confounding is that the Steelers — who hold the 30th pick overall — haven’t had the former Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback in for a private workout.

Here’s who they have had in for a private workout, according to Walter Football:

• Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joshua Dobbs, considered a third to sixth round pick
• Texas Tech Red Raiders’ Patrick Mahomes, who is considered to be a top 15 pick
• Pittsburgh Panthers’ Nathan Peterman, considered a second or third round pick
• California Golden Bears’ Davis Webb, considered a second round pick

Campbell explains:

The Steelers have tried to be discreet with their vetting of Kizer with offensive coordinator Todd Haley at the Notre Dame pro day rather than a big contingent of general manager, head coach, and other top executives. However, teams have told WalterFootball.com that Pittsburgh has revealed some nerves about Kizer not getting to their pick as they've asked around the league where he might go and what teams are interested in taking him.

So the Steelers were discreet in vetting Kizer but now they are calling teams trying to gauge where he’s going to go? That seems antithetical, right?

The Steelers greatest needs are at outside linebacker, cornerback, wide receiver and running back, according to CBS Sports and Rotoworld.

I believe my Steelers fanatic friend summarized it best:

Meanwhile, mock drafts continue to proliferate online. Of the 31 mock drafts released Tuesday, just seven had Kizer being picked by a team in the first round. As always, you can go here for all 270 (!) mocks I’m tracking. (Be sure to use the “Kizer” tab on the bottom to see them all.)

Here’s the QB board. The numbers represent their draft positions. (“xxx” simply means “Not in the first round, but no specific number given.)

@andrewwinn