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The Pittsburgh Steelers have only had one official interview with a college prospect, and that individual was USC quarterback Cody Kessler at the Senior Bowl. With that said, it is time to take a look at Kessler as a quarterback prospect from all angles.
First, time to get to know Kessler a bit.
Cody Kessler
From: Bakersfield, CA
Height: 6-foot 1-inch
Weight: 215-pounds
2015 Season: 3,536 yards, 29 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 66.8 completion percentage
Career: 10,339 yards, 88 touchdowns and 19 interceptions, 67.3 completion percentage
** 3-year starter at USC
** Captain his Senior year
When studying tape of Kessler, he is a very traditional quarterback, and is experienced in USC's pro-style offense. Kessler has an average arm, but is an extremely smart and careful quarterback. Kessler lacks the mobility common among NCAA quarterbacks in today's game, but possesses a skill set similar to Ben Roethlisberger where he can manipulate the pocket to create time and make plays downfield.
One of the most impressive aspects of Kessler's game is how he rarely makes the mistake which breaks the back of the team. Playing three full seasons at quarterback in the Pac-12 and only throwing 19 interceptions is a feat in today's pass-happy offenses.
Kessler's overall mechanics could use some fine-tuning, but such is the case with 90-percent of the college quarterbacks entering the NFL.
Kessler is expected to be a mid-to-late round draft pick in the upcoming 2016 NFL Draft, which means the Steelers could be considering drafting Kessler not necessarily as Roethlisberger's replacement, but more as quality depth and youth at a position which needs both.
Would the Steelers be wise to select Kessler in the upcoming draft? As long as it is as a 6th or 7th round selection, I would consider this to be a worthwhile endeavor for the Steelers, and Kessler.
Below is the complete video of Kessler's game against Stanford in 2015. This is a great game to watch and seeing Kessler's strengths and weaknesses.