If Jalen Hurts is available in the middle rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft, should the Steelers take him?

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a quarterback problem. There is no other way of putting it. The team is relying on soon-to-be 38 year old Ben Roethlisberger coming off a surgically repaired arm as their offensive savior. After all, fans were given a glimpse into the future as they watched Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges flounder throughout the majority of the 2019 regular season.

The Steelers lack two things which could equate to them answering the burning question at the quarterback position:

• Salary Cap Space
• Draft Capital

But that doesn’t mean the team couldn’t still address the situation in some way, shape or form this offseason.

They could look for a journeyman quarterback to come in and be an insurance policy for Roethlisberger if he doesn’t return to full health, or if he gets injured again in 2020. Someone who won’t break the bank, maybe like Case Keenum.

The other option could be for the team to look in the middle rounds (Rounds 3-5) and try to find a diamond in the rough at the quarterback position. This is what they did when the traded with the Seattle Seahawks to select Mason Rudolph in the 2018 NFL Draft, could they do it again?

Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about the Steelers possibly taking another middle round quarterback, primarily former Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Hurts is a quarterback many fans are split on. Some suggest his time at Alabama and Oklahoma showed enough to know he isn’t cut out for an NFL signal caller. Some go as far as suggesting he is better suited for the XFL, and not the NFL.

On the flip side of that argument are those who see tremendous upside in Hurts. How his athleticism could help bring a team, and in this case the Steelers, into the modern era of NFL offenses. Offenses which are built around mobile quarterbacks like Russell Wilson, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson.

This all leads to the burning question: If Hurts is available in Round 3, should the Steelers use their compensatory pick to take him?

NFL.com’s Chad Reuter suggested exactly this in his latest three round mock draft. Here are the Steelers’ two picks from the three round projection:

Round 2: Leki Fotu, DT, Utah
Round 3: Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma

Hurts might not be a fan favorite right now, but his numbers in the Big 12 his Senior season are undeniable. Hurts threw for 3,851 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions while rushing for 1,298 yards and 20 touchdowns.

For those who aren’t familiar with Hurts’ body of work in the college game, this is a quick recap of him via the Draft Network:

Best Trait - Mobility

Worst Trait - Progressions

Best Film - Texas Tech (2019)

Worst Film - Houston (2019)

Red Flags - None

Player Summary - QB Jalen Hurts is a transfer from Alabama who has steadily progressed as a passer — he still has limitations but the improvement he’s shown over his last 3 seasons is notable, the arrow is pointing in the right direction. Hurts is a perfect Day 2 QB in today’s NFL, where he can shine via on extended plays, mobility, play-making ability and comfort off script. Hurts’ general accuracy may temper his overall ceiling but he’s a developmental starter caliber player.

With all this said, if the Steelers are sitting there on Day 2 of the NFL Draft, and Jalen Hurts is available in Round 3...should the Steelers consider taking him? Is he worth it? Let us know your thoughts in the poll below, and be sure to explain your answer in the comment section below!