A fan can dream, can’t he?

Okay, the possibility of current Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg ending up in Pittsburgh after the 2016 NFL Draft (if he declares) is far fetched. But, the idea sounds magnificent to any Steelers fan, right?

Concerned fan: Zach, why would you want the Steelers to draft a QB when they just extended Ben on a new five year contract?

I’m glad you asked…

The Steelers are the epitome of great franchises and I only want continued success. Hackenberg would continue this trend for, possibly, another decade.

Ben Roethlisberger is 33-years-old, and I do not believe that he will play out that five year contract, especially since a majority of his money is paid in the first three years. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Roethlisberger will earn 53 million in the first two years of his new deal. It seems like the Steelers do not trust his health in the long term, and neither do I. So what is a better solution than getting an heir to the Steelers quarterback fortune? Drafting Hackenberg. Other successful franchises are doing it, and have done it. The Green Bay Packers with Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers; the plan worked to perfection. Currently, the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos are seasoning young players Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Osweiler to follow future Hall of Famers Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

Fan: Why now?

Hackenberg is the best quarterback prospect I have seen in a long time. His skill set, playing style and potential remind me of quarterbacks who were drafted in the early 2000’s. Andrew Luck is the only other QB prospect that has impressed me, but not in the same way as Hackenberg. Hackenberg is a once in a life time chance at grabbing the next Brady or Manning. Ben is in the prime of his career, but it is also near the end. Ben will give the Steelers some more playoff years before he retires. And, instead of waiting and scrambling for a franchise star, draft him now and let him learn under a current top five quarterback.

Fan: Why Hackenberg? He struggled in his sophomore season, he is overrated and he might be a Bill O’Brien system quarterback. There are plenty of safer picks like Michigan State’s Connor Cook or Cal Berkeley’s Jared Goff.

Yes, Hackenberg was awful his sophomore year. He went from throwing 20 TD’s and 10 INT’s his freshman year to 12 TD’s and 15 INT’s in his sophomore campaign. But, isn’t it difficult to learn three new playbooks in three years? (high school play book senior year, Bill O’Brien’s complicated pro-style offense and James Franklin’s spread offense). Critics, scouts and jealous fans need to cut the guy some slack. He had the third worst offensive line in D1 football that allowed 44 sacks. FOURTY FOUR SACKS… in 12 games, an average of four per game. Hackenberg was forced to throwing quick, pressured passes to freshman targets. A weak o-line, a non existent running game and the loss of Allen Robinson (Hackenberg’s favorite target in 2013) plus the lack of experience in the receiving core led to Hackenberg’s regression. Hackenberg showed his ceiling when he threw for 371 yards, 4 TD’s, 0 INT’s and led Penn State to a glorious bowl victory in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. That is the real Christian Hackenberg ladies and gentlemen.

Cook and Goff are both projected first rounders, but they do not have the same qualities as Hackenberg. All three of them are 6’4″ and have the most accurate arms in the collegiate football country. Hackenberg stands out because his arm strength, mechanics and size. Hackenberg is 240 pounds, Cook is 220 and Goff is 210. Weight does matter, a lot. When pass rushers are trying to sack a QB, it is easier to take down 210 pounds than 240 pounds. Hackenberg’s mechanics are rated 100/100 by nearly every scout. His throwing motion and release point are chiseled into his mechanics and help keep throws strong and accurate without wearing down his arm. This is draft could be a draft repeat of 2004 when Roethlisberger, Eli Manning and Philip Rivers were selected. Hackenberg, Cook and Goff are the best QB trio to enter the draft in a long time.

Hackenberg needs some stability and he finally has that. He will be in Franklin’s system for the second year, all receivers except tight end Jesse James are returning and the offensive line has improved. The defense will also create excellent opportunities for him to shine by giving him extra possessions. Also, and most importantly, he has had another offseason to mature and hone his skills. I expect him to be at least an All-Big Ten selection and at the highest a dark horse Heisman candidate.

Fan: Okay, you have some good points. But, how do the Steelers acquire someone who sounds like they are a lock for the number one overall pick to a quarterback hungry team?

That is the flaw with my dream… they don’t and probably can’t. The Steelers would never tank a season for a quarterback when they have the pieces to win now and for a position that there isn’t a need for. The Steelers could turn in an average season once again and draft somewhere in the middle. There is also the chance that Ben suffers a season ending injury, I pray that he doesn’t, but that scenario is still on the table with his past health. If that happens, the Steelers could potentially finish 5-11 and obtain a top-10 pick. The Steelers would also need a lot of teams with quarterbacks to draft ahead of them (i.e. the Panthers, the Saints, the Bucs, the Jaguars, the Titans, etc.). There would be a little more incentive to make a trade. Teams like the Redskins, Bills and Texans could finish poorly and be in play for all of those quarterbacks previously named. Goff and Cook would be nice consolations, but they might not even be on the board when the Steelers pick later in the first round hypothetically. To stop beating around the bush, the Steelers can’t draft a QB like Hackenberg. He has franchise QB written all of over him and scouts said he could have been the #1 pick just after his freshman year. It is just not meant to be.

The idea is just a fantasy. After seeing other great franchises find success with this mentoring the quarterback strategy, I would like the Steelers to do it. Some die hard football fans might remember that the Steelers passed on the in-state prodigy Dan Marino back in the 1983 NFL Draft. Terry Bradshaw got hurt that season and Marino could have gone down as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. In my opinion, he is the best quarterback of all time, when Super Bowl appearances and victories are excluded from that debate. The Steelers could have been a dynasty if they drafted him.

I believe that history repeats itself and the Steelers would pass on attempting to acquire any of the three just because they do not see the need. It would cost some future picks and the impact would not be immediate. The Steelers need to look at that draft and make a serious decision for the future. Quarterbacks are the most significant part of Super Bowl runs. Only once has an average quarterback won a championship (sorry, Trent Dilfer). Pittsburgh’s front office, please look at history and what could have been. Do not make the same mistake; take a shot on a player who has all the tools to be an All-Pro and more.

– Zach S.