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Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert were at the Notre Dame pro day today, but news also came out that the Steelers have met with two second-tier quarterbacks in this year's draft.
According to Nick Farabaugh of Steelers Now, Florida quarterback Kyle Trask said he spoke with the Steelers a month or two ago. Trask said he talked with Tomlin and some other staff members and said they had a "really good talk."
Former Wake Forest quarterback Jamie Newman said he's talked with both Tomlin and Colbert, along with quarterbacks coach Matt Canada. Before the 2020 season, many had Newman as a potential first-round pick, but with Newman opting out at Georgia where he was going to play the final year of his eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he'll probably be a mid-round pick in the draft. Newman is considered a possible sleeper pick.
Both Trask and Newman are development quarterbacks and since the Steelers are in a "win now" mode with Ben Roethlisberger in assumably in his final year. The Steelers should invest in draft picks that will help the team in 2021.
"Trask is a stoutly-built QB prospect that’s a prime example of perseverance and patience. Not becoming a full-time starter until his redshirt junior season, he had to show maximum amounts of patience prior to getting his chance under center. Going on to have a prolific career, he became a supreme leader for the Gators. A decisive and quick operator, he’s a highly intelligent thrower that often attacks with a plan. He has thorough knowledge and smarts to attack all three levels of the field, as he’s experienced reads in many different manners. A “grip it and rip it” thrower of quick game concepts on the perimeter, he’s at his best when on schedule and able to take advantage of leverage throws. Trask’s biggest challenges come the further down the field and when forced to play outside of the normal structure of the offense. A slew-footed operator, he doesn’t have the athleticism necessary to consistently make off-script plays. An often-used option on designed QB runs, his big frame is an asset on runs during short conversion situations. Trask’s lower half may need to be reconstructed as it is the root of why most of his passes die in the deeper portions of the field. Similar to his surroundings in college, in order to reach/see his full potential, he will need to have an adequate play-caller, protection, and playmakers around him."
"Wake Forest quarterback Jamie Newman is a toolsy prospect with good size, arm strength, mobility, and poise. The Demon Deacons took full advantage of his dual-threat skill set, implementing spread concepts that afforded him simplified reads where if his first option wasn’t available, he would have the spacing available to use his legs. Wake Forest also featured plenty of quarterback power and designed runs that allowed him to keep the offense moving with his legs. Newman is a terrific athlete and a physical runner. As a passer, Newman has plenty of room for growth when it comes to accuracy, decision making, field vision, progressions, hitting throws with anticipation, and navigating the pocket. Newman should be viewed as a developmental quarterback but one that brings an exciting package of physical traits to the table. There shouldn’t be expectations that he will take the reins of an NFL offense early in his career, but packages could be created for him to take advantage of his skill set. If everything comes together, Newman has the makeup of an NFL starter, but he has a ways to go."