Though the Pittsburgh Steelers went into the NFL draft without a proven starting quarterback, they waited until the sixth round of the draft to select a quarterback—taking Ohio State's Will Howard with the No. 185 pick in the draft.

The Steelers were potentially viewed as a team that could take Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders or another passer that was ranked higher in the pre-draft process, but ultimately selected Howard. After the pick, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin explained that Howard's ability to handle adversity and play throughout the College Football Playoff appealed to the team.

"How he responded to that adversity at the end of their regular season, and the leadership, and playmaking that he displayed throughout the playoffs was really attractive and is really what NFL football is about," Tomlin told reporters over the weekend. "There's going to be some adversity, how you respond to it defines you and your football team particularly from the quarterback position."

Leading up to the draft, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin made it clear that they plan to add two more quarterbacks before camp. Pittsburgh now has Howard, Mason Rudolph, and Skylar Thompson, but lacks a starter to rely on after making Howard the only quarterback they took in the draft.

The Steelers' draft appeared to signal that they believe they could still sign four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers this offseason. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported over the weekend that the Steelers have a "feeling of confidence" that Rodgers will join the team. Steelers owner and president Art Rooney II also said Friday that Rodgers does want to come to the team, and indicated Rodgers signing with the Steelers could happen in the near future.

As has been the case for much of the Steelers' offseason, it appears the team is looking to have Rodgers as their starter for the upcoming season. If Rodgers doesn't end up signing with Pittsburgh, the Steelers' quarterback room will likely be a major concern for the team.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mike Tomlin Explains Steelers' Decision to Draft QB Will Howard .

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