Top QB prospect draws comparison to Ben Roethlisberger

The 2024 NFL Draft may turn out to have more quarterback talent than any other draft in recent memory as three quarterbacks (USC's Caleb Williams, UNC's Drake Maye, LSU's Jayden Daniels) are projected to go in the top five picks.

Former QB Terry Hanratty, who won two Super Bowls with the Steelers, believes one of the top quarterbacks in this year's draft could be the second coming of another great Pittsburgh QB — Ben Roethlisberger.

"A GM told me everyone talks about [Caleb Williams] from Southern Cal. And all of a sudden, guy tells me, 'Don't be surprised if you don't see [Drake] Maye go before him,'" Hanratty said on his podcast "Hanratty's Huddle." "He's like a Roethlisberger with better movement. Big and strong, and he's got a big arm, and he's a tough guy."

That's some big company to put Maye in before even playing a snap in the NFL. Roethlisberger threw for 64,088 yards and 418 touchdowns over his career while leading the Steelers to three Super Bowls and winning two of them.

Roethlisberger may be known most by how difficult he was to bring down, however, as it typically took several players to wrap him up and sometimes that didn't even result in him being on the ground.

Maye, who stands at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, could follow suit. He seems to have the arm talent to back up Hanratty's prediction as well. The UNC product threw for 7,929 yards and 62 touchdowns over the past two years combined.

Unfortunately for the Steelers, they are far from being able to take Maye with their first-round pick. 

Maye currently ranks as Pro Football Focus' second-best quarterback and No. 3 overall prospect on its big board. Pittsburgh currently owns the No. 20 pick, and it would certainly take a lot to move up to a spot it could land him.

The same can't be said about other quarterback-needy teams like the Commanders (No. 2), Patriots (No. 3) and Falcons (No. 8), however. All have been linked to drafting quarterbacks and have a chance to land the next Ben Roethlisberger in the 2024 NFL Draft on April 25 in Detroit.