By RAY FITTIPALDO

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

(TNS) —As the Steelers continue to await word on whether Aaron Rodgers wants to be their quarterback next season, one of the top quarterback prospects in this year’s draft was at the UMPC Rooney Sports Complex on Friday on a top-30 visit.

Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart, widely regarded as the No. 3 quarterback in this draft class, is interviewing again with Steelers brass, sources told the Post-Gazette. He had a formal interview with the Steelers at the NFL combine, and assistant general manager Andy Weidl attended the Ole Miss pro day last week.

In addition to Dart, the Rebels have a number of other prospects who are expected to be selected in the early rounds of the draft, including defensive lineman Walter Nolen, who could be one of their targets in the first round.

It has been widely speculated the Steelers also could have interest in Dart in the first round, but most of their attention in the pre-draft process has been focused on quarterbacks who are projected to go after the first round.

General manager Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin attended the pro days at Alabama, Ohio State, Texas and Notre Dame, scouting the likes of Jalen Milroe, Will Howard, Riley Leonard and Quinn Ewers. They’re projected to go on Day 2 or Day 3 of the draft.

Dart completed 69% of his passes at Ole Miss last season and threw for 4,279 yards and 29 touchdowns. In his four-year college career he had almost 12,000 passing yards and 81 touchdowns. He played one season at USC before transferring to Ole Miss for the 2022 season.

Dart is the second quarterback prospect to take a top-30 visit to the Steelers. Louisville’s Tyler Shough was in for a visit last month.

In addition to Dart, South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori, Iowa State receiver Jaylin Noel and Oregon nose tackle Jamaree Caldwell were also visiting the Steelers on Friday.

Emmanwori is another firstround prospect and is among the top-ranked safeties in this draft along with Georgia’s Malaki Starks.

Emmanwori (6-3, 220) was one of the stars of the combine. He ran a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash, posted a 43-inch vertical leap and an 11-6 in the broad jump. At his size, Emmanwori could play a number of roles in the NFL from safety to a linebacker in sub packages.

He was a playmaker in the Gamecocks defense.

He had four interceptions, including two that were returned for touchdowns, and added 88 tackles last season.

Noel is the second Iowa State receiver to take a visit to the Steelers. His teammate Jayden Higgins took one last month. Both players are projected to be drafted in the second or third round.

Noel (5-10, 194) had 1,194 receiving yards and eight touchdowns last season, and he has the added value as a return specialist. Noel, who returned punts and kickoffs for the Cyclones, was the Big 12 co-special teams player of the year.

Caldwell (6-2, 332) started 24 games at Oregon. He was second- team all-conference in 2023 and was honorable mention all-conference this past season.

He is being projected as a third- or fourth-round selection.

Here are the other players who have visited the Steelers so far:

■ March 6: Mississippi DL JJ Pegues, Louisville QB Tyler Shough and West Virginia OL Wyatt Milum

■ March 14: Tennessee RB Dylan Sampson, TCU WR Savion Williams and Iowa DL Yahya Black

■ March 17: Iowa State WR Jayden Higgins

■ March 18: Pitt K Ben Sauls

■ April 3: Texas WR Matthew Golden, Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson, Florida State CB Azareye’h Thomas and Pitt TE Gavin Bartholomew

■ April 4: Mississippi QB Jaxon Dart, Iowa State WR Jaylin Noel, Oregon DL Jamaree Caldwell and South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori