the dust settles 2022 NFL Draft, while the early stages of offseason planning are about to unfold.two weeks to meditate steelers‘ Choices, it’s time to look at the positives and negatives of the Steelers’ choices.
Today, we will continue by looking at negative Kenny Pickett, a first-round pick by the Steelers. Pickett, a super-senior at Pitt, made his breakthrough in the 2021 season and eventually became a Heisman Trophy finalist.He first caught my eye in 2017 when he led the Panthers to a Miami Hurricane In late November, before returning to school in 2021, I think he’s the biggest quarterback sleeper in the 2021 draft class.
This year, I had the privilege of writing Pickett’s scouting report for the BTSC Big Board. The biggest takeaway when watching his footage is his patience in the pocket and his accuracy in midfield. You can check out my full scouting report on him below.
Kenny Pickett | Quarterback | Pittsburgh
Overall Rank: 30
Job Rank: 3
Andrew Wilba: I’ve been a big fan of Pickett since he set foot on Pitt’s campus. When fans were upset with his offense, I stood up for him, and I’m very supportive of playing him in the final round before he decides to go back to school in 2021. I’m not surprised when he breaks out in 2021, but he’s so high on the national draft that I don’t like him. Pickett is a very solid quarterback with decent arms and athleticism, but he’s older than the other quarterbacks in this class, and he doesn’t have a high ceiling as a pro. The biggest problem, especially for teams playing in cold weather, will be his incredibly small hands.Pickett participated in 2022 Senior Bowl, but he struggled badly in practice when it rained. Admittedly, when the weather turned bad, he lost his accuracy and struggled to get the ball upfield. Pickett’s accuracy has improved by leaps and bounds this season, but at times he struggles to get off his first read and finish his progress before the pressure hits him. He reminds me of Kirk Cousins, his ability reminds me of his weak side, his shooting and arm strength reminds me of Derek Carr or Andy Andy Dalton. The big question will be, “Is he capable of anything greater than this?”. That’s what the team has to figure out over the next few months when it comes to Pickett and how high he should be taken.
If you missed the first part of this discussion, when I break down why picture Select, which you can view by clicking the link below.
If you have any thoughts on Kenny Pickett’s picks, be sure to share them in the comments section below to discuss what he brings to the brand new quarterback room.
Let’s dive in!
1. He’s far from the best player
This article doesn’t just focus on Malik Willis, but he has to be mentioned as one The Steelers should be looking at options rather than Pickett’s players. I won’t repeat what I said about Willis because you’ve all heard it many times. Another player the Steelers should consider, however, is Clemson cornerback Andrew Booth, who fell in the second round with sports hernia surgery. Also, given the volume of trades happening around the Steelers’ draft pick, I can’t help but think the Steelers could trade back if they wanted to. Of course, we know trading back isn’t their mindset this year, but given how quickly quarterbacks are falling, Kevin Colbert could have taken that. Even if Kenny Pickett is an option, the Steelers could possibly find a trade partner and select Pickett within a more reasonable range. The point is, Pickett isn’t worth much at 20.
2. Expectations must be controlled
Unlike Malik Willis and Desmond Ridder, Kenny Pickett’s career expectations must be kept in check because of his limitations as a passer sex. I’ve considered titled “His ceiling is limited” but I know the Tom Brady example would be brought up. Can Pickett become an elite quarterback and improve his arm strength once the league is established? Sure, but it wouldn’t be fair to Pickett to have fans expect this. Upside wasn’t a huge issue for Willis and Reed, and in Willis’ case it wasn’t an issue at all.
If the Steelers had super bowl With Kenny Pickett’s desire at the helm, they need to have the whole team around him. Weapons are not an issue at the moment, as the Steelers are full of talent and youngsters at the offensive skill position. However, the Steelers have big decisions to make on the defensive end in the near future, as Minka Fitzpatrick, Alex Highsmith, Devin Bush and Terrell Edmonds will all be in New contracts within the next two years. Taking an already good defense to the next level will greatly increase the Steelers’ chances of winning the Super Bowl.
3. It could prevent Mitch Trubisky from getting a chance to lead the team
The leading indicator that the Steelers prefer Malik Willis to Kenny Pickett is the signing of Mitch Trubisky. This is what has led many people, myself included, down the wrong path of thinking. The Steelers typically use free agency to find capable players at the needed positions, as Kevin Colbert never likes to enter the draft when either position is desperately needed.Looking back on what happened, the Steelers appear to have signed Trubisky as insurance, just in case First-round results for three quarterbacks, according to reports available.
The problem is that Kenny Pickett is as good as he can be, playing 52 games in five seasons in college. When the Steelers signed Trubisky, it made the most sense to me for the team to pick Malik Willis, who needs a year of development off the bench. The move would also allow the Steelers to see what they have in Trubisky, who, by all indications, has recovered significantly from his one year in Buffalo. Talent was never an issue for Trubisky, but was hated by Bears fans immediately after being drafted, and his confidence quickly waned after Chicago was thrown into the trash too early. If he does recover his career mentally, the sky is the limit in the Matt Canada offense, which suits Trubisky’s style of play.
However, with Kenny Pickett’s pick, Trubisky may no There’s a chance in Pittsburgh, and if he does, he’ll be pinned. After all, the Steelers have a career-ready rookie waiting.If he doesn’t get better on the bench, why should you no start him?
Whether you approve or disapprove of picking Kenny Pickett, what do you care about most about Pickett’s game? When it comes to his development as a rookie quarterback, what’s the one thing fans should be most concerned about this summer? Be sure to share your thoughts on this and all things Pittsburgh Steelers in the comments section below!
