The Pittsburgh Steelers are not worried about taking a quarterback in the 2023 NFNL Draft like many of the early first round teams. The organization selected what they hope is the future face of the franchise in Kenny Pickett out of the University of Pittsburgh with the 20th overall pick in 2022.
University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Kenny Pickett during his time with the Pitt Panthers.
Pickett received a mixed reception from analysts in 2022 as he prepared for the NFL Draft. Many journalists said that his hands were too small, measuring at 8.5”, thinking it would be harder to hold on to the ball and prevent fumbles.
However, he also had his supporters. He even broke Dan Marino’s records while attending Pitt. Pickett has a great build for a quarterback in today’s market at 6’3”, about 220 lbs and he is surprisingly mobile. In addition, he was given credit for being a strong pocket passer.
Mel Kiper Still Underestimates The Steelers Quarterback Kenny Pickett
Recently, NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. spoke with the media and was asked if Pickett came out for the 2023 draft, where would he rank among this bunch of quarterbacks. Kiper said that he still sees Pickett as a first round pick, but thinks he would be fifth behind the top quarterbacks. He has the quarterbacks ranked like this according to his most recent mock: C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Will Levis, and Anthony Richardson.
According to Kiper:
“Some would even say [Pickett] would be in there with Levis. Maybe some people would argue he’d be ahead of Levis. I would say he’d still be in that first round, certainly the fifth quarterback taken with four guys potentially going in the top five.”
In 2022, when Pickett was selected by the Steelers, the quarterback pool was very shallow. There were few options and none that were at the level of a Young or Stroud. Pickett and Malik Willis, who was selected by the Tennessee Titans, were the best options if a team was looking to start someone right away, with Pickett being called the most “pro ready.”
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Bryce Young #9 of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks to pass during the second quarter of the Allstate Sugar Bowl against the Kansas State Wildcats at Caesars Superdome on December 31, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Even with Pickett being the best option in 2022, the Steelers had hoped to allow him some time to develop. They originally started veteran Mitch Trubisky, but benched him in favor of Pickett in Week 4.
Now the quarterback draft class is much deeper and guys like Stroud and Young playing at Ohio State and University of Alabama respectively, have been battle tested at a higher level than Pickett. However when it comes to comparing Pickett to Richardson and Levis, it doesn't feel so solid. While it is hard for fans to always be objective, there are still serious concerns over picking either over Pickett.
Richardson has drawn a lot of criticism for his passing ability, he can be inconsistent and inaccurate. While Richardson is highly agile and mobile, some try to compare him to Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes, he is missing the passing skills that those two also have. He does not have the same poise and confidence that Pickett had in college. While he might be faster or even more mobile than Pickett, his footwork isn't solid yet and that impacts his accuracy.
As for Levis, he is not as pro-ready as Pickett was. He is being labelled a "project quarterback." Levis does have passion, he wants badly to continue to improve and grow. He showed that growth after transferring from Penn State to University of Kentucky and finding success with the Wildcats. He has good arm strength and is tough, he has been known to play through injuries.
Vicky Graff Photo
University of Kentucky's QB Will Levis is expected to go in the first round of the 2023 draft
Of course this is all conjecture, Pickett now has a year in the NFL under his belt and the comparisons don't matter. The Steelers seem happy with thier choice as they should be. Pickett has shown one of the most important traits of an elite NFL quarterback: resiliency. Despite how difficult things were for Pickett, he never quit, never looked defeated. While at Pitt, he worked hard from 2020 to 2021 to improve his touchdown to interception ratio and did so drastically. 2022 saw him do the same thing in Pittsburgh, showing remarkable growth from pre-bye week to post-bye week.
What do you think of Kiper's comments? Where would you rank Pickett in this draft class? How do you think Pickett will continue to fare in the league? Do you expect improvement again this year? Let us know what you think! Click to comment below.
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