Recently Retired Steelers Scout Details Why The Team's Front Office Fell In Love With Kenny Pickett Prior To The 2022 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a much different situation this offseason than they were a year ago. In June 2022, the team was in the midst of their first offseason without Ben Roethlisberger in nearly two decades and were gearing up to have Mitch Trubisky be the team's starter for the season. Fast forward 12 months and the Steelers find themselves with their franchise quarterback, Kenny Pickett, poised to lead the team back to the promised land during the 2023 campaign. 

While many Steelers fans were very familiar with Pickett due to him playing his college football at the University of Pittsburgh, there were still questions of whether or not he was worthy of a first-round selection. Not only was Pickett the first signal-caller off the board, but he was the only quarterback taken in each of the first two rounds during the 2022 NFL Draft. As a result, there were a multitude of skeptics who believed the Steelers reached on Pickett by spending the 20th overall selection on him. 

Ultimately, Pickett has been able to silence his critics during a 2022 season in which he played increasingly well over the second half of the season. As his play on the field improved, so did his level of respect within the locker room. He has more than proved to be a worthy replacement for the future Hall Of Fame quarterback and has the Steelers in a prime position to compete for an AFC North Title this upcoming season. 

During a recent episode of "The North Shore Drive Podcast," hosted by Christopher Carter, recently retired Steelers Scout, Mark Gorscak talked more about what made Pickett stand out from the rest of the quarterbacks available in the 2022 NFL Draft and detailed why he believes the former first-round pick possesses all the necessary intangibles to be highly successful as a professional. 

"He loves the process. He truly loves the process. He's an early guy, stay late guy. He's still watching tape in the building when no one else is there," described Gorscak in regards to Pickett's commitment to excellence with the Steelers.

The Steelers Made The Right Call During The 2022 NFL Draft With Pickett

Prior to the 2022 NFL Draft, there were many experts who believed the Steelers would opt to go with a different quarterback to replace Roethlisberger such as Malik Willis from Liberty University or Desmond Ridder from the University of Cincinnati. While both young players, particularly Ridder, still have the ability to have successful careers in the NFL, there is strong reason to believe that the Steelers selected the best player at the position during the Draft. 

While both Ridder and Willis may have an edge over Pickett in arm strength and running ability, the former University of Pittsburgh star has a sense of confidence in himself that proved to be a pivotal determining factor in the Steelers selecting him. As Gorscak points out during the podcast, this confidence will go a long way in helping Pickett lead the team's offense to tremendous heights in 2023. 

"He [Pickett] has that quiet, cool, it-factor to him. People gravitate towards him, too. Everyone says trust the process, well you gotta be committed to the process and he's committed to the process. That's a big difference, it's not trusting the process, it's about being committed to it," said Gorscak. 

Rejoice, Steeler Nation. Pickett Is The Guy At QB

Pickett did not have an overly impressive rookie season from a statistical standpoint, but is poised to improve his numbers in 2023. However, the only thing the second-year quarterback is worried about in 2023 is winning football games. More specifically, winning football games in January and February. 

Needless to say, there is no denying that Pickett is willing to do whatever it takes to help the Steelers win their first playoff game since 2017. With a full offseason to prepare as the team's starter and a vastly improved offensive line, he is in a much better position to succeed in 2022 versus last year. If Pickett can make a serious jump in production this upcoming season and help lead an offense with an abundance of talent at nearly every position, the Steelers may be well on their way to competing for a Lombardi Trophy in 2023. 

Thoughts, Steeler Nation?

How do you feel about Gorscak's comments regarding Pickett? Do you feel as if the second-year quarterback has what it takes to win a playoff game in 2023? Be sure to let us know in the comments! 

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