2022 NFL Draft: Kenny Pickett says it would be ‘unbelievable’ to be selected by the Steelers
Written by ABC AUDIO ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on February 2, 2022
Dan Marino was not selected by the Steelers despite being a Pittsburgh native who enjoyed a prolific career at the University of Pittsburgh. Kenny Pickett, who broke Marino’s single-season touchdown pass record this past fall, would welcome the Steelers selecting him in the upcoming NFL Draft.
“The possibility of getting drafted there would be unbelievable,” Pickett said during the Reese’s Senior Bowl introductory news conference, via NFL.com’s Chase Goodbread. “Pittsburgh’s really my second home. That’d be kind of a dream that started once I got recruited to Pitt, and maybe now at the next level, so we’ll see what happens.”
Given Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, the Steelers will certainly consider selecting a quarterback in the draft. In fact, each of our four CBS Sports NFL Draft experts have Pittsburgh taking a quarterback with the 20th overall pick. Two of those experts have Pittsburgh selecting Pickett, who this past season led the Panthers to an ACC title.
The Steelers have not selected a quarterback in the first round since they took Roethlisberger with the 11th overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. Since then, the highest the Steelers have selected a quarterback is when they took Mason Rudolph with the 76th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Rudolph, who has a 5-4-1 record as Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback, is expected to get a chance to compete to win the starting quarterback job during Steelers’ training camp. Former Washington first-round pick Dwayne Haskins is also expected to be given the opportunity to compete for the starting job.
Steelers president Art Rooney II recently spoke on his team’s quarterback situation. He said that mobility will be something he and the team’s brass will look for in Roethlisberger’s future successor.
“Certainly, the mobile quarterback is the wave of the future, so to speak, and having mobility at that position would be desirable,” Rooney said, via Mark Kaboly of The Athletic. “You don’t always get someone who meets every criterion you might want. You have to get the best player, plug him in and put the best players around them and try to put everybody in the best position to be successful.”
It appears that Pickett has the tools the Steelers are looking for in a quarterback. During his final season at Pitt, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Pickett threw for 4,319 yards with 42 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. He showcased his mobility — and moxie — on a 58-yard run in Pitt’s win over Wake Forest in the ACC Championship.
The cupboard won’t be bare for Pickett or whomever else assumes the role as Pittsburgh’s next starting quarterback. The Steelers’ boast two Pro Bowlers on offense in receiver Diontae Johnson and running back Najee Harris. The offense also includes receiver Chase Claypool and tight end Pat Freiermuth, who caught seven touchdown passes during his rookie season. While 2021 was a baptism by fire, tackle Dan Moore Jr. and center/guard Kendrick Green undoubtedly grew from being first-year starters.
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