PITTSBURGH, PA – OCTOBER 23: Kenny Pickett #8 of the Pittsburgh Panthers drops back to pass during the game against the Clemson Tigers at Heinz Field on October 23, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement leaves the Steelers in need of a new starting quarterback. Kenny Pickett is very interested in filling that void.
Some quarterbacks might be intimidated by the prospect of replacing a legend like Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh. Kenny Pickett is one NFL prospect who doesn’t suffer from that sort of hesitation.
The former Pittsburgh collegiate star would welcome the opportunity to continue to play his home games at Heinz Field next year. Pickett isn’t a Pittsburgh native, but his collegiate tenure with the Panthers has him excited about the prospects of joining the Steelers.
He refers to the prospect of being drafted by the Steelers as “unbelievable.” The big question is whether or not the front office in Pittsburgh feels the same way about a possible storybook stay for the former Panthers star.
Would Steelers draft Kenny Pickett?
Pickett is projected to be a first-round pick by most draft analysts, but his range within that round is all over the board. There’s a solid possibility he’ll still be on the board when the Steelers make their first selection with the No. 20 overall pick but his availability is far from guaranteed. Quarterbacks have a habit of rising up draft boards as the event grows closer and it’s easy to envision a scenario where another team falls in love with Pickett ahead of the Draft.
For that to happen, Pickett will need to assuage concerns about his small hands. He opted not to have his hands measured recently for scouts in Mobile. He will theoretically allow them to be measured at the Combine which could go a long way towards influencing his draft stock with multiple teams.
His excitement about potentially playing for the Steelers will intrigue the team’s front office given the importance they place on culture. Pickett is a guy who would take pride in donning a Pittsburgh uniform as a pro and that might be enough to push him over the rest of the quarterback prospects vying to replace Big Ben.