Just what you were yearning for. More quarterback speculation. That’s what will be happening these next two weeks until April 28th’s first night of the draft, where after months of predictions and projections, the first 32 picks will be known.
According to The Athletic’s Ed Bouchette, he believes the Pittsburgh Steelers will select Pitt’s Kenny Pickett if on the board. That’s according to this tweet from 93.7 The Fan’s Andrew Fillipponi.
Everything anyone says (including us) should be taken with a grain of salt, especially when it comes to predictions in one of the most jumbled up draft classes in recent memory. But Bouchette has been around the Steelers longer than anyone not named Rooney so his often curmudgeonly opinions are still worth mentioning.
While Pickett is not one of 21 prospects attending this year’s draft, he may have just turned down the invitation and chose to watch at home with family. He’s still widely expected to be a first round pick and could go anywhere from #6 to Carolina to later in the first round. Pickett broke out in 2021 for the Panthers, throwing 41 touchdowns and leading the team to an 11-win season.
Pittsburgh certainly knows Pickett as well as anyone and Steelers’ OC Matt Canada even recruited Pickett coming out of high school. Pickett ran a similar offense to what Canada is implementing and he’s considered the most “pro ready” QB in the draft, though odds are he’d still sit his rookie season behind Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph.
The Steelers seem to be highest on Liberty QB Malik Willis but he’s not expected to be available at #20, meaning the team would either have to trade-up or look at another option. Who the team could take if it isn’t Willis is an open-ended question and arguments could be made for the four others: Pickett, Desmond Ridder, Matt Corral, and Sam Howell. Ridder is drawing plenty of first round buzz, Corral fits Matt Canada’s scheme well, and Kevin Colbert has shown plenty of love Howell’s way over the last calendar year.
Check out our full player profile on Pickett below.
