Getty The Steelers selected Kenny Pickett with their first-round draft pick.
The Pittsburgh Steelers made headlines with their first-round selection of Kenny Pickett during Thursday’s draft.
Despite picking at No. 20 overall, the Steelers had their pick of the quarterback litter. While Pittsburgh had the option of picking from the other top-ranked quarterback prospects — Malik Willis, Desmond Ridder, Matt Corral and Sam Howell — the Steelers opted to select Pickett, a hometown product and University of Pittsburgh alum.
However, the selection was not without its share of detractors. In fact, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith was among the most notable skeptics, suggesting that the Steelers might have picked Pickett over a quarterback such as Willis because of the hometown connection.
“Damnit! I don’t know how to feel about the steelers selecting Pickett,” Smith tweeted April 28. “I mean, I know he can play. But I kept hearing about this kid, Willis. So did they take Pickett because he’s better or because he’s home-grown? Damnit, I’m concerned. I’m concerned!!!”
The first round concluded with Willis still on the board.
Steelers Viewed Pickett and Willis as Top 2 QBs
Entering the draft, the Steelers had been linked to Pickett and Willis. In fact, reports were split on whom exactly the Steelers favored.
ESPN’s Matt Miller reported on April 23 that the Steelers were interested in only Pickett.
“It might just be a late draft-season smoke screen, but there is a lot of chatter about the Steelers not being sold on quarterbacks other than Pitt’s Kenny Pickett in this class,” Miller wrote. “The Steelers famously attended several pro days and had the top quarterbacks on their radar this offseason, but the rumors dominating the text lines this week have Pittsburgh potentially going offensive tackle in Round 1 if the quarterbacks aren’t available.”
On the other hand, ESPN’s Todd McShay said he believed Pittsburgh was interested in Willis and that he made “sense” for the Steelers.
“You already have a strong run game,” McShay wrote on April 21. “You’ve got a really good defense. So, why not bring in the quarterback in this class, the one quarterback that legitimately can give you a numbers advantage in the run game, a lot like we’ve seen with Lamar Jackson in Baltimore? You know, that’s the kind of play that I suspect that they’re looking to get with Mike Tomlin coming out and saying, we need more mobility at that position. So, Malik Willis makes sense.”
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Why the Steelers Might Have Favored Pickett
One can debate whether Willis would have been a better fit. The Steelers obviously had an up-close view of Pickett considering he practiced at the same facility as Pittsburgh while in college (the Panthers share a training facility with the Steelers).
Ultimately, Pickett fits the mold of what the Steelers tend to look for in quarterbacks. He’s able to extend passing plays with his feet, played five years at the University of Pittsburgh and is arguably the most pro-ready of any of the QB prospects due to his experience (49 starts to Willis’ 23 starts).
It also doesn’t hurt that Pickett played against prime competition in a Power Five conference such as the ACC. Willis played at a vastly smaller school in Liberty and only played against two Power Five conference teams in Ole Miss and Syracuse during his final season.