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QB Kenny Pickett, PHI (1 Viewer)

As a current Pitt dad, it's gratifying to see Kenny improve so much over the last 5 years. Nice kid, tough as nails, hard worker.  Much of Pitt nation wanted him out of the starting gig going back to his sophomore year, and now he's in the conversation of being a potential first rounder. 

A recent mock SI draft even has him #1 overall, which is really far-fetched, but shows how far he's come.

Hail 2 Pitt!

 
Continues to do everything right against a tough Clemson D. 302 and 2 tds isn't a startling line, but Pitt used the running game nearly the entire 4th quarter to run the clock. Even then he was huge, running and diving for two key first downs.

 
Continues to do everything right against a tough Clemson D. 302 and 2 tds isn't a startling line, but Pitt used the running game nearly the entire 4th quarter to run the clock. Even then he was huge, running and diving for two key first downs.
Was at the game yesterday - biggest Pitt game in years and Kenny didn’t disappoint. As you said the stat line didn’t pop out, but he played a very smart, efficient game against one of the best defenses in the country. The Heisman hype should be building further after yesterday. 

 
Pitt redshirt senior QB Kenny Pickett completed 25-of-39 passes for 302 yards with two scores in a 27-17 win over Clemson on Saturdya. 

It's weird to say that a Pittsburgh victory over Clemson wasn't an upset, but, here we are. Pickett (6'3/220) found Jordan Addison for a 23-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 in the second quarter, and he found Taysir Mack for a 39-yard score just before halftime to give Pitt a lead they didn't look back from. After that it was mostly game management, but Pickett certainly was a big part in the Panthers' winning. Pittsburgh is a legitimate ACC contender, and they take on Miami next Saturday to keep the good run going. 

Oct 23, 2021, 6:55 PM ET

 
Pittsburgh redshirt senior QB Kenny Pickett increases his odds to win the Heisman according to PointsBet. 

Pittsburgh has one of the best offenses in College Football as they are fourth in scoring this season (45.3 PPG). As their leader, Pickett's (6'3/220) stock continues to rise in all facets. The Panthers jumped to the AP Poll top 20 for the first time in program history, Picketts NFL stock is getting better, and the same to win the Heisman Trophy. At the beginning of October, he was +7500 to win the award, those odds have shrunk to +1000. Currently, he is fourth behind C.J. Stroud, Matt Corral and Bryce Young. Pickett will try to continue this trend next Saturday as they host Miami.

SOURCE: PointsBet

Oct 24, 2021, 6:26 PM ET

 
Pittsburgh redshirt senior QB Kenny Pickett is moving up draft boards following his start to the season.

Pickett's rise is according to The Athletic's Dan Brugler, who spoke with a scout about Pickett's performance thus far. It's no surprise to hear that Pickett (6'3/220) is moving up draft boards. He has completed 68.9% of his passes on the year for 2,235 yards, 23 touchdowns and one interception. The Panther are now 6-1 on the season following their 27-17 win over Clemson on Saturday. Pickett, who received an invite to the Senior Bowl last season, was a projected Day 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, which led to him returning to school for a fifth year. Now, according to the scout Brugler spoke with, Pickett is trending as a Day 2 pick and is on a, "Kirck Cousins trajectory." Pickett's rise has been fun to watch throughout the season, and it could continue in the coming weeks as he builds not only his draft stock but also his Heisman candidacy.

SOURCE: The Athletic

Oct 24, 2021, 4:56 PM ET

 
Obviously lots of talk locally about him being a potential target for Steelers next season.

I've liked him all along but am very surprised to see him talked about a top 15 pick in the NFL draft.  

 
Obviously lots of talk locally about him being a potential target for Steelers next season.

I've liked him all along but am very surprised to see him talked about a top 15 pick in the NFL draft.  
So has all of Pitt nation. As mentioned upthread, as recently as two years ago, fans/students couldn't wait for him to be replaced yet here we are. He elevated his game incredibly over the past year - apparently Manning camp did a world of good for him.

 
So has all of Pitt nation. As mentioned upthread, as recently as two years ago, fans/students couldn't wait for him to be replaced yet here we are. He elevated his game incredibly over the past year - apparently Manning camp did a world of good for him.
Agreed.  I think having a 5th year to mature didn't hurt either

 
Pittsburgh redshirt senior QB Kenny Pickett is rocketing up the draft boards and there is a multitude of reasons why, including his accuracy at all levels of the field.

Pickett (6'3/220) has been nothing short of impressive this season, having completed 168-of-244 passes this season for 2,236 yards with 23 touchdowns and just one interception. The quarterback has been effective at all levels of the field, but one of his talents includes the deep ball -- something the numbers he has put up are indicative of. According to Pro Football Focus, Pickett has a 148.4 passer rating on passes of 20 yards or more this season. That's 10 points higher than the next closest quarterback.

Oct 28, 2021, 2:43 PM ET

 
Pitt redshirt senior QB Kenny Pickett falls in the latest odds to win the Heisman race according to PointsBet.

Pickett (6'3/220) did his best to get the win for the Panthers by throwing for 519 yards and three touchdowns, but it wasn't enough in the 38-34 loss to Miami. As of Sunday, his odds got worse by going from +1000 to +1700. He had the better performance of all the other quarterbacks that sat above him, but he and Ole Miss QB Matt Corral were the two who lost and dropped in the race. Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III and Oklahoma quarterback Caleb Williams jumped over Pickett as he now sits sixth in the race. The loss also dropped Pitt out of the AP top 25, but they still sit atop of the ACC Coastal division and still could win the conference. The Panthers will travel to take on Duke next Saturday.

SOURCE: PointsBet

Oct 31, 2021, 8:54 PM ET

 
Pitt senior QB Kenny Pickett completed 28-of-43 passes for 416 yards and three touchdowns in a 54-29 victory over Duke on Saturday.

After throwing two costly interceptions last week, Pickett (6'3/200) kept it clean while staying explosive. After getting down 12-7 to the Blue Devils after the first quarter, Pickett threw a beautiful deep ball hitting Jordan Addison in stride for a 47-yard touchdown. Coming out of the half, Pickett led a quick 75-yard drive that ended with a 29-yard screen pass to TE Gavin Montgomery. This was exactly the game Pickett needed to vault his name back into the Heisman Trophy discussion. He was in command all game and even did it on the ground with a nice 22-yard touchdown run. The Panthers host North Carolina in a big game this Thursday night.

Nov 6, 2021, 6:47 PM ET

 
Pitt senior QB Kenny Pickett completed 25-of-43 passes for 346 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception in a 30-23 win over North Carolina on Thursday night.

Pickett (6'3/200) came out fast in this one for the Panthers leading them to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter and a 23-7 lead at halftime. Pickett was poised in the pocket, utilized his progressions very well, and was incredibly accurate with the football. He looked every bit as much as a potential first-round pick in the first half. In the second half, Pickett struggled to move the ball and threw an interception late in the fourth quarter that ended up being the tying score for the Tar Heels. Once overtime hit, Pickett took advantage of the lull in the rain completing an 11-yard pass to Lucas Kroll to seal the game. Sitting at 8-2, the Panthers host Virginia next Saturday with a potential berth in the ACC Championship Game at stake.

Nov 11, 2021, 11:21 PM ET

 
Pitt senior QB Kenny Pickett completed 26-of-41 passes for 340 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in Pitt's 48-38 win over Virginia. 

It wasn't Pickett's (6'3"/200) best game, but at the end of the day he played well enough to get the win and get Pitt into the ACC championship game. He found Jordan Addison for all four touchdowns, and he did it showing off his usual dazzling array of skills. He connected with Addison on driven bullet throws, perfectly placed throws on the run after breaking tackles, and finally on a couple deep balls. Pickett is arguably the best QB coming into the 2021 draft and he showed why again. That's not to say Pickett was flawless. He underthrew his first interception badly, letting it float way too long, and even the game sealer to Addison was underthrown, but the receiver made a fantastic play to essentially rip it out of the defender's hands. Still, Pickett led the team to 48 points despite Virginia pouring on the pressure. The Heisman candidate kept his name in the ring for another week, and has his final regular season chance next Saturday against Syracuse.

Nov 21, 2021, 2:12 AM ET

 
Pittsburgh senior QB Kenny Pickett was named the ACC Player of the Year on Wednesday.

Pickett (6'3/200) opted to return for one more season at Pitt in hopes of boosting his NFL Draft stock in 2022. It's safe to say he his hard work as paid off, as he's thrown for 4,066 yards, 40 touchdowns and seven interceptions on the year, while leading Pitt to a 10-2 record. It was the first time Pitt has won 10 regular season games since 1981. Pitt received 52-of-64 votes for player of the year, and 54 votes for ACC Offensive Player of the year. 

SOURCE: Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Dec 1, 2021, 3:48 PM ET

 
Pittsburgh senior QB Kenny Pickett completed 20-of-33 passes for 252 yards, two passing touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown in Saturday’s 45-21 win to Wake Forest.

You knew this would be an offensive battle as these are the country's third and fourth highest-scoring offenses. Pickett is a quarterback that can make big plays with his arms and his legs, and his legs got it started quickly with a 58-yard run and a fake slide that might become the next hot dance on Tik Tok to get the Panthers on the board. His second touchdown of the game cemented his legacy at Pittsburgh even further as he became the all-time leader passer in Panther's history, surpassing Dan Marino. Pickett went to the medical tent a couple of times, and it looked like he was trying to adjust his back several times. That injury might have slowed him down offensive, but Pickett showed his resilience and continued to make history as his second-quarter touchdown to Jared Wayne gave him the single-season record for touchdowns in the ACC. This game had all the signs of a shootout as these teams combined for 35 points in the first quarter, but that would quickly stall. Each defense started to adjust, Pickett and Hartman began to see some pressure at the line, and long shots they were hitting earlier in the game, were getting contested. This game remained close, but Pickett would help break away thanks to some good passing and a couple of Wake Forest penalties that resulted in an Israel Abanikanda touchdown to extend their lead 31-21. The defense for Pittsburgh would remain tough as they would intercept Hartman twice, which resulted in two Pitt touchdowns and an ACC Championship. Pickett will get one more chance on the collegiate stage when Pitt plays their bowl game.

Dec 5, 2021, 1:02 AM ET

 
Pittsburgh senior QB Kenny Pickett was announced as a Heisman Semifinalist. 

Pickett, who was announced as the ACC Offensive Player of the Year earlier today, also made the Heisman Semifinals in recognition of his brilliant season. He led Pitt to their first ACC Championship ever, throwing for 4319 yards on 67% completion to go along with 42 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. He ran for another five scores as well. Pickett played himself into one of the upcoming NFL Draft's top QB prospects and his Heisman invite was well deserved. 

SOURCE: Stewart Mandel on Twitter

Dec 6, 2021, 6:51 PM ET

 
Pittsburgh senior QB Kenny Pickett said on The Dan Patrick Show Wednesday that he is unsure of whether or not he will play in the team's Peach Bowl game against Michigan State.

The skipping of bowl games has become a common theme amongst NFL hopefuls in recent years, and Pickett (6'3/220) could be the latest high-profile prospect to pass on his team's bowl game. Pickett returned to Pittsburgh for a fifth season in hopes of boosting his draft stock, and did so in a big way after a 2021 season that has landed him at the Heisman Trophy Ceremony on December 11th. Pickett has thrown for 4,319 yards and 42 touchdowns this season and led Pitt to its first ACC championship title. An injury to Pickett in an otherwise meaningless bowl game would have a negative impact on the draft stock he worked so hard to build this season. Him withdrawing from the game would not be surprising.

SOURCE: Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Dec 8, 2021, 1:33 PM ET

 
This guy is interesting to me but I don’t know much about him outside he had a sweet fake slide touchdown run. Anyone get a chance to watch any full games of him playing and have an opinion?

 
Faust said:


"While it’s never a guarantee, we’ve seen a quarterback have a meteoric rise in just about every recent season. Last year it was Zach Wilson, in 2020 it was Joe Burrow, Baker Mayfield flew up the board in 2018, and Mitchell Trubisky had a massive jump in 2017. "

That's not a terribly impressive list...maybe these 'meteoric rise' candidates should be hedged a little bit?

 
Taking until his 5th yr to produce is a red flag for me. He should probably thank Jordan Addison for helping his draft stock.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
"While it’s never a guarantee, we’ve seen a quarterback have a meteoric rise in just about every recent season. Last year it was Zach Wilson, in 2020 it was Joe Burrow, Baker Mayfield flew up the board in 2018, and Mitchell Trubisky had a massive jump in 2017. "

That's not a terribly impressive list...maybe these 'meteoric rise' candidates should be hedged a little bit?
I’ve always been skeptical about players who don’t look like much until their last year. Or any one year wonder. Sometimes it works out but always ask why it took so long. Maybe they’ve been behind a great player at a strong program, maybe it’s a fluke. 

 
I’ve always been skeptical about players who don’t look like much until their last year. Or any one year wonder. Sometimes it works out but always ask why it took so long. Maybe they’ve been behind a great player at a strong program, maybe it’s a fluke. 
I don't think anyone can say that Pitt has been a strong program.   In fact the Pitt offensive line has not been great for most of Pickett's tenure.  He's also dealt with injury and so that is a factor. 

However your point is well taken.   The Steelers are in need of a QB and I would not want them to take Pickett in the first round.  Just way too many other needs and putting Pickett behind the Steelers offensive line would likely not work out well.

 
Taking until his 5th yr to produce is a red flag for me. He should probably thank Jordan Addison for helping his draft stock.
Some fair points here. As noted upthread, after his (I believe) sophomore year, Pitt nation couldn't wait to get rid of him. He steadily improved from there though and this past offseason after working at the Manning camp, something just clicked. He certainly benefited from having Addison and other really good receivers to throw to, but we shouldn't take away how he's elevated his game all year.

Whether that translates to the NFL level is certainly an unknown - he's a mentally and physically tough kid, but so have many others before him. 

I'll be rooting for him regardless.

 
I don't think anyone can say that Pitt has been a strong program.   In fact the Pitt offensive line has not been great for most of Pickett's tenure.  He's also dealt with injury and so that is a factor. 

However your point is well taken.   The Steelers are in need of a QB and I would not want them to take Pickett in the first round.  Just way too many other needs and putting Pickett behind the Steelers offensive line would likely not work out well.
That’s kind of my point. 
There’s a pretty big difference imo of Mac Jones having one good year in college and Pickett having the same. (Just as an example)

 
Former Pittsburgh senior QB Kenny Pickett has declared for the NFL and will skip the Peach Bowl.

Pickett (6'3/220) will go out on top as the win in the ACC championship will be his final game for the Panthers. Pickett was not on anyone's radar going into this season, but he made huge strides in the 2021 season to now be the possible first quarterback taken in the 2022 NFL draft. His 42 passing touchdowns were more than all of his other seasons in Pittsburgh combined and he finished fifth in the country with 4,319 passing yards. Now for the next four months, we'll try to argue what franchise he's the best fit for

SOURCE: Kenny Pickett Twitter

Dec 16, 2021, 9:23 PM ET

 
I’m not going to take the fact he  only really had one good year of production as a major red flag, given it was his most recent one. The most recent one is the one that offers the reality of the situation as it stands right now. These are all still young players who are developing and there are hundreds of internal and external factors as to why people improve at different rates or times .

Accuracy at all levels to me seems like an important and translatable quality from college to NFL. From what I’ve seen he looks like he can scramble pretty well and make passes outside of the pocket as well. He’s no slouch with his legs. He’s operated without high level talent all around him, including an average to below average O-line and he’s used to going through multiple reads. 
 

Ultimately, I think he’s the best QB in this draft 

 
Kenny Kool? Pitt QB Kenny Pickett drawing Joe Burrow comparisons at Senior Bowl

MOBILE, Ala. — As great as he has been on the field in the Cincinnati Bengals' run to the Super Bowl, Joe Burrow's most exceptional quality as a quarterback might be the confidence he exudes off it.

And Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy said he sees Burrow-like qualities in one of this year's top quarterback prospects in the NFL draft, Pitt's Kenny Pickett.

“I know that just the way he’s wired and spending time around him and the kind of guy he is, and talking with the guys at the Manning (Passing Academy) that have been around him and the guys at Pitt, he’s going to crush this process," Nagy said Tuesday at the Senior Bowl. "I think he’s already starting to in the interviews right now. He’s got a really cool way about him. Kind of reminds me a little bit of Burrow when I got to know Joe through this process. He’s just, guys gravitate to him. He’s a leader. It comes easy to him. So this is the start of a big week for him."

Pickett is the star attraction at this week's Senior Bowl, and while he will not play for the Detroit Lions-coached American team, he has a chance to impress Lions brass and perhaps push his way into the mix to be the team's quarterback of the future.

A four-year starter at Pitt, Pickett considered leaving school early last year, but returned for his senior season on the advice of Nagy and others who projected him as a Day 3 draft pick.

He threw for 4,319 yards and 42 touchdowns this season, led Pitt to an 11-2 record in his 13 starts, and made a Burrow-esque rise up draft boards.

Burrow was considered a Day 3 pick before leading LSU to the national title in 2019. The Bengals took him first overall in the 2020 NFL draft, and will play in their first Super Bowl in 33 years next week against the Los Angeles Rams.

"That’s a hell of a comparison," Pickett said. "I’m going to have to have Jim intro me like that everywhere I go. ... But he’s a heck of a player obviously at the college level and now doing what he’s doing at the NFL. Had a chance to be roommates with him at the Manning Camp. Talked to him towards the end of our season at Pitt. Great guy, definitely great role model to have going into the NFL."

Burrow was the consensus No. 1 prospect in the draft coming out of LSU, a pinpoint passer who received high marks for his poise and mental acuity.

Pickett has similar strengths, drawing high marks for his polish and consistency, but is not nearly as highly-regarded as a prospect.

"We’re both not Lamar Jackson, but we can move around and extend some plays and find guys downfield," Pickett said. "I think that’s a huge piece, and I think really the mental aspect. The game’s definitely slowing down for him. You can just tell by the way he’s playing. That’s where I got to the point this season at Pitt and at the college level, and I just want to streamline the process as much as I can and get to that level at the NFL as fast as I can."

One lingering question NFL scouts have with Pickett that won't be answered this week is is hand size.

Pickett, whose hands are expected to measure on the small side for an NFL quarterback, regularly played with gloves at Pitt to help his grip.

He did not have his hands measured at Monday's Senior Bowl weigh-in, saying he was doing hand stretches to get a more accurate reading and would wait until March's NFL combine, but said concerns about his hands are overblown after playing four years in Pennsylvania weather.

"I think consistency (is what I'm trying to prove this week)," Pickett said. "I think everyone knows the kind of year I just had and it was a lot different from the previous three years, so I just want to show that playing at a high level for 13 games isn’t kind of a luck thing. You’ve got to be the same guy every single week and I want to be the same guy now down here in Mobile and just show consistency."

 
Former Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett was named top QB on the National Team in a vote from defensive teammates at the player-of-the-week awards ceremony at the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl

If you've been paying attention to Senior Bowl the quarterbacks have seemed to get a lot of attention. We've seen top prospects Pickett, Carson Strong, Sam Howell, Malik Willis, and others show off in the beginning stages of the scouting process for this year's NFL draft.  Pickett is one that scouts have eyes on his as a potential early-round pick. While Pickett's hand size and his forgoing of the hand measurement was the early narrative, it seems his performance will be the ending note. He was named as the top QB of the National team. The two other QBs on that team were Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder and Nevada's Carson Strong, who both garnered a lot of attention during the season. To be named the top QB amongst those players is a great honor and it is an example of not only his skill but leadership, which an NFL team certainly looked for in a franchise quarterback.

SOURCE: Jim Nagy

Feb 4, 2022, 4:31 PM ET

 
Former Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett completed 6-of-6 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown in National's 20-10 win over American.

Pickett (6'3"/220) got most of his production on a wide open screen to Abram Smith that he essentially walked in for the touchdown, but going 6-for-6 is no easy feat regardless of the situation. His other big play was to Christian Watson, who was also wide open and Pickett threw it a low, but Watson came up with it anyways. He only played in the first quarter and did take a sack but it was still a solid showing for the former Panther. Pickett is likely to be one of the first QBs off the board in the upcoming draft, and having a 100% completion percentage in the Senior Bowl certainly won't hurt that. 

Feb 5, 2022, 6:18 PM ET

 
Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett was once committed to play for Matt Rhule when Rhule was HC at Temple.

Carolina's potential interest in Pickett was a hot-topic in Mobile. According to an ESPN report, Carolina GM Scott Fitterer likes Pickett. And Pickett briefly was committed to play for Rhule in 2016 when the Owls were coming off a 10-4 season. For his part, Pickett said he and Rhule continue to have a “great relationship.’’ The Panthers own the No. 6 overall pick in April.

SOURCE: ESPN

Feb 7, 2022, 11:14 AM ET

 
"We promise to keep that sort of hype to a minimum during this year's Football Outsiders draft coverage. But I have covered enough Senior Bowls to know that quarterbacks are drafted as much based on how they come off during team interviews as how they look on the practice field or film. If Pickett gives off Burrow vibes to evaluators, he's going to end up near the top of lots of draft boards, even if his "ceiling" appears rather low."
There are a number of things to really like about Pickett (he is currently my QB1), but this class of QBs is not especially exciting.  I think they hit the nail on the head: "his ceiling appears rather low" in comparison to the top signal callers from other classes.

 

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