Steelers make long-awaited QB pick by taking Kenny Pickett in NFL draft
The Pittsburgh Steelers made their move for a possible long-term successor to Ben Roethlisberger.
The Steelers on Thursday selected Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett with the No. 20 pick of the NFL draft on Thursday night, marking the most significant investment the franchise has made at the position since its 2004 pick of Roethlisberger, who retired this offseason.
Pickett was the first quarterback selected in the draft.
"We're super, super excited to draft Kenny Pickett," general manager Kevin Colbert said in a news conference after making the selection. "Honestly, I never thought he would make it to our pick."
Colbert and coach Mike Tomlin had been open about the heavy level of research they had done regarding this year's crop of available passers.
"I enjoy the process of having a heightened urgency for a position. It seems like, a year ago, we really chopped up the running backs in a similar way," Tomlin said in a pre-draft news conference this week, referring to last year's evaluations before the Steelers selected running back Najee Harris in the first round.
But Tomlin was quick to note that the team was committed to taking a quarterback in the first round no matter what. Both he and Colbert said the team had flexibility at the position after signing Mitchell Trubisky in free agency to compete with backup Mason Rudolph.
"I know that the process that we've gone through in terms of getting to know the quarterback pool has gained some attention, but it's not (an uncommon) process for us in terms of locking in and getting a feel for a certain pool within the pool, if you will," Tomlin said.
Pickett broke out in his 2021, his fourth year as a starter. The 6-3, 217-pound signal-caller broke Dan Marino's school records for touchdowns in a single season and career, with his 42 scoring connections giving him 81 for his career.
At the NFL scouting combine, he came under fire for hands that measured in 8 ½ inches - smaller than any quarterback currently in the NFL.
If he is able to beat out Trubisky and Rudolph for the top job, Pickett will take the reins to a franchise looking for a smooth transition to the post-Roethlisberger era. Pittsburgh has made the playoffs the last two years but has won a postseason game since the 2016 season.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kenny Pickett is Steelers' long-awaited QB pick in NFL draft
