Dueling with Malik Willis for the QB1 position in the 2022 NFL Draft is Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett. His level of experience and good-enough tools provide a potential day-one starter with a high floor. The question is if Pickett can become a franchise quarterback. With rumors of him being taken at 6, one would sure hope so. Let's see if Pickett is worth the hype.
Biography
Name: Kenny Pickett
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6'3
Weight: 217
Age: 23.8
Class: RS Senior
School: Pittsburgh
For those of you who are new to the 'In a Nutshell' series, this is a summarized scouting report to give you everything you need to know "in a nutshell."
The Good
Pickett is a sniper in the deep middle of the field. While some of the best in this class have barely over 30% completion in that zone, he has a whopping 68.4% for 917 yards and 14 TDs to only 2 INTs. This grades out to be a 97.5 PFF grade. The accuracy is adequate for sure in other areas of the field as well. Pickett also is a multiple-year starter, so he will be well-seasoned day one. The love has its merits for sure.
The Bad
Pickett is afraid to throw outside the numbers, apparently. His center attempts are at least equal to his left and right throws combined. While some may view that as a positive, his grades tend to drop past 10 yards when he targets outside the hashes (granted, apart from his deep left passes, this is a nitpick). The bad thing is about Pickett is that the ugly section will feature a lot more than this one.
The Ugly?
Pickett has my hand size (I am 5'9, by the way (and, yes, actually 5'9)). Wearing two gloves is not exactly the best look for someone to appear comfortable controlling an NFL ball. That aside, he has a weird tendency to always roll right. NFL Defensive Coordinators will identify that in a heartbeat and shut that down. Also, Pickett appears to see ghosts sometimes in high-stress situations, throwing a few head-scratching balls for a quarterback of his experience. Also, Pickett has had an injury track record.
Overall
Pickett might make the best day-one impact, but he is nowhere near a top-eight pick. There is very little upside to him, especially at his age and factoring in his injury history. The hate has some credit to it, but some despise Pickett too much. The Pitt Panther does provide adequate arm talent with solid mobility and a good-enough processor. The real question is whether that will be enough in the NFL. Time will tell.
Grading Scale: (Average: 5/10)
Arm Strength: 11.25/15
Decision Making / Progressions: 10.25/15
Accuracy: 7/10
Ball Placement: 6.5/10
Mechanics: 6.75/10
Athleticism: 8/10
On the move/ Out of Structure: 7.75/10
Timing: 3.75/5
Pocket Presence: 3.75/5
Injury: 3.25/5
Mentality: 4.5/5
Draft Grade: 72.75
Draft Projection: Top 15 (praying closer to 15)
Big Board Rank: Top 50
Shades of: Derek Carr
Top Three Fits: Panthers, Seahawks, Falcons
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