Kenny Pickett at top of NFC team’s draft board?

There hasn’t been much consensus leading up to the NFL Draft regarding which quarterback will be the first off the board, but the Senior Bowl may have provided some clarity last week.

Kenny Pickett was widely considered to be the most impressive of the quarterbacks in attendance at the Senior Bowl. Many analysts are now projecting that the former Pitt star will be the first QB selected, but when will that be? Perhaps the Carolina Panthers have the answer.

Three talent evaluators for QB-needy teams told Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports that Pickett has established himself as the most NFL-ready of the quarterbacks in the draft. One evaluator predicted that Pickett will be taken by the Panthers at No. 6.

“I don’t think he makes it past the Panthers,” the staffer told La Canfora. “Their owner (David Tepper) is a huge Pitt booster. He hasn’t invested draft capital in a quarterback yet. He has to know the Steelers like him (Tepper is a former minority investor in the Steelers). I think that’s a fit.”

Another AFC scout agreed that Pickett will likely end up in Carolina.

Pickett was a Heisman Trophy finalist this season. The 6-foot-3 senior threw for 4,319 yards with 42 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. He also played five seasons at Pitt and started in four of them, so he has extensive experience. It would hardly be a surprise if he is the first QB off the board.

The Panthers are in need of a quarterback after their trade for Sam Darnold last offseason did not work out. Head coach Matt Rhule was asked about Darnold’s future with the team after the season, and he gave a very awkward response.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have also been viewed as a logical suitor for Pickett, but they don’t pick until 20th overall. They would likely have to trade up to get Pickett, and it would be unlike them to make that type of move. A recent report claimed they are high on a different quarterback, anyway.

Photo: Feb 2, 2022; Mobile, AL, USA; National quarterback Kenny Pickett of Pittsburgh (8) throws during National practice for the 2022 Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL, USA. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports