Kenny Pickett draws troubling assessments from talent evaluators

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

Kenny Pickett is viewed by many as the top quarterback in the upcoming NFL Draft, but some talent evaluators do not think there is a whole lot to get excited about with the former Pitt star.

Several team executives and scouts who spoke with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero offered somewhat troubling assessments of Pickett’s abilities. One AFC exec said Pickett has been the “most impressive” quarterback leading up to the draft, but he wonders about Pickett’s ceiling.

“He was the biggest guy, strongest stature — he just felt like a quarterback. But then your concern is the arm,” the executive told Pelissero. “There’s nothing special about it. What’s he going to look like when he’s getting his ass f***ing blitzed and having to throw off-platform, and he has to win with his arm only? He’s mobile enough. He can move, he’s not lot like a statue. If you had to have a motherf***er play right now, it’s Pickett, but he doesn’t have any goddamn upside.”

There have been questions about Pickett’s unusually small hands, and one NFC scout says those concerns were validated during a rainy Senior Bowl practice.

“The kid couldn’t even throw when it was wet,” the scout said. “It is a concern and will be an issue. The kid, you love. The production, you love — but it was really just this year. Physically, I don’t see him as an NFL starting passer.”

Another scout compared Pickett to Kirk Cousins and said the 23-year-old already seems “real close to his ceiling,” even if he is the most NFL-ready QB in the draft.

Of course, a lot of information that leaks out ahead of the draft comes from teams that are trying to manipulate the market. Some of the executives and scouts who criticized Pickett may work for teams that are hoping the QB slides down the board.

Pickett has a ton of experience, as he was a five-year player at Pitt. He seems like a safe bet, and many analysts think he could go as early as No. 6 overall to the Carolina Panthers. It sounds like there is consensus that other quarterbacks in the draft have more upside, though.