Steelers QB Kenny Pickett ‘excited to show’ his athleticism in the NFL
By Tommy Jaggi
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Kenny Pickett, has some sneaky athleticism. Here’s why he’s excited to show off his play-making ability at the next level.
A lot of fans had a difficult time getting excited about the Steelers first-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. I was one of them. Quarterback Kenny Pickett took a big leap forward with his play in his final college season at Pitt, but he didn’t have elite arm talent to really get us stoked about his arrival.
Fans routinely got on Pickett for his historically small hands, his one year of respectable college production in five seasons, and his wavering arm down the field. However, one trait Pickett possesses that doesn’t get nearly enough praise is his athleticism.
Recently, Pickett was on The Pat McAfee Show to talk about his experiences with the city and his new team as well as expectations for the upcoming season. McAfee asked Pickett if he thought his athleticism didn’t get talked about enough during the pre-draft process.
The Steelers rookie would agree. Here was Pickett’s response:
"“It’s definitely an aspect of my game that I’m excited to show. I think the game has kind of changed when you look around the league. A lot of guys are athletic and they extend plays, and that’s how a lot of big plays happen. That was something that coach [Mark] Whipple kind of really helped my game to keep my eyes down the field and finding receivers and making big-time plays. So I think that’s something I’ll definitely use in coach [Matt] Canada’s offense… I’m excited to show to kind of show that this camp.”"
McAfee praised Pickett for his athletic traits and feels that he is underrated in his ability to make things happen outside of the framework. It’s this exact trait that gives me hope that the former Pitt Panther can be more than just an average-level starting quarterback in the NFL.
Steelers Kenny Pickett possesses a crucial trait
In today’s game, the ability to extend the play is one of the most important traits a quarterback can possess. Every team has speed on defense and innovative play designs allow them to create quick pressure on the QB. It’s what the quarterback does under pressure that sets him apart.
Pickett isn’t necessarily a runner, but that’s not due to a lack of athletic traits. According to Relative Athletic Score, Pickett tested as a 95th percentile athlete among quarterbacks entering the NFL. His remarkable 1.56 10-yard split was actually good for the 99th percentile among quarterbacks.
While Pickett certainly doesn’t look like Lamar Jackson on the football field, he clearly has enough ability to get outside the framework and extend the play — something he did often in 2021. If he can do this with some consistency at the next level, it could mask his average arm and inability to routinely put the ball on a rope outside the hashes.
Most of the best quarterbacks in the league right now (with the lone exception being Tom Brady) have the ability to escape the pocket, keep their eyes down the field, and make plays. I would expect Pickett to check this box at the NFL level.
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There’s no guarantee that Kenny Pickett turns out to be a great quarterback for the Steelers, but his under-the-radar athletic traits should give us some hope for the extent of his playmaking ability in the NFL. If he’s great in this department, this could really go a long way in dictating his career path.