Mel Kiper: Kenny Pickett would be fifth-best QB in this year's draft class

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers' Kenny Pickett would be fifth-best QB in this year's draft class, says ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.

JOE RUTTER | Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Kenny Pickett was the first — and only — quarterback taken in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft when the Pittsburgh Steelers grabbed him with the No. 20 overall pick.

Had Pickett been part of this year’s deeper crop of quarterbacks, he still would fall in line as a mid-first-round pick. He just wouldn’t be among the first few quarterbacks to go off the board.

That is the opinion of ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr., who, in a conference call with media members Tuesday, was asked where Pickett would rank among this year’s passers.

“If he were in this draft, he’d probably be in the fifth spot, solidly behind that top group,” Kiper said.

In his latest mock draft that was released Monday, Kiper projected four quarterbacks being taken among the top five picks. They were Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud going first to Carolina, Alabama’s Bryce Young second to Houston, Kentucky’s Will Levis third to Indianapolis (as the result of a mock trade with Arizona) and Florida’s Anthony Richardson fifth to Seattle.

“Some would even say (Pickett) would be in there with Levis,” Kiper said of the former Penn State quarterback who spent his final two seasons at Kentucky. “Maybe some people would argue he’d be ahead of Levis. I would say he’d still be in that first round, certainly the fifth quarterback taken with four guys potentially going in the top five.

“Pickett would be right around where he was (in 2022).”

Kiper didn’t have a quarterback outside the quartet of Stroud, Young, Levis and Richardson going in the first-round this year.

Not only was Pickett the only quarterback taken in the opening round a year ago, he was the only one selected until the middle of the third, a span of 73 picks.

Pickett’s 12 starts were the most of any rookie passer, and he helped engineer three fourth-quarter comebacks and four game-winning drives as the Steelers won seven of their final nine games to finish 9-8.

https://triblive.com/sports/steelers...-mel-kiper-jr/

[Iron City Inc.]

This is likely true but hardly news. This board spoke at length last year about how good the qb class was going to be this year.
How well Pickett matches up with the 4 top qb's in 23 is TBD.

[NorthCoast]

Seems about right. Although the only reason Levis is in the conversation of top 10 is because of his athleticism and physical stature. Performance goes to Pickett over him.

[feltdizz]

I say 3rd not 5th. Levis and Richardson aren’t better than Pickett. Bigger arms? Sure, but neither will pan out IMO.

This is the typical Kiper hype for QB’s that have measurable’s and get pushed up the board by hype machines.

[Mr.wizard]

I say 3rd not 5th. Levis and Richardson aren’t better than Pickett. Bigger arms? Sure, but neither will pan out IMO.

This is the typical Kiper hype for QB’s that have measurable’s and get pushed up the board by hype machines.

100% he is better than both of those guys.

[feltdizz]

100% he is better than both of those guys.

I’m curious to see if the 2023 QB’s are better than 2022.

As of now I think we will see Pickett, Howell and Ridder to start the season.

Young and Stroud should also start day 1 but I’m going to use first year vs first year.

Only Pickett can really be measured since he is the only one with significant playing tike his rookie year.

Thank goodness we didn’t draft Corral. I was actually pretty high on him if Kenny was gone but even he admitted he is way behind schedule due to the system he played in college. Getting hurt didn’t help him either but it already looks like he won’t get a shot in Carolina.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

100% he is better than both of those guys.

Richardson is a big and very good athlete and so-so quarterback. I view him as a 2nd round pick based on his upside. But as a qb, his game film sucks. He rates here as a 5th- 7th round pick or rookie free agent. I view Pickett who I did not have a first round grade on either as a better NFL QB with far less if an upside . The economics of the position ( 2nd year contract stars cost at least 20 million a year ) and the fact that rookie QB contacts are cheap mean some team will over draft him. Bank on that.

[feltdizz]

Richardson is a big and very good athlete and so-so quarterback. I view him as a 2nd round pick based on his upside. But as a qb, his game film sucks. He rates here as a 5th- 7th round pick or rookie free agent. I view Pickett who I did not have a first round grade on either as a better NFL QB with far less if an upside . The economics of the position ( 2nd year contract stars cost at least 20 million a year ) and the fact that rookie QB contacts are cheap mean some team will over draft him. Bank on that.

The biggest problem with Richardson is once he makes a bad throw his confidence tanks.

[Oviedo]

The biggest problem with Richardson is once he makes a bad throw his confidence tanks.

Richardson is this year's Malik Willis. Great athlete who can make things happen with both his arm and legs. They are also both the same in that they need about two years of seasoning.

Watched quite a few of Richardson's games and he is very inconsistent

[WindyCitySteel]

The way QBs are evaluated, easily 5th best, but he'll have a better career than most of them I'm guessing. Lot of boom/bust in this draft class, I don't expect Richardson to get a 2nd contract, Levis may end up like Zach Wilson if he goes to the wrong team, Young is way too small and slight to last in the league, and who knows about Stroud - I don't know if he has the mental makeup to take a beating on a bad team.

Give Kenny two more years, then if he doesn't look like The Guy, sell the farm to move up for Arch Manning.