The Pittsburgh Steelers were the only franchise to select a quarterback within the first two rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft. The rookie signal caller, Kenny Pickett has certainly shown some growing pains as he is currently second in the league with eight interceptions thrown while not officially starting a game until Week 5.
Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson came out with his most recent grading of 2022 first-round rookies and Mike Tomlin's quarterback barely cracked the top ten. Pickett is currently 1-3 in games that he has started and absolutely has some pressure on himself for the remainder of the year to prove he was the right selection for Pittsburgh.
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - OCTOBER 23: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) makes a throw on the run during the game between the Pittsburg Steelers and the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, October 23, 2022, at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
It is quite literally a joke that a player like Trevor Penning, an offensive lineman for the New Orleans Saints, is ranked higher than Pickett while Penning has not recorded a snap at the professional level due to an injury in the preseason. According to Monson, the rookie from the University of Pittsburgh has turned the ball over too many times and that is why he isn't considered one of the best first-round rookies up until this point.
"Pickett and the Steelers were on a bye. Pickett’s play has been underwhelming so far due to turnovers, but his play in between those has been largely solid. He needs to limit those costly plays moving forward," Monson wrote.
It is quite ridiculous that a player who has not stepped on the field as an active player on Sundays ends up being ranked above a quarterback who joins one of the worst-called offenses in the league. It doesn't stop there, though. Tennessee Titans wide receiver, Treylon Burks only played in the team's first four games but is labeled as the 18th-best player who was drafted in the top 32. Even Washington Commanders' rookie pass catcher, Jahan Dotson is ranked above Pickett at 16 even though he hasn't been active since Week 4.
Steelers starting quarterback Kenny Pickett (#8) prepares to take a snap at Acrisure Stadium in his first regular-season action against the New York Jets. | Photo Credit: Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Monson states at the beginning of his rankings that each first-round rookie will be graded on how he plays and correlate the performance with the competition he is up against. Can anyone explain why someone like Jameson Williams with the Detroit Lions is the 12th best when he hasn't even played an NFL snap?
Make no mistake, Pickett hasn't been elite, but a rookie quarterback has never won the Super Bowl. Putting the Pitt alum toward the bottom of the list seems like a slap in the face.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Kenny Pickett (#8) drops back for a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Oct. 30, 2022, in Philadelphia, PA. | Photo Credit: Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers
The rookie Pickett started just four games and has gone 112/165 in pass attempts with 962 passing yards and two touchdowns thrown. He certainly has not lived up to Pittsburgh's expectations, but that is because the only drafted rookie quarterback to lead the offense since 2004 was future Hall of Famer, Ben Roethlisberger after the Steelers went 15-1 in the regular season so many years ago.
Do you think Pickett deserves to be ranked lower than certain players who haven't even dressed for an NFL game yet? Let us know in the comments below!
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