Steelers' Draft Gamble: The Surprising Kenny Pickett Comparison Surrounding Shedeur Sanders

As the Pittsburgh Steelers gear up for the 2025 NFL Draft, a central focus of their pre-draft evaluations is addressing the pressing need for a starting quarterback. The NFL Draft serves as a vital mechanism for all teams to strategically reinforce their rosters, offering a valuable opportunity to identify and acquire talent that can directly address existing positional concerns and contribute to long-term team success. The Steelers have a significant opportunity not only to address their immediate quarterback need in the upcoming draft, but also to potentially secure a player who could become their franchise cornerstone for many years to come.

While the anticipation builds around the possibility for the Steelers to find their franchise quarterback in the upcoming draft, some concerns are also beginning to surface. Brooke Pryor, a Steelers insider, recently shared her insights on 93.7 The Fan, including some reservations she holds regarding Shedeur Sanders, a quarterback prospect who has been linked to the team throughout the offseason.

"I am nervous if I'm the Steelers about the number of sacks he's taken, his tendency to drift back under pressure. That to me is shades of Kenny Pickett," Pryor shared.

For the Steelers fan base, the comparison of a potential future franchise quarterback to Kenny Pickett is alarming. Pickett, selected by the Steelers with the 20th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, arrived in Pittsburgh with big expectations following the retirement of legendary quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The hope was that Pickett would seamlessly step into Roethlisberger's shoes and take over as the team’s franchise quarterback. However, given how his time ultimately unfolded, making any suggestion of similarities is a potentially worrying sign.

In his tenure with the Steelers, Pickett was sacked a significant 50 times and threw 13 interceptions. He was put into the starting quarterback role almost immediately upon being drafted, leading the team in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons before his trade to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024. This near immediate responsibility meant Pickett lacked the opportunity to develop behind a seasoned veteran for an extensive amount of time. It was Week 4 of 2022 that Pickett took over for Mitch Trubisky. This situation could potentially repeat itself if the Steelers decide to draft a quarterback this year, and veteran Aaron Rodgers, despite persistent media speculation linking him to the team, does not ultimately sign with Pittsburgh.

In contrast, Sanders has spent his recent collegiate career at the University of Colorado, where he was sacked a significant 52 times during the 2023 season, followed by another 42 sacks in 2024. These high sack totals understandably prompted Pryor's concerns, especially considering Head Coach Mike Tomlin's well-known preference for quarterback prospects who demonstrate an ability to protect the ball. Despite this, Sanders has shown an aptitude for ball security in another aspect, throwing only 13 interceptions throughout his two seasons at Colorado.

Despite not attending his pro day, the Steelers have shown interest in Sanders by recently hosting him for a visit. As the rapidly approaching 2025 NFL Draft nears, where the Steelers hold the 21st overall pick, Sanders' draft stock presents a fascinating scenario. While initial projections suggested he might be out of Pittsburgh's reach, recent insights from NFL insider Adam Schefter indicate that the Steelers are firmly within the range to potentially select Sanders, with draft projections ranging anywhere from the top five to the Steelers’ 21st pick.

The Steelers Have Different Options For Draft Day

Every team in the NFL operates with its own unique set of positional needs and specific skill requirements within those positions. This variability means that the teams selecting before the Steelers may not prioritize a quarterback like Sanders, potentially allowing him to fall. For the Steelers, the pressing need for a starting quarterback makes their valuable first-round pick a chance to address this critical vacancy. This first-round selection carries even greater weight due to the Steelers' lack of a second-round pick, a consequence of acquiring veteran wide receiver DK Metcalf.

Despite their quarterback need, the Steelers also have other positional areas they could choose to address in the early rounds, and they retain the option of selecting a quarterback later in the draft. Ultimately, the Steelers' true intentions won't be revealed until the upcoming draft day. Given the buzz surrounding Sanders as a top quarterback prospect, does this comparison to Pickett alter your perspective on whether the Steelers should target him? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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