With Panthers watching, Kenny Pickett impressed at his pro day. What are scouts saying?
.JPG "Quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) goes through passing drills during Pittsburgh’s football pro day , Monday, March 21, 2022, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)")
Ever since Deshaun Watson chose to waive his no-trade clause for the Cleveland Browns, the quarterback carousel hasn’t stopped spinning.
On Monday, the Falcons traded Matt Ryan to the Colts for a third-round pick. Moments later, Atlanta signed free agent Marcus Mariota to a two-year deal and New Orleans re-signed Jameis Winston, filling two more quarterback vacancies.
The QB carousel is moving so unpredictably fast that starters from last year may have to accept backup roles. The Browns and 49ers are searching for trade partners for their competent starters Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo, respectively. But competency is no longer the bar.
How much better would the 2021 Panthers have been with Garoppolo or Mayfield? Probably not much, if at all. Even if both are in a slightly higher tier than Darnold, none of those three fully satisfy the position. Which is why the Panthers are spending this week at the pro days of all the top 2022 quarterbacks.
First up was Pitt’s Kenny Pickett. Carolina sent a full house to view Pickett. General manager Scott Fitterer and coach Matt Rhule were there, along with assistant general manager Dan Morgan, vice president of player personnel Pat Stewart, college scouting director Cole Spencer and area scout Eli Montague. New offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo and quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan also joined.
The 2021 Heisman finalist went through throwing drills on Monday at Pitt’s indoor facility where dozens of scouts, coaches and front-office staff from several teams watched. Pickett threw more than 50 passes in a scripted workout that several scouts in attendance said went well.
“From a pro day standpoint, I thought he looked like he had good command,” NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein told The Observer. “I hear people downplay his velocity, but I think he’s got plenty on his throws. And I think he showed that today on some of those deep-outs where he pushed the ball with velocity. There were some throws that got away from him in terms of sailing throws. Stuff you see on tape.”
Pickett opened his pro day with short throws to warm up but wasted little time unloading some deep balls. In the first 10 minutes, Pickett let a 60-yard bomb fly. The pass hit his receiver perfectly in stride, setting a tone for the rest of his workout. One scout in attendance told The Observer that Pickett has more arm strength than he originally thought.
He showcased his velocity on deep-outs and other sideline throws where touch and throwing power converge. Zierlein said he thought some of Pickett’s seam throws got away from him, an area he must improve as a pro. Overall, it was a quality pro day that should improve his draft stock.
Pickett stands about 6-foot-3 and weighs 217 pounds. All of his measurements scream NFL quarterback except for his hand size. His 8.5-inch hands are considered small by pro football standards. The last quarterback with 8.5-inch hands to have NFL success was Mike Vick. His hands increased by ⅛ inch from his combine measurement, checking in at 8⅝ inches. He’s been doing hand stretches all offseason, which paid off.
For some scouts, his hands are still a concern. Pickett’s hand would still be the smallest of any starter or NFL backup. Saints’ quarterback Taysom Hill’s measurement is the next-smallest at 8¾ inches.
“I care because there’s there’s a significant number of fumbles in his career,” Zierlein said. “So I think you have to care. I care more. If I’m at a location with inclement weather with excessive rain, wind, things like that. I don’t care that he wears the gloves. That’s fine. If that helps with the grip. I would do the same thing.”
Only one other quarterback with sub-nine-inch hands has been drafted in the first round since 2003. But with how quarterback-needy teams are in the draft, Zierlein does not expect Pickett’s hand size to hurt his stock. Instead, teams will focus on Pickett’s massive production increase from his junior to senior season.
During his senior season at Pittsburgh, Pickett demonstrated complete control of the Panthers’ offense. His passing touchdowns ballooned from 13 to 42 from his junior to senior year. Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy advised Pickett to stay at Pitt following his junior season. That sound advice — combined with his Heisman finalist season — catapulted Pickett from a projected sixth- or seventh-round selection in 2021 to possibly the first quarterback selected in 2022.
Last month, a scout told The Observer that they were concerned Pickett had already maximized his potential while at Pitt. Zierlein pushed back against that by citing Joe Burrow’s record-setting senior season as an example. Zierlein said that Pickett showed his ability to master an offense over time. That should translate to the NFL.
“He can make all the pro throws, Zierlein said. “He’s the most pro-ready of all these quarterbacks. He’s also a little underrated in terms of his ability to play against the blitz and make plays on the move to extend plays and still make a throw, make an accurate throw on the move.”
He added that Pickett’s quick processing and sound decision-making would fit well into a McAdoo offense in Carolina. At Pitt, Pickett sometimes held on to the ball too long. There are noticeable lapses in his pocket poise and internal clock when under pressure. These bad habits do not show up at pro days but they are concerning.
“Eli Manning benefited from McAdoo in terms of getting rid of the ball more quickly,” Zierlein said. “And I think that system could benefit him early in his career. Because it would force him to make decisions quickly and get rid of the ball quickly. So it could benefit him playing in a system where he’s not asked to hold on to make long-form reads.”
Pickett is considered a full-field thrower. He’s capable of quickly reaching his third or fourth read, which is impressive for a soon-to-be rookie. But that sometimes leads to trouble. When he holds onto the ball, he doesn’t climb the pocket well. Instead of climbing the pocket, he’ll drift away and run into trouble near the tackles. Zierlein believes a McAdoo structure could offset that habit.
With the Falcons (No. 8), Seattle (No. 9) and Washington at pick No. 11, there will be at least one quarterback gone inside or near the top 10. Still, there is not much consensus on where Pickett will go. Zierlein said No. 6 would be too high for him to select any quarterback in this class, including Liberty quarterback Malik Willis, whose pro day is set for Tuesday at noon.
“After the Senior Bowl and before the combine, whatever you feel about a player is the way you feel about them, Zierlein said. “What happens late in the process as people start trying to talk themselves into players more and more. I just don’t think any of the quarterbacks have enough on tape that would make me feel comfortable drafting any of them inside the top 10.”
This story was originally published March 22, 2022 at 11:06 AM with the headline "With Panthers watching, Kenny Pickett impressed at his pro day. What are scouts saying?."
