Pittsburgh star quarterback Kenny Pickett spent the past five seasons playing home games at Heinz Field. He'll soon be playing many more of them there -- only in a different uniform and at the pro level. The lone signal-caller selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft was Pickett, as the Pittsburgh Steelers took him with the 20th overall pick on Thursday night in Las Vegas.
Pickett -- who was a Heisman Trophy finalist last season -- entered draft night as the fourth-ranked quarterback by Pro Football Focus, and the 42nd overall prospect. Following the pick, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters that the franchise searched across the country for a new passer, and found it funny that they ultimately ended up "with a guy from next door." This summer, the 23-year-old will get a chance to compete for Pittsburgh's starting job.
"I was surprised the Steelers ended up taking Pickett. It seems like something changed there, over the last month or so," NBC Sports Edge draft analyst Thor Nystrom explained to After Hours with Amy Lawrence on Friday. "Moving them away from Malik Willis to Pickett. So, I'd be curious who ended up making that decision. I know it wasn't a unanimous one, inside that room -- Willis had a lot of big-time fans inside that Steelers room.
"Obviously, the Kenny Pickett folks won out in that one. It wouldn't have been the decision that I made. I think there's awesome quarterback talent available for Day 2. We spent the last couple months poo-pooing the first round QB's. Well, I think this Day 2 crop of quarterbacks could be much better than we've seen in recent years. Much, much better."
Pickett produced a sensational redshirt senior season for Pittsburgh in 2021, racking up 4,319 yards with 42 touchdowns and only seven interceptions en route to an ACC championship and a Peach Bowl appearance. The 6-foot-3, 217-pounder also displayed his dual-threat abilities throughout the campaign, rushing for 241 yards on 97 carries with five scores. Pickett joins NFL legend Dan Marino as the only Pittsburgh quarterbacks ever taken in the first round.
The entire 2022 NFL Draft conversation between Nystrom and Lawrence can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow After Hours With Amy Lawrence on Twitter @ALawRadio and @AfterHoursCBS, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.