The last time a Pittsburgh quarterback was selected during the first round of an NFL Draft was all the way back in 1983, when the Miami Dolphins selected Dan Marino with the 27th overall pick. And since then, just three skill position players from the program have heard their names called by the commissioner on opening night. But the number could jump to four on Thursday in Vegas.
One of the top-rated quarterbacks in this year's draft class is Panthers leader Kenny Pickett, who was a 2021 Heisman finalist. During the NFL Combine last month, draft pundits and scouts were preoccupied by the 23-year-old's small hand size, as he measured at 8.5 inches. Although this measurement doesn't determine how a quarterback prospect will perform at the pro level, there are questions about Pickett's overall skillset. And Pro Football Focus draft analyst Mike Renner harbors some doubts about the youngster's potential.
"[Pickett's] the one I worry about, that I don't see the hype on, I don't see the buzz about," Renner told the Reiter Than You show on Thursday. "His season last year was productive, from a stats perspective. But his pocket presence, how he holds the ball, and his footwork from the pocket, it's just going to be an issue for him early on. And the guy's going to be 24 years old. He's kind of getting built-up as the Mac Jones of this draft class.
"Maybe not the tools, but he's the polished product, ready to hit the NFL. To me, he's night and day from Mac Jones -- just in how he operates an offense and operates within the timing of an offense -- to where I think he'll struggle. Mac Jones hit the ground running. I think he'll struggle. And then he doesn't necessarily have the big arm or big tools to make up for it. If I'm drafting him in the first round, his upside, to me, is like an Andy Dalton."
Pickett -- listed at 6-foot-3 and 217 pounds -- is the fourth-ranked quarterback and 42th overall prospect on Pro Football Focus' board. He produced a terrific season for Pittsburgh in 2021, racking up 4,319 yards with 42 touchdowns and only seven interceptions en route to an ACC title and Peach Bowl appearance. Pickett also displayed his scrambling abilities throughout the season, rushing for 241 yards on 97 attempts with five scores on the ground.
The entire 2022 NFL Draft conversation between Renner and Reiter can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the Reiter Than You show on Twitter @sportsreiter and @CBSSportsRadio, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.