Steelers take Kenny Pickett at No. 20, first QB of draft

Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Steelers take Kenny Pickett, the first quarterback of the 2022 NFL Draft

By Adam Stites | Last updated 4/28/22

The drought on quarterbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft ended at No. 20 overall when the Pittsburgh Steelers took hometown hero Kenny Pickett in the first round.

Pickett, 23, was a Heisman Trophy finalist after finishing his senior season at Pittsburgh with 4,319 passing yards, 42 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. With Pickett leading the way, the Pitt Panthers reached the Peach Bowl, although Pickett elected not to play.

In the lead up to the 2022 NFL Draft, Pickett's hands became a prevailing narrative after they were measured at 8.5 inches in February. Pickett is now the quarterback with the smallest hands in the NFL.

You know what they say about people with small hands? Bad quarterbacks. But ESPN’s Sports Science says not so fast!

We take a deep dive into Kenny Pickett’s hands — which are about to become the smallest of any NFL QB — and how it might (or might not) impact his pro potential: pic.twitter.com/2a90sh4HMy
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) April 28, 2022

With the Steelers, Pickett is the heir apparent to Ben Roethlisberger, who retired after the 2021 season. It remains to be seen, though, if Pickett will start for Pittsburgh as a rookie, or if the team will rely on free agent acquisition Mitchell Trubisky to lead the way for the team in 2022.

No quarterback was taken in the first 19 selections Thursday, something that hasn't happened in a quarter century. In the 1997 NFL Draft, the first quarterback was taken at 26th overall by the San Francisco 49ers, who drafted Jim Druckenmiller.

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