Kenny Pickett makes strongest case yet as QB1 in 2022 draft
There are now two QBs putting up "video game numbers"
In Week 1, Georgia Tech faced Northern Illinois and former Michigan State QB Rocky Lombardi, who had a decent day: 11/17, 136 yards, 2 TD.
In Week 3, Georgia Tech faced Clemson and QB D.J. Uiagalelei went 18/25 for 126 yards, averaging only 5.0 YPA. Clemson’s offense managed only two rushing touchdowns and 284 total yards.
In Week 4, Georgia Tech faced Sam Howell and North Carolina. Howell is viewed by some as the top NFL QB prospect in the nation, especially for the 2022 draft. Howell went 25/39 for 306 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 7.8 Y/A.
The point is that the Yellowjackets are not a traditional powerhouse, but the defense has held up against a moderately difficult schedule to open the season and they ranked 36th in the nation in points allowed. Georgia Tech lost to Clemson 14-8 and beat UNC 45-22, so they are far from the worst team in the ACC.
In Week 5, Kenny Pickett did make them look that way however.
I’ve been tracking QBs in the 2022 NFL Draft all year long and while I still plan to name my kids “Grayson” and “McCall”, no prospect has made as emphatic of a statement for next year’s first round — either this season or this Saturday. Pickett went 23/36 for 389 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions.
One thing we don’t want to do is overrate stats — and especially not total touchdowns or passing yards — but Pickett’s season line is coming into shape as the type of numbers that starts making people go “Heisman?” and “First round?”:
121-of-168, 1,731 yards, 19 touchdowns, 1 interception, over 10 Y/A, and he’ll be challenging Grayson McCall for the best all-around stats in college football.
(As I write this, McCall is 13-of-13 for 212 yards with 2 TD)
Over the last three weeks, facing Western Michigan, New Hampshire, and Georgia Tech, Pickett has thrown 15 touchdowns and almost 1,200 yards.
His next three games are against Virginia Tech, Clemson, and Miami. With Pitt now sitting at 4-1 with the top QB in the ACC, there’s no denying anymore that everybody’s attention will be on Pickett and to find out whether or not this quarterback with really pedestrian numbers over the past three seasons (Pickett threw 38 touchdowns and 24 touchdowns over 35 games) is now the top prospect at the position for next year’s draft.