NFL player comparisons for Pittsburgh Steelers QB Kenny Pickett

Most likely NFL comparison: Andy Dalton

Many of you were probably instantly enraged seeing Andy Dalton as the most likely NFL player comparison for Kenny Pickett… but is this really that big of a stretch.

Think about it for a minute. Dalton and Pickett share a similar size profile, both had four full seasons of starting experience in college, both players were (or will be) 24-year-old rookies and both are able to go through progressions in the pocket and have the mobility to move around, and neither has exceptional arm talent.

Again, this isn’t necessarily a knock on Pickett. Many general managers would sign up for a player like this — knowing full well they could do far worse. While Dalton didn’t really have the ability to take over games, he could manage them well. During his first five seasons, he did well enough to lead his team to a record of 50-26 while making the playoffs in all five seasons.

Dalton had a long and productive NFL career that included three Pro Bowl honors, but he was pretty unspectacular overall and failed to take his team anywhere in the post-season. I hope I’m wrong, but we could be looking at a similar career path for Kenny Pickett.

These are obviously just my thoughts, but it’s very easy to draw some comparisons between the Steelers rookie quarterback and all three of the names mentioned. For the sake of the franchise, I really hope he proves to be in the Derek Carr tier of quarterbacks at the next level.