'I'm In a Better Light': Kenny Pickett Race To Washington QB1 Begins At Senior Bowl

Kenny Pickett's rise to prominence mirrors Joe Burrow's, but there's more than meets the eye.

MOBILE, Ala. - Jim Nagy can remember his first interaction with Kenny Pickett. It was 2019 and the Pittsburgh quarterback was working through drills at the Manning Camp. 

Nagy didn't intend to gloat over a then-junior going through his reads. His main interest was in LSU's Joe Burrow and Oregon's Justin Herbert, two names that were expected to be high-end selections in the upcoming NFL draft. 

As practice ended, Nagy watched Pickett from a far. On a side field alone, working on his footwork and pocket awareness, it was the drive and motivation Pickett possessed that had won the Senior Bowl director over. 

"I saw a good-looking guy doing the extra work and putting it in," Nagy said of Pickett Tuesday morning. "That just stuck with me right away." 

Three years later, Pickett sits at a podium in the Mobile Convention Center in front of dozen of reporters. After electing to return for a fifth season, he's now the headliner of the 2022 Senior Bowl, and everyone wants a piece of him. 

How strange one season can change the course of a player? Pickett was offered a roster spot in 2020, but declined to return to school. Most scouts viewed him as a late-round option with some upside. 

Thirteen months later, here he is. The top name in Mobile. A record-setter and ACC champion. A Heisman finalist. Pick a title. 

All those titles, but then again, you'd never know Pickett was any of these things after one conversation. Humbled by his past, he's simply a kid on a mission of turning his NFL dream into a reality. 

"It's about consistency," Pickett said. "Everyone knows the kind of year I just had. It's a lot different from the previous three years, so I want to show that playing at a high level for 13 games isn't a luck thing."

One-year wonders and the Senior Bowl have been synonymous in year's past. In 2021, Alabama's Mac Jones was a first-year starter coming off a national title berth. In 2020, Burrow arrived at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, coming off perhaps the greatest performance college football fans have ever seen. 

#NDSU WR Christian Watson has slowly emerged at @seniorbowl early. Good release and is getting his timing down with #Pitt QB Kenny Pickett. pic.twitter.com/X59iXCjsCz

— Cole Thompson (@MrColeThompson) February 1, 2022

That's not Pickett's case. Pat Narduzzi named him the Panthers' starter in 2018 and carried the title until graduation. Entering 2021, he never threw for more than 13 touchdowns in a season. He only surpassed the 3,000-yard passing mark once. 

Nagy says he won't "B.S." players on their draft stock. Pickett asked him last year what scouts and general managers were saying about his future should he declare. Even without the ankle injury that sidelined him, scouts needed to see more.

He was going to be a Day 3 selection. Perhaps even an undrafted free agent. After a conversation with offensive coordinator Mark Whipple, Pickett opted back into school. 

"I think of myself as a higher player than that and I wanted to put myself in a better light," Pickett said. "I wanted to come back and really improve my game with no regrets."

Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Photo by Logan Whitton/Getty Images

Pickett became a household name during the 2021 season as Pitt climbed the ladder from middle-tier ACC program to leaders of the pack. By midseason, the senior had doubled his career-best in touchdown passes. 

As the year dwindled down, what else did Pickett have left to prove? With a win over Wake Forest in Charlotte, the Panthers were first-time conference champions. 

Pickett, meanwhile, had his own accolades to celebrate. 

The program's all-time leader in passing yards? Check that with 1,2303. Total touchdowns? He nabbed that two with 101. And the man he surpassed this season to reach new heights? He's a pretty popular name in league circles. 

Dan Marino. 

Pickett says on his first recruiting trip, the Panthers laid out Marino's old gear from the 1980s for the Oakhurst, N.J., native to ponder over. After breaking the record and joining Marino on the wall, Pickett's dad, Ken Pickett, sent him the picture, reminding him of how far he's come. 

"He's a great role model to have," Kenny Pickett said. "Coming from your school and then going out to having the successful career that he had, I really want to strive and follow his footsteps. I want to make him proud." 

Pitt QB Kenny Pickett with a snappy delivery on the short out to Rutgers WR Bo Melton. #SeniorBowl pic.twitter.com/W3TDq28nFh

— Cole Topham (@crtopham_) February 1, 2022

The biggest knock against Pickett has been his hand size. He laughs, knowing it would be the subject of controversy this week among the five other quarterbacks. 

When asked to measure, Pickett declined. He'll measure in Indianapolis at the combine, but a week of consistency should make that a moot point. 

Nagy already feels it is one. Watch the intangibles instead of his fingers. 

"He's got really good instincts, he sees the field, feels the pocket," Nagy said. "He just knows how to play. 

"Kenny has himself in a great position in this draft process right now." 

Nagy sees similarities between Pickett and Burrow. Both are leaders of their programs, but it's their persona that attracts the crowds. Scouts and fans gravitated to the Bayou Bengal on his way to stardom. 

Coincidently, everyone gravitates to the Pitt Panther.  

Two years after setting the SEC on fire, Burrow will lead the Cincinnati Bengals against the Los Angeles Rams for a shot a immortality in Super Bowl LVI. Just before his breakout campaign, Burrow received his draft grade from scouts — Day 3 talent.   

Pickett roomed with Burrow at the Manning Camp in 2019. They'll talk from time to time and he considers him a mentor in the game. Just before the ACC Championship, the two chatted about what comes next. 

The two quarterbacks' rise to prominence near mirror each other, but this isn't the end goal for Pickett. He's not looking to be the next Burrow. He wants to be the first Pickett. 

The new journey is now underway for Pickett. Both ears open. Both eyes fixed on leaving his impact on Hancock Whitney Stadium's turf. 

"I was always learning every day at Pitt," Pickett said. "It's something I want to take to the NFL."