Falcons, Panthers have strong contingent on hand for former Pitt QB Kenny Pickett’s Pro Day

With representatives from NFL teams looking on, former Pitt Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett threw 56 passes during Pitt’s pro day on Monday. By all accounts, Pickett enjoyed a successful outing that likely helped improve his stock for next month’s NFL Draft. 

While nearly every NFL team was on hand for his pro day, Carolina’s Matt Rhule and Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin were the only head coaches in attendance. The Falcons, who made headlines Monday after trading longtime quarterback Matt Ryan to the Colts in exchange for a third-round pick, had general manager Terry Fontenot, offensive coordinator Dave Ragone and quarterbacks coach Charles London in attendance to watch Pickett work out 38 days before they are on the clock with the eighth overall pick in the draft. 

Pickett, who finished third in this year’s Heisman Trophy, said that he accomplished his goal of wanting to showcase his arm strength and how the ball “pops” out of his hand. Pickett said that he met with “seven or eight” teams on Sunday and planned to meet with at least two more teams shortly following his pro day. 

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound quarterback acknowledged that the seemingly constant quarterback moves in free agency has made it hard to narrow down where he may be heading in the draft. By trading Ryan on Monday, and given the Panthers‘ current quarterback situation, it’s safe to say that both franchises are likely landing spots for the reigning ACC Player of the Year. The Seahawks, after trading Russell Wilson to the Broncos, are also in need of a quarterback upgrade. 

“Every day I wake up and there’s someone moving, someone going somewhere else,” Pickett said during an interview with NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala. “I think free agency’s been kind of crazy. I think when that kind of settles down, I’ll probably have a more clear picture, but I don’t know. It’s a crazy process, so we’ll see.”

After three so-so seasons at Pitt, Pickett enjoyed a breakout 2021 campaign. He completed 67.2% of his passes for 42 yards and just seven interceptions while helping the Panthers post their best season in 40 years. He won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given annually to the nation’s top upperclassmen quarterback. 

“Came here, we were 5-7 our first year and we’re leaving ACC champions,” Pickett said. “I’ve been through the ups and downs of the program and come out the other side a lot better for it.” 

The 23-year-old New Jersey native also received praise from teammates about his leadership, something that should also help his case to become the first Pitt quarterback to be selected in the first round since Dan Marino back in 1983. 

“That’s the No. 1 thing for me, how my teammates look at me, how my coaches view me,” Pickett said. “So to hear that, I take a lot of pride in that, for sure.”