With less than one week to go until this year’s draft, there are still plenty of questions regarding the top pick, as well as the quarterback class. The long-held belief has been that Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett are locks to go in the first round, but sentiment seems to be growing that the top signal-callers may have to wait longer than expected to hear their names called. 
As noted by ESPN’s Matt Miller, “the momentum that swung [Pickett and Willis] up the board seems to be swinging back the other way”. He adds that Pickett (who has long been connected to the Steelers) is, in the eyes of some, the only surefire first-round prospect. His highly productive fifth season at Pittsburgh earned him Heisman trophy consideration, and has generally made him the prospect seen as most NFL-ready.
For the others, Miller notes, interest has “quieted down” considerably. He posits that Pickett being the only Day 1 signal-caller wouldn’t come as a surprise. Willis in particular has been involved in speculation surrounding QB-needy teams, including the Panthers, holders of the sixth-overall pick. Miller himself reported recently that Desmond Ridder could also find himself in the top-20.
With respect to the Steelers, Miller states that the team appears to prefer Pickett far more than any other prospect at the position. Pittsburgh devoted a great deal of time to scouting the top QB options, so such a stance would be rather telling. If Pickett isn’t available at No. 20, Miller reports, offensive tackle would become a position of interest.
While the overall view of the class seems to fading, Miller’s colleague Jordan Reid notes that the No. 32 pick (currently owned by the Lions) could be the target of a trade-up to land a passer. He details that Sam Howell is the name “to keep an eye on”; a team looking to secure a fifth-year option on his rookie contract could move up to the end of the first round, thus adding to the total number of QBs taken there.
Overall, the waters appear to be as muddied as ever as they pertain to this year’s prospects at the game’s most important position.
Malik Willis never threw a touchdown versus a Power 5 team and he’s severely undersized. Ask Arizona or the Browns how that’s worked for them? Doesn’t he sound like a 3rd or 5th round prospect?
Russ Wilson. Drew Brees…
The exception not the norm
You say they’re the exception, not the norm, but how many undersized QBs get real opportunities to start in the first place?
They both threw a TD pass against a Power 5 team.
Did Josh Allen?
He did… and unlike Baker he is doing really well in the NFL
Wonder how many TDs guys like Romo, McNair, Wentz, Simms, Garapolo, Doug Williams, Gannon and Fitzpatrick threw against P5 schools?
So the TDs he threw against Syracuse (both games), VaTech and NC State don’t count? Also played ok in other P5 games he didn’t have TDs passes.
Forgot Arkansas as well, from his days playing for Auburn.
Arizona is in relatively good shape with Kyler Murray, so IDK what you’re trying to get at. It’s not like his lack of size has been a major detriment
In his 3 years in the NFL, Kyler Murray:
6th-most fumbles
5th-most sacks taken
9th-most turnovers
13th in QBR
13th in comp pct
19th in INT pct
19th in passer rating
20th in TD pct
20th in TD/INT ratio
20th in yds/att
23rd in win pct
…. sure “not a detriment”
1. His rookie numbers, during which he was surrounded by one of the NFL’s worst teams, are surely diluting those numbers.
2. The sacks largely reflect his offensive line, which was pitiful up until recently.
3. Of course he’s going to fumble more often if he gets sacked that frequently. He also runs a lot more often than other quarterbacks.
You going to make the same excuse for Joe Burrow’s offensive line? He’s probably still waking up bruised and hurt from all those hits he took the in the SB. Let’s face it Kyler is too short same goes for Tua down in Miami he fumbled 4 times versus Tennessee.
Yes, because Burrow’s offensive line was objectively awful. Anyone with eyes can attest to this
I’ll believe it when I see it
Ask panther fans if they wouldn’t switch the last 3yrs with a cardinal or browns fan . . .
The idea that Arizona has buyer’s remorse on Kyler is untethered from reality.
Pickett is the same age as Tua and Herbert. He couldn’t put up a standout season against lesser college competition until he was the same age those guys were in their second NFL season. Willis couldn’t beat out Jarrett Stidham and was inconsistent against even weaker competition than Pickett. Not rolling the dice on either of these guys at too high a pick.
Lions could use that #32 pick themselves on a QB if Goff isn’t the long term answer.
I get this thinking, but at the same time, if that guy would need to sit behind Goff for most of the year anyway, is it better to just get a starter at a different position and revisit QB in a stronger class next year?
Gotta hope you really suck again to be at the tippy top to get the elite one. Albeit I concur that yea 32 overall qb this year ain’t worth it when you can have say another reciever for that next wbu
I hear you, but there should be more than one prospect who’s more promising coming out than anyone in this year’s, plus they’ll have two first rounders, so they’ll be well equipped to move up.
#32 has been a decent spot to pick QBs in recent years because you get the fifth year option. If not for the gruesome injury while he was with the Vikings, Teddy Bridgewater could have been the long term solution there. Lamar Jackson has turned out to be either the best or the second best, if you prefer Allen, of the five first round quarterbacks in that vaunted class.
True on both, but those guys were both much better prospects coming out than anyone in this class.
I have no idea if Matt Miller is a real reporter or a hot take purveyor of BS, but this article smacks of stuff teams want a reporter to say as smokescreen.
“With respect to the Steelers, Miller states that the team appears to prefer Pickett far more than any other prospect at the position.”
Appears?
Based on what…?
What other word would you like him to use?
“My magic 8 ball says…”
It’s not the word, it’s the idea. All the public talk has been about the Steelers loving Willis so the preference of Pickett would be surprising and contrary to most reports
So you’re also saying how things appear to you. I read Miller here and there, and I know he sometimes notes how big a front office/coaching presence teams have at different events. He also mentions what he’s hearing. “Appears” is the most responsible word to use.
The Steelers went to all of the top QB’s events.
Is he saying they smiled more at Pickett’s? They nodded in approval 32 times at Pickett’s event but only 27 times at Willis’?
The word “appears” appears to be cover for baseless speculation since any actual knowledge would likely have been framed with less ambiguous term than “appears”.
History shows that positional need overwhelms the board when it comes to QB’s.
Your point about the word “appears” is nonsense. Would it be different if he said “from what I’m hearing” instead? Using ambiguous wording builds in that some things are smokescreens or incomplete information. Is there some other writer out there who always concretely predicts things and gets them right? If you have some problem with rumors, I have terrible news about the site you’re constantly on.
It would be VERY different, yes.
“From what I’m hearing” implies (unless he’s just a flat out liar) he’s talked to people who know things or even that he’s talked to people who have talked to people who know things and that his information is based on something.
“Appears” can literally be anything and is quite possibly nothing.
If you want to go by “appearances” everyone else who follows the team for a living locally (but is still guessing based on nothing) says the Steelers would stomp over Pickett to get to the stage to draft Willis.
OK. You could also try reading the linked article. “In conversations with league sources this week, one told me that Pickett to the Steelers at No. 20 is the only Round 1 quarterback on which he would bet.”
The QBs in this class may not possess 1st round talent, or develop 1st round-justified careers, but it’s almost assured that at least three of them will go in the 1st round regardless. Death, taxes, and NFL FOs grossly misevaluating and overdrafting QBs remain sure things in life.
Yeah, it’s rare that you even see a 2013 draft, where only one QB goes in the first–and even he was a reach. At least in 2011 or 2019, there was at least one definite first round QB prospect, with one or two huge reaches thrown in. Curious to see how this one shakes out. I’d rather take whichever of the top few prospects makes it past the second round than reach on one in the first.
“While the overall view of the class seems to fading”
Ridder has ZERO business being a top 20 pick!
There doesn’t seem to be a heap of QB needy teams either.
Panthers obviously could do with an upgrade but they just gave up good capital for Darnold and haven’t bothered trading for Baker. I doubt they waste a top 6 pick if it’s the QBs in the draft aren’t quality.
Steelers are another team but they seem to like Tribisky and by reports would love to get Baker if he’s brought out which isn’t totally off the table.
They also have others more pressing needs.
Seahawks definitely could do with the upgrade and I wouldn’t be shocked to see them take a QB.
But my guess is a lot of these top QBs (Pickett, Willis, Howell, Ridder, etc) they fall into the second round and then after a year or two of being a back up actually look like really good pick ups. Not all of them but 1 or 2 will be good
Trubisky’s contract looks like veteran backup money. I bet they bring someone in.
Weren’t we all assured a few weeks ago that NFL scouts and executives were much higher on this class of QB’s than the general public?
NFL scouts and executives can afford better drugs than the general public so naturally they are much higher.