PITTSBURGH — All five of the consensus top quarterbacks in the NFL draft were still on the board when the Steelers were on the clock with the 20th pick. That meant the Steelers almost assuredly would take a quarterback given how much time and effort they put into scouting the position this offseason.
That's why it wasn't surprising when they picked Pitt star Kenny Pickett, as it has long since been rumored that either he or Liberty star Malik Willis was at the top of their list. Pickett obviously played at Heinz Field and practiced at the South Side facility on fields adjacent to the Steelers', so Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin were very familiar with him and his ability.
That's not why they drafted Pickett, though, as they have never been known to give players who play at Pitt an edge just because they share the same practice facility and stadium. Pickett climbed the draft boards of every team with a huge senior season at Pitt, so it wasn't just the Steelers who had him on their wishlist.
