2022 NFL Draft: There’s a new QB1 on Mel Kiper Jr.’s board

The 2022 NFL Draft doesn’t have a Trevor Lawrence, but Pitt’s Kenny Pickett has emerged as this year’s breakout potential QB1 candidate.

The 2022 NFL Draft may not have a surefire number one overall pick candidate at the quarterback position like Trevor Lawrence was last year, but this year may have another breakthrough star in Kenny Pickett.

For the last handful of years, at least one prospect has elevated their draft stock from Day 3 or borderline anonymity to being one of the most coveted players in the entire class.

In the 2021 NFL Draft, it was Zach Wilson who emerged as the clear QB2 behind Lawrence over the course of the season.

2022 NFL Draft: There’s a new QB1 on Mel Kiper Jr.’s board

In 2020, Joe Burrow was the number one pick after going into the 2019 season at LSU as a fringe Day 3 prospect.

In 2019, Kyler Murray went from being Baker Mayfield’s backup and someone many felt should go play baseball instead to being the number one pick in the Draft.

In 2018, Baker Mayfield went from being discussed as a possible Day 2 pick to being the top overall pick.

You get the idea.

As we make initial preparations for the 2022 NFL Draft, there is another player for everyone to be keeping a close eye on. That player is Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, who has ascended to the number one spot on Mel Kiper Jr.’s board at the QB position.

Kiper is not the only NFL Draft expert that Pickett has been impressing.

In addition to some legitimate NFL Draft buzz, Pickett has been getting some Heisman Trophy love as well.

He has completed over 68 percent of his passes with 23 touchdowns, three rushing touchdowns, and only one interception.

He’s tearing opposing defenses apart and he’s doing it in a variety of ways.

Pickett was already on the NFL radar prior to the 2021 season. He’s 23 and will be 24 in his rookie season in the NFL, but age at the quarterback position doesn’t matter as much now as it might have a decade ago or so.

The shelf life of the quarterback has been elongated in today’s NFL, which protects players at that position at any and all costs.

Pickett has a chance to be the top quarterback off the board in the 2022 NFL Draft but it will be fascinating to see what kind of consensus the league comes to with him. If Pickett is this year’s version of a Joe Burrow, then Matt Corral is this year’s version of a Zach Wilson.

Despite the fact that there was really no unanimous QB1 going into the 2021 college season, it looks like a handful of players are emerging and perhaps none more so than Pickett.