PICKETT CHARGES INTO STEELERS LOCKER ROOM

The Steelers had a vacancy in the quarterback room before last night’s NFL Draft began, but they filled it by taking Kenny Pickett.  He’ll just have to walk through a different door the next time he enters the UPMC Sports Performance Complex that is shared by both Pitt, his former team, and the Steelers, his new team.

Pickett was the first quarterback chosen in the draft and the only one taken in the first round, with the Steelers opting for him over Liberty’s Malik Willis and the other top-ranked signal callers.

The Steelers shared a Tweet from their new quarterback.

General manager Kevin Colbert said Pickett’s maturity and the experience of taking the extra year of eligibility to play another college season did him a world of good.

Colbert says the Steelers were not forced to take a quarterback with their top pick, but selecting Pickett made the most sense.

Coach Mike Tomlin says Pickett worked to put himself in position to be drafted by the Steelers.

Tomlin says Pickett, who is mobile and has a strong arm and an understanding of the game, also has great intangible qualities

Pickett is 6-3 and 220 pounds.  He is Pitt’s all-time leader in passing yardage, completions, touchdown passes, and total offense.

The second and third rounds are tonight, with rounds four through seven tomorrow.  The Steelers will have the 52^nd overall choice in the second round and the 84^th overall selection in the third round.  They will have a single pick in the fourth round, no pick in the fifth round (having previously traded that pick away), then a single pick in the sixth round and two choices in the seventh.

Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker was the top overall choice, by Jacksonville.  Detroit followed up by taking Detroit native and Michigan Wolverine defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.  Houston took LSU cornerback Derreck Stingley Jr. number three, and the Jets took Cincinnati cornerback “Sauce” Gardner fourth.  The Giants then selected Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux to round out the top five.

There were some trades last night as well, with the biggest being the Titans swapping wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Eagles to move up in the draft, and the Ravens trading wide receiver “Hollywood” Brown to the Cardinals for the 23^rd overall pick, which Baltimore then traded to Buffalo.