"Kenny Pickett can't hold Mac Jones' jock" - NFL analyst argues new Steelers QB is lucky to be in a poor draft class

Heading into the NFL Draft, Kenny Pickett and Malik Willis were the top two quarterbacks in the eyes of many pundits. However, only one was chosen in the first round of the NFL Draft.

One analyst said that even that choice would have come much later had Pickett been in a previous year's draft class. Speaking on 3 and Out, NFL analyst John Middlekauff talked about noticing how quarterbacks were being forced in previous years:

"But I think we've tried to force all these quarterbacks every year like Trevor Lawrence, "can't miss" guy. Trey Lance has a long way to go. I've seen him enough at practice to go, 'the guy was top-five pick in any draft.' Zach Wilson, I'm not the biggest fan but he's [played] one year."

He went on, saying that the Steelers' new quarterback doesn't hold a candle to Mac Jones:

"I get it. He is very, very physically gifted. Kenny Pickett can't hold Mac Jones' jock. Justin Fields was a big-time prospect. This notion that quarterbacks and all these quarterbacks have to go in the first round, we've seen how that's worked out for several years now."

Mac Jones' rookie season sets the bar for Kenny Pickett

AFC Wild Card Playoffs - New England Patriots v Buffalo Bills

Kenny Pickett was selected 20th overall in 2022, while Mac Jones was selected 15th overall in 2021. Middlekauff implied he isn't expecting a Jones-esque rookie season from Pickett despite the latter being picked in a similar spot as Jones.

While Cam Newton was the sequential successor to Tom Brady, most see Mac Jones as the true successor. A first-round quarterback, Jones stepped into the No. 12's shoes with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Before the season's first game, his playing quality forced head coach and general manager Bill Belichick to move on from Newton.

Unlike Brady, who had a whole year to sit and process the NFL, Jones was thrown into the fire in the season's first game. After a 1-3 start, most expected that the Patriots were in for a typical rookie season. However, that seemed to be the moment the light turned on for the quarterback.

Over the next nine games, the team went 8-1. At one point, they owned the top seed in the AFC. That said, just when most thought that the Patriots were back, they started sliding. They finished the year 1-3 and lost in blowout fashion to the Buffalo Bills in Jones' first career playoff game.