The Steelers are in the quarterback market after the 18-year career of Ben Roethlisberger came to an end in February. Recently, Mitch Trubisky was added to their roster on a two-year deal but no one, maybe even Trubisky himself, believes he's the long-term answer for Pittsburgh.

That means the Steelers will look to the NFL draft next month in Las Vegas to find their offensive general for the next decade. One of the ACC's best quarterbacks Sam Howell was been linked to the Steelers a few weeks ago. Pro Football Focus has another of the top signal-callers possibly going to the Steelers in a recent three-round mock draft, Kenny Pickett out of Pittsburgh.

Per PFF:

"Mitchell Trubisky is not the future. Kenny Pickett can be. The Panther legend stays home and gets a chance to compete for a starting job Day 1. Of all the quarterbacks in this draft class, Pickett had the highest overall grade last season."

Joe Marino scouting report on Pickett via The Draft Network:

"Kenny Pickett is an experienced and accomplished quarterback that had a meteoric rise in 2021, elevating his draft stock significantly along the way. A four-year starter, Pickett leaves Pittsburgh as the school’s all-time leading passer and he re-wrote the record books. Pickett brings good size, mobility, accuracy, poise, toughness, and leadership to the table. He is a terrific vertical passer that can work off-script and make things happen with his legs. He has terrific command and confidence running the offense and does a wonderful job of blending an aggressive mentality with consistently working his progressions and generally making good decisions with the football.

His ascension as a prospect wasn’t due to a new offensive coaching staff or influx of talent around him. He’s had the same offensive coordinator since 2019 and a modest supporting cast. Pickett’s own improvements as a player and mastery of the system are the reason why he elevated his game. The system he ran didn’t include cheap production in the form of manufactured throws, Pickett simply worked his progressions and dealt all season long en route to a historically good campaign. His process is synched up and coordinated, his upper and lower half are in usion, and he does a great job of getting himself aligned to throw the ball with consistency. He navigates the pockett and appears unbothered by chaos around him. When it comes to areas of concern entering the next level, his small hands and reconciling his elite 2021 season against a considerably large sample size of modest play is something to be considered.

Pickett will also turn 24 before the start of his rookie season. While Pickett showcased good ball placement in 2021, there are some misfires and the ball can sail on him. In addition, he is guilty of aggressive decisions both in terms of slotting throws but also in how he navigates the pocket and addresses pressure.

If 2021 is an indication of what Pickett can be moving forward, then there is no doubt about his ability to become a franchise quarterback in the NFL. With that said, blending all the layers of the evaluation together makes Pickett an interesting case study."

Pickett is coming off of a very productive senior season for the Panthers. He threw for 4,319 yards and 42 touchdowns while completing 67.2% of his passes. It led to quite the abundance of accolades for Pickett.

The New Jersey native was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Year and Player of the Year. He was also named a first-team All-American, first-team All-ACC, and received the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award which is given to the top upperclassmen quarterback in the nation.

What drafting Pickett means for Trubisky

If selected, Pickett would undoubtedly challenge Trubisky for the starting quarterback role with the Steelers, and there's a good chance he could win it.

Trubisky, while talented, still has a long way to go to prove he's a capable starting quarterback in the NFL. Pickett is unproven, himself, but a higher-end draft pick will always be given a chance unless they just completely demonstrate otherwise.

Trubisky's contract reads like he is thought to be the starter, but we've seen rookies come in and displace the higher-paid veteran before. Just ask Matt Flynn and Russell Wilson about their take on the subject.

Feature image via Jamie Germano via Imagn Content Services, LLC