Kenny Pickett's NFL dreams became a reality just moments ago, as the Pittsburgh Steelers made the former Pitt quarterback their first round pick with the 20th selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. Pickett becomes Pitt's first first round pick since Aaron Donald was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the 2014 NFL Draft, and is the first Pitt quarterback picked in the NFL Draft since Nathan Peterman went to Raiders in 2017.

Pickett is the first quarterback taken in the 2022 draft after months of speculation between who would go first between he and Liberty's Malik Willis. He is just the third Pitt player selected by the hometown Steelers since the year 2000, following in the footsteps of Hank Poteat (2000) and James Conner (2017).

Pickett is the 11th Pitt quarterback ever selected in the NFL Draft and the first one in the first round since Dan Marino in the 1983 draft.

Pickett leaves Pitt as the school's all-time leader in passing yards (12,203) and passing touchdowns (81). He guided the team to its first 11-win since Marino was the quarterback and finished third in the Heisman Trophy race after throwing for 4,319 and 42 touchdowns in the 2021 season.

Pickett won't be going far to start his NFL career, of course. He came to Pitt as a member of the 2017 recruiting class and has been Pitt's starting quarterback for each of the past four seasons. Pitt and the Steelers not only share a home stadium in Heinz Field, but also practice in the same facility in the Southside.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was one of two NFL head coaches on-hand for Pickett's Pro Day back in March, but he obviously has been tracking Pickett for much longer after being neighbors for so long.

Pickett will be replacing future NFL Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger, who retired after a distinguished 18-year NFL career as the Steelers quarterback. Roethlisberger guided the Steelers to two Super Bowls throughout his time in Pittsburgh, and now Pickett will be in line to take over the starting job, though he will be in a competition with newly signed free agent Mitchell Trubisky for that position beginning this offseason.