The Peach Bowl matchup between the Michigan State Spartan and the Pittsburgh Panthers lost a very valuable piece. Pittsburgh quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Kenny Pickett announced that he would start preparing for the NFL draft and forego his final Bowl game in college.

Here's Pickett's full statement, complete with a message for the Pittsburgh community.

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Kenny Pickett is just the latest in a long list of players deciding to forego their Bowl games in lieu of preparing for the NFL draft. These moves have caused controversy in the college football scene, as fans and some analysts are frustrated that the best players from their universities are deciding against playing in the prestigious Bowl games.

This move for Pickett makes a lot of sense, though. The Pittsburgh product has been excellent this season for the Panthers, as his stellar quarterback play helped the team make it to the Peach Bowl. His efforts earned him a finalist spot for the coveted Heisman Trophy, though he'd lose to another quarterback in Bryce Young in the process. Capitalizing on his high draft stock now is the optimal option for Kenny Pickett.

There are many teams who might be looking at Pickett as their potential quarterback of the future. The New York Giants, Detroit Lions, and the Houston Texans might be looking at the Pittsburgh product as a replacement for their current QB1. Teams would love to get their hands on a star quarterback prospect like Pickett, who can be one of the better players in the NFL if he develops properly.