George Pickens gives Steelers new pass-catcher, selected in second round
One of the most exciting players in recent Georgia history, George Pickens, is headed to Pittsburg, being selected No. 52 overall by the Steelers.
The former five-star wide receiver lived up to expectations when on the field, leading the team in receiving as a freshman in 2019 and once again as a sophomore in 2020. At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, the Hoover, Ala. native totaled 85 receptions and 1,240 yards with 14 touchdowns in his first two seasons at Georgia. He averaged over 14.5 yards per catch. Standout performances from the two seasons – one of which was shortened due to COVID – included a two-touchdown showing against Missouri his freshman season as well as a career-best 12-catch, 175-yard outing in an Allstate Sugar Bowl MVP performance later that season. He also had two touchdowns against the Tigers as a sophomore, this time totaling 126 yards this time, before topping that with 135 yards and another score in Georgia’s Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl win over previously undefeated Cincinnati.
Pickens suffered a setback during the spring prior to his junior season though. A torn ACL cost him the majority of the season, one in which he entered with some of the highest expectations of any pass catcher in the sport given Georgia’s late-season success offensively in 2020. He was able to return however for the final four games of the season, catching five passes for a total of 107 yards, all before helping his draft stock out with a strong showing at the NFL Combine as he ran a 4.47 40-yard dash.
“He trained. You’ve got to remember, George has kind of been training for this most of the year because he wasn’t with us. He was rehabbing a knee and doing a lot of springs. That correlates with running a good 40,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said. “We were happy to get him back when we did. He helped us, but he also helped himself because he was able to get on the field and get some tape.”
Pickens becomes the sixth Georgia player to be picked in the 2022 NFL Draft, joining teammates Travon Walker, Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, Quay Walker, and Lewis Cine.
Other Pickens Stories You Might Be Interested In
- Top three plays from the career of George Pickens ahead of 2022 NFL Draft
- George Pickens runs blistering 40-yard dash at NFL Combine
- To George Pickens doubters, listen to his teammates
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