Georgia reportedly adds another player to list of positive COVID tests

Add another name to the list of Georgia players in COVID protocol as we speak with reports that wide receiver George Pickens has tested positive for COVID-19. Mike Griffith of DawgNation was the first to report.

Pickens would join quarterback JT Daniels in doing so, who DawgsHQ has confirmed tested positive. Daniels and Pickens are the only two names that have been reported, however it is believed that there have been multiple positive tests within the program.

Pickens has played in just two games for Georgia this season since returning from a torn ACL that he suffered in the spring. He made his season debut against Georgia Tech, catching one pass for five yards. Then, against Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, Pickens was on the field earlier and more often, hauling in two balls for 41 yards including a 37-yarder.

“He is still not 100 percent,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said on Monday about Pickens and the Bulldogs’ plans to use him even more in the bowl game. “George is working really hard but we see him every day. Getting to see him every day, he is working back to get that way but he is not there. But nobody is! There is no person on Earth that comes back from an ACL and is back out there and running the same speed, confidence and breaks that you would usually have. He continues to get better, the biggest part is understanding all the intricacies of the offense. Making sure he understands splits, shifts, motions, IDs and when you don’t do that for that long I think everybody just assumes it comes back naturally. But that is not something you just wake up and do, it takes reps to do. He has only been starting to get these reps within the last two to three weeks. But he is getting better and he is working hard as his craft and he has gotten a lot of reps in the last four to five practices.”

Pickens has had two of his best career performances in bowl games. On New Year’s Day in 2020, wrapping up the 2019 season, Pickens brought in a career-high 12 catches and 175 yards in Georgia’s win over Baylor. Then, to kick off 2021 and close out the 2020 season, he had the longest catch of his career against Cincinnati. The 51-yard reception was part of a seven-catch, 135-yard day in the win over the Bearcats.

As for how COVID will be handled, SEC testing protocol has required vaccinated players to be tested only if they show symptoms. The Bulldogs were above 90% vaccinated according to Kirby Smart in August and dealt with a spike in September. Last week, Smart spoke on COVID concerns once again with rising rates across the country.

“Ron (Courson) has had a heightened awareness in the recent weeks and days,” Smart said. “We’ve got a large portion of our team that’s been vaccinated and continues to be diligent about that. We ask the guys that aren’t to be extra safe. We’ve taken some precautions around the building and to be smart. It’s certainly that time of year, we had a little bout with the flu there that made me concerned as well about COVID. Here in the last couple of days, we’ve been on top of it and our guys are understanding that we have to be safe and cannot lose anybody at this time. Ron and his staff have been incredible.”

*** DAWGSHQ WILL CONTINUE TO SEEK OUT INFORMATION ON THE SITUATION AND UPDATE THIS STORY AS NECESSARY ***

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