It’s the long-standing neglect of a specific, prominent position in the first round of the draft that you do not have heard about in excess over the past three years. Of course, I’m referring to the Steelers and the fact that they haven’t picked a first-round receiver since Santonio Holmes was drafted in 2006.
But, from Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders to Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool, no football team has created a more prestigious line of Day 2 and Day 3 picks at receiver in the past two decades than the Steelers.
And it looks like Pittsburgh has discovered the next wide overlooked boilerplate in George Pickens, their second-round pick in April. He stormed Steelers training camp, and our very own Bryan Deardo recently documented Pickens’ dominance at St. Vincent College this summer.
Pickens was comfortably a wide in the first round on my Big Board before the 2022 draft. The only wides who received a higher rating were Drake London, Jameson Williams, Garrett Wilson and Skyy Moore.
I know boot camp videos are all the rage right now. But let’s get inside what Pickens did in his one-time Georgia career that signaled he was ready to not only make the leap to the NFL, but also arrive on the scene as a wide with abilities. of instant stars.
Before we get started, let’s remember that Pickens was a five-star recruit and the No. 4 in the nation entering the college ranks as of the high school class of 2019. Pickens was this guy for a certain time.
Let’s start with a touchdown against fellow second-round pick Roger McCreary, now of the Titans, then Auburn University. Notice how confidently Pickens demolishes McCreary on the line, then how easily he sped up and found the ball over his shoulder.
This piece is a receiver teaching tape, and Pickens did this piece when he was 19, mind you. To move so fluidly and explosively at his 6-foot-3 is rare.
On the vertical route tree, Pickens is a scary match. Not just because he’s big and fast and entered college with the advanced skill of fighting media coverage. Its grip radius is huge. Bigger than you think.
Takes of the ridiculous outstretched variety are littered throughout Pickens’ film. From its first season. This one, in a very competitive boules game, marked me. From a potential standpoint, based solely on his frame and athleticism, Pickens is a weapon.
Why I gave him a first-round grade before the draft, he pairs that five-star rookie-caliber athletic profile with nuanced receiver skill. Like checking how he mixes the two elements of playing position on that touchdown against Arkansas. Comes back from the perimeter, catches the ball then bends incredibly then dives for the score.
Or how about that back road against Cincinnati? He showcased much of Pickens’ next-level skills. Same road as the score against Arkansas, subtle juke on the line, serious acceleration to push the corner upfield, then he snapped the top of the road rod precisely when he moved in defender’s blind spot to ensure separation.
The icing on the cake was how he adjusted to the slightly low, outside throw and looked into his hands to grab. Stellar stuff from Pickens.
On that score against LSU and eventual No. 3 overall pick Derek Stingley, Pickens faked towards the sideline, burst inside and, once again, adjusted to an off-target throw. to secure football launched well outside of its numbers. Oh, and that play was one of Pickens’ eight 18-year-old (!) touchdowns in 2019 for the Bulldogs.
Look at that again. Notice how Pickens kept his eyes on the quarterback the entire time. Of course, Stingley had outside leverage, which allowed Pickens to sneak inside. But the suddenness Pickens showed there was special.
As the 11th wide receiver drafted with the No. 52 overall pick in April, Pickens was a huge steal. Based on the Steelers’ track record with the wide selection, we should have realized that immediately when his name was called when they went on the clock in the second round.