Over the next couple of months, we are going to be taking a look at a handful of draft prospects leading up to the 2022 NFL draft.
With the Chargers having needs at various positions, we will do our best to evaluate the players that we feel fit the team precisely.
Today, I take a look at Georgia wide receiver George Pickens.
George Pickens | Georgia | #1 | Junior | Hoover, AL | 6’3” | 200
40-yard Dash: N/A
Bench Press: N/A
Vertical Jump: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Career: Former five-star recruit and No. 4 wideout in 2019 recruiting class. Coaches’ Freshman All-SEC team honoree. Garnered 90 catches, 1,347 receiving yards, and 14 touchdowns in 24 games for the Bulldogs.
Red Flags: Tore ACL in spring camp before junior season, but was medically cleared for the last game of the season and the College Football Playoff. History of behavioral and maturity issues – benched vs. Georgia Tech in 2019 for a discipline issue. In the third quarter of that game, Pickens started a brawl, broke a photographer’s camera lens, and was ejected while earning another first-half suspension for the SEC Championship. In 2020, he received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for squirting water on the Tennessee quarterback who fell out of bounds at his feet.
Strengths: Limber and sinewy at his towering height. Slippery in his release sequences. Surges to attack leverage and has a sudden snatch out of the starting blocks. Shifts weight easily through his cuts and demonstrates sharpness planting his feet to change direction at the top of his route. Understands route pacing to time up concepts. A dynamite-infused vertical operative that can blow the roof off the secondary. Long speed flashes as his gangly strides pick up steam. Great tracking and adjustment skills amid downfield traffic. Catch point hog who locates the ball quickly and summits to the rim with authority. Able to extend for targets outside his frame and pluck them with sure two-handed grip. High-intensity player who won’t back down from talking smack or a physical challenge. Brings fire and purpose in run blocking duties.
Weaknesses: Raw athleticism still has much refinement to become a specialist at the position. Snaps head around too early on returning routes to the quarterback, giving away his route intentions with body language. Observant defensive backs will key on those tendencies and predict his movements. Route angles out of breaks could be tighter – instances occur where he allows the defender back into the play by drifting off-course or upfield. Needs to develop his approach in deterring press contact.
Final Word: An A.J. Green blueprint whose game hedges on a nuanced release package, strong hands, dominance climbing for the ball, and winning the go route with late separation, George Pickens shined once he arrived in Athens but still has much of his potential to realize. His combination of size and quickness is appealing, but blemishes of conduct and general volatility may cause some teams to sour on him. Pickens projects as an outside receiver whose athletic upside has a good chance to outperform his draft position.
Fit Likelihood: Medium
Grade: 3rd
Film Highlights:
Pickens gaining separation off fellow 2022 NFL draft prospect and LSU cornerback Derek Stingley in the 2019 SEC Championship with a methodical release.
Good patience and release tempo from George Pickens against Derek Stingley to time up this slant. Fun freshman on freshman duel from the 2019 SEC Championship. pic.twitter.com/1BLYtWxlop
— Cole Topham (@HamAnalysis) February 28, 2022
Tracking the ball overhead on the go route with late extension is no easy feat, but Pickens makes it look natural.
OH MY, GEORGE PICKENS 😱 pic.twitter.com/N4qo9X4HB4
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) September 7, 2019
A montage of Pickens owning the catch point in 2020.
George Pickens in the last 4 gms after coming back from injury & JT Daniels taking over:
23 rec on 32 targets, 373 yards, 4 TDs
And these catches… pic.twitter.com/byDeD2U5e5
— Brent Rollins (@BrentRollinsPhD) February 16, 2021
