It is a long-term neglect of a certain high-ranking position in the first round of the draft you did not I heard about over the past three years. Of course, I am referring to Steelers and the fact that they haven’t picked a receiver in the first round since picking Santonio Holmes in 2006 ( Packersand, most famously, he hasn’t picked a first-round receiver since 2002).
But, from Mike Wallace to Emmanuel Sanders to Antonio Brown to Martavis Bryant to Joe Joe Smith-Schuster to Deontay Johnson to Chase Claypool, no team in football has created a more prestigious dynasty than the second- and third-day picks in the recipient over the past two decades of Steelers.
And Pittsburgh seems to have revealed the next overlooked round in George Pickens, their pick for the second round in April. He’s taking the Steelers training camp by storm, and our Brian Dierdeau recently documented Pickens’ domination at St Vincent’s College this summer.
The Pickens were comfortable in the first round at wide Big painting before project 2022. The only people with a higher score are Drake London, Jameson Williams, Garrett Wilson and Skye Moore.
I know bootcamp videos are all the rage right now. But let’s go to what Pickens did in his unique career in Georgia which indicated that he is ready not only to move to the NFL but to hit the scene on a large scale with instant star potential.
Before I begin, let’s remember that Pickens was Five-star recruiter and number 4 widely distributed in the nation Entering the undergraduate classes of the high school class of 2019. It was Pickens That man briefly.
Let’s start with a drop in front of teammate Roger McCreary, now titansand then at Auburn University. Notice how Pickens firmly knocked McCreary at the goal line and then how he sped up and found the soccer ball out and over his shoulder.
This play is an educational tape for the receiver, and Pickens made this play when he was just 19, keep in mind. It’s rare to move smoothly and explode at 6 feet 3 feet.
In the vertical path tree, Pickens is a fearsome match. Not only is he tall and fast and he entered college with advanced skill at combating press coverage. Its catch radius is massive. Bigger than you think.
A variety of ridiculously extended arms were scattered throughout the Pickens movie. From his new season onwards. This, in a very competitive bowl game, left an imprint with me. From a possible point of view, based solely on his structure and sportsmanship, Pickens is a weapon.
Why I shocked him in the first class before the draft is he pairs that five-star athletic profile with subtle reception skill. Like checking out how he mixed the two center-play elements on this touchdown against Arkansas. Coming back from the ocean, holding the soccer ball then incredibly crouching and then diving for the score.
Or how about back this up against Cincinnati? It showcased a lot of Pickens’ next level skill set. The same track he scored against Arkansas, subtle taunts on the line, dangerous acceleration to push the corner up onto the field, then neatly cutting the top of the track as he moved into the defender’s blind spot to secure himself a breakaway.
The cherry on top was how he adjusts to the low and slightly outward throw and watches it in his hands to catch it. Stellar stuff from Pickens.
In this score against LSU and eventual No. 3 pick Derek Stingley, Zeff Pickens toward the sideline, broke inside, and again, adjusted to an off-target throw to secure a well-thrown football outside his numbers. Oh, and this play, was one of Pickens’ eight touchdowns when he was 18 (!) in 2019 for the Bulldogs.
Watch it again. Notice how Pickens kept his eyes on the quarterback the entire time. Certainly, Stingley had outside influence, which allowed Pickens to infiltrate. But the surprise that Pickens showed was distinctive.
As the 11th receiver drafted with the 52nd overall pick in April, Pickens was a massive steal. Based on the Steelers’ record in picking wide poles, we should have realized immediately when his name was called when they went on the clock in the second round.