George Pickens

Last updated

George Pickens
George Pickens.png
Pickens with Georgia in 2021
No. 14 – Pittsburgh Steelers
Position: Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (2001-03-04) March 4, 2001 (age 23)
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school: Hoover
College: Georgia (2019–2021)
NFL draft: 2022  / Round: 2 / Pick: 52
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Receptions:115
Receiving yards:1,941
Receiving touchdowns:9
Player stats at PFR

George Malik Pickens Jr. (born March 4, 2001) is an American football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia and was drafted by the Steelers in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Contents

Early life

Pickens attended Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama. As a senior, he had 69 receptions for 1,368 yards and 16 touchdowns. [1] He played in the 2019 Under Armour All-American Game. [2] A five star recruit, he originally committed to Auburn University to play college football before changing his commitment to the University of Georgia. [3] [4]

College career

Pickens earned immediate playing time his freshman year at Georgia in 2019, leading the team in receptions (49), receiving yards (727) and receiving touchdowns (8). [5] [6] [7] In the following season Pickens caught 36 passes for 513 yards and a team-leading six touchdowns in an eight-game season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. [8] In the spring of 2021, Pickens tore his ACL causing him to miss most of his junior season. [9] He returned to play in the final four games of the year, catching just five passes, but made an important 52-yard reception in Georgia's win over Alabama in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship game. [10] [11] Pickens declared for the 2022 NFL Draft following the season. [12]

College statistics

Georgia Bulldogs
YearGPRecYardsTDs
2019 12497278
2020 8365136
2021 451070
Career 24901,34714

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split Vertical jump Broad jump
6 ft 3+1⁄4 in
(1.91 m)		195 lb
(88 kg)		32+3⁄8 in
(0.82 m)		8+3⁄4 in
(0.22 m)		4.47 s1.50 s2.57 s34.5 in
(0.88 m)		10 ft 5 in
(3.18 m)
Sources: [13] [14]

Pickens was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. [15]

In Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns, Pickens corralled a one-handed catch while fully extending his body in the air. It was called by some the "Catch of the Year." [16] In Week 4, against the New York Jets, he had six receptions for 102 yards in the 24–20 loss. [17] Pickens scored his first professional touchdown during primetime in Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins. [18] In Week 16, Pickens caught the game-winning touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders with less than a minute remaining. [19] He finished the 2022 season with 52 receptions for 801 yards and a team-high four receiving touchdowns. [20] [21]

In Week 2 of the 2023 season, Pickens had four receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Browns. [22] In Week 5, agains the Ravens, he had six receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown in the 17–10 win. [23] In Week 16 against the Bengals, he had four receptions for 195 yards and two touchdowns, including a 86-yard reception for a score in the first quarter. [24] In the following game, against the Seahawks, he had seven receptions for 131 yards in the win. [25] He finished his second NFL season with 63 receptions for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns in 17 games and 16 starts. [26]

NFL career statistics

Legend
Led the league

Regular season

YearTeamGamesReceivingRushingFumbles
GPGSRecYdsY/RLngTDAttYdsY/ALngTDFumLost
2022 PIT 17125280115.44243248.022100
2023 PIT 1716631,14018.18653186.016030
Career 34281151,94116.98696427.022130

Postseason

YearTeamGamesReceivingRushingFumbles
GPGSRecYdsY/RLngTDAttYdsY/ALngTDFumLost
2023 PIT 1155010.019011515.015011
Career 1155010.019011515.015011

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hines Ward</span> American football player and coach (born 1976)

Hines Edward Ward Jr. is an American football coach and former player who is the wide receivers coach for Arizona State. He played as a wide receiver in the NFL after being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1998 NFL draft. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antwaan Randle El</span> American football player and coach (born 1979)

Antwaan Randle El is an American football coach and former player who currently serves as the wide receivers coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football as a quarterback for the Indiana Hoosiers, earning first-team All-American honors in 2001. He also played basketball and baseball for the Hoosiers. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft. Playing with the Steelers for four seasons as a wide receiver and return specialist, he was active in all 64 regular season games with 23 starts. He was also instrumental in a number of trick plays, including throwing a touchdown pass as a wide receiver for the Steelers in Super Bowl XL.

Carl McNally Pickens is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cincinnati Bengals and Tennessee Titans. He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers, earning first-team All-American honors in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcedes Lewis</span> American football player (born 1984)

Marcedes Alexis Lewis is an American football tight end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, earning consensus All-American honors. He was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2006 NFL draft, and is the only remaining active player from the class as of the 2024 NFL season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A. J. Green</span> American football player (born 1988)

Adriel Jeremiah Green is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for twelve seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, earning first-team All-American honors. Green was selected by the Bengals with the fourth overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft, where he spent 10 seasons prior to joining the Arizona Cardinals for two years. In 2023, Green signed a one-day deal with the Bengals, and officially retired as a member of the Cincinnati organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darrius Heyward-Bey</span> American football player (born 1987)

Darrius Ramar Heyward-Bey is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins, and was selected by the Oakland Raiders seventh overall in the 2009 NFL draft. He also played for the Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Wallace (American football)</span> American football player (born 1986)

Burnell Michael Wallace III is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Ole Miss Rebels, and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2009 NFL draft with the 84th overall pick. He also played for the Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, and Philadelphia Eagles. Throughout his career, Wallace was known for his speed after finishing with a time of 4.33-seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonio Brown</span> American football player (born 1988)

Antonio Tavaris Brown Sr., nicknamed "AB", is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). A draft steal in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Brown is regarded as one of the best receivers of the 2010s, accumulating the most first-team All-Pro selections at his position throughout the decade with four consecutive selections (2014–2017), all as a member of the Steelers. He amassed more receptions than any other player in the league from his rookie season in 2010 through 2018. He played college football for the Central Michigan Chippewas, where he earned All-American honors in 2008 and 2009 as a punt returner. Raised in Liberty City, Miami, Brown attended Miami Norland High School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marvin Jones (wide receiver)</span> American football player (born 1990)

Marvin Lewis Jones Jr. is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft and has also played for the Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars. He played college football at California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cordarrelle Patterson</span> American football player (born 1991)

Cordarrelle Patterson, nicknamed "Flash", is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). A versatile utility player, he plays running back, wide receiver, return specialist, and occasionally on defense. Patterson played college football for the Hutchinson Blue Dragons before transferring to the Tennessee Volunteers, where he earned first-team All-SEC honors. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft. He has also been a member of the Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, and the Atlanta Falcons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martavis Bryant</span> American gridiron football player (born 1991)

Martavis Alexander Bryant is an American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Clemson, and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft. Bryant has also been a member of the Oakland Raiders, the Dallas Cowboys, the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL), the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League (IFL), the Beasts of Fan Controlled Football (FCF), and the Vegas Vipers of the XFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Wilson (American football)</span> American football player (born 1992)

Albert Wilson II is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football for the Georgia State Panthers. He holds several Georgia State records, including most touchdown receptions, longest pass play, and longest punt return. Wilson played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Conner (American football)</span> American football player (born 1995)

James Earl Conner is an American football running back for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers. In 2014, he garnered AFCA first-team All-American honors and was awarded the ACC Player of the Year. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JuJu Smith-Schuster</span> American football player (born 1996)

John Sherman"JuJu" Smith-Schuster is an American football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans, earning second-team All-American honors in 2015. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft. During the 2022 season, Smith-Schuster won Super Bowl LVII during his only season with the Kansas City Chiefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demarcus Robinson</span> American football player (born 1994)

Demarcus Dontavian Robinson is an American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida. He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft and won Super Bowl LIV with the team. He has also played for the Baltimore Ravens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Kittle</span> American football player (born 1993)

George Krieger Kittle is an American football tight end for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes and was selected by the 49ers in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL draft. He is a five-time Pro Bowler and was a first-team All-Pro in 2019 and 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D'Andre Swift</span> American football player (born 1999)

D'Andre Tiyon Swift is an American football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia and was drafted by the Detroit Lions with the third pick of the second round of the 2020 NFL draft. In 2023, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he earned his first Pro Bowl selection before signing with the Bears in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tee Higgins</span> American football player (born 1999)

Tamaurice William "Tee" Higgins is an American football wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Clemson, where he won the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship as a sophomore, and was selected by the Bengals with the first pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gabe Davis</span> American football player (born 1999)

Gabriel Davis is an American football wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at UCF and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Davis has been nicknamed "Big-Game Gabe" due to his performance in important games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quez Watkins</span> American football player (born 1998)

Terrance "Quez" Watkins is an American football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Southern Miss and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He signed with Pittsburgh in 2024.

References

  1. ↑ Weiszer, Marc (August 16, 2019). "George Pickens' 'flair for the dramatic' established before buzzworthy Georgia football moment". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  2. ↑ Newman, Logan (October 26, 2018). "Ala. players Will Reichard, George Pickens will take their swag to the Under Armour game". USATodayHSS.com. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  3. ↑ Bean, Josh (February 6, 2019). "5-star Hoover WR George Pickens picks Georgia". AL.com. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  4. ↑ Sudge, Brandon (February 6, 2019). "What the addition of five-star wide receiver George Pickens means for Georgia". Macon.com. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  5. ↑ Jackson, Jordan (November 15, 2019). "George Pickens is Potentially UGA's biggest draft bust of all time". Maven. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  6. ↑ May, Jed (November 15, 2019). "He was an Auburn commit. Now rising star for Bulldogs, Pickens preps for SEC showdown". Macon.com. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  7. ↑ Sudge, Brandon (August 9, 2019). "UGA football: Receiver George Pickens compared to A.J. Green". Macon.com. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  8. ↑ "George Pickens 2020 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  9. ↑ Scarborough, Alex (March 24, 2021). "Georgia's Pickens injures ACL, to have surgery". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  10. ↑ "George Pickens 2021 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  11. ↑ Leigh, Savannah (January 10, 2022). "George Pickens reintroduces himself to the Tide with big catch". Dawn of the Dawg. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  12. ↑ Austin, Brooks (January 14, 2022). "BREAKING: George Pickens Declares for NFL Draft". SI.com. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  13. ↑ "George Pickens Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  14. ↑ "2022 Draft Scout George Pickens, Georgia NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  15. ↑ Varley, Teresa (April 29, 2022). "Steelers select George Pickens in the second round". Steelers.com. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  16. ↑ Baer, Jack (September 22, 2022). "Steelers rookie George Pickens delivers Odell Beckham-esque Catch of the Year candidate". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  17. ↑ "New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers - October 2nd, 2022". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  18. ↑ Pryor, Brooke (October 24, 2022). "George Pickens hauls in first NFL touchdown to cut Dolphins' lead". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Las Vegas Raiders at Pittsburgh Steelers - December 24th, 2022". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  20. ↑ "George Pickens 2022 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  21. ↑ "2022 Pittsburgh Steelers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers - September 18th, 2023". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  23. ↑ "Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers - October 8th, 2023". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  24. ↑ "Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers - December 23rd, 2023". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Pittsburgh Steelers at Seattle Seahawks - December 31st, 2023". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  26. ↑ "George Pickens 2023 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.