George Malik Pickens Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He was on born March 4, 2001 Pickens attended Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama. As a senior, he had 69 receptions for 1,368 yards and 16 touchdowns.
In the spring of 2021, Pickens tore his ACL, causing him to miss most of his junior season. 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). In the spring of 2021, Pickens tore his ACL, causing him to miss most of his junior season.
He returned to play in the final four games of the year, catching just 5 passes, but recorded a 52-yard reception in Georgia’s win over Alabama in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship game. Pickens declared for the 2022 NFL Draft following the season. Pickens was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft.
What type of receiver is George Pickens?
Pickens is a long outside wide receiver with good size and plays strength. He plays with a competitive streak that shows up when he is attacking the ball in the air and in the run game as a blocker.
Pickens’ hand-eye coordination and balance show up when he’s tracking deep throws and on contested catches. He is a natural catcher of the football and can consistently contort his body and haul in throws at all angles.
Pickens flashes the ability to sink on his route, but he can get stuck or stumble at times when breaking. He’ll need continued refinement with his route-running details. He also flashes quick-twitch athleticism with the ball in his hands and is able to make the first defender miss with his agility as well as play strength.