Is UGA likely to get Pickens back in ’21?

Georgia star receiver George Pickens has made one public comment about the torn ACL he suffered during spring practice Tuesday. Using a solid black background as his art on an Instagram post, Pickens wrote a three-lettered message in the upper-right corner.

“Bye,” he posted, with no accompanying punctuation.

That sentiment differed greatly from the one that coach Kirby Smart projected after the Bulldogs’ practice Thursday. In his first opportunity to address his team’s losing its most dynamic offensive player in the fourth practice of the spring, Smart insisted that Pickens returning to play for Georgia during the 2021 season not only is possible, but it’s the expectation.

“Obviously, I think there’s a chance he’s back in ’21,” Smart said in a videoconference call with reporters. “We’ve had kids (come back) that had ACL injuries. I liken it to (former UGA defensive back) Divaad Wilson when he first got here. His was the third day of spring practice. He didn’t know our defense, but he was going to help us. He was cleared to go something like Florida week, but he didn’t know our defense. The difference with George is he knows most of our offense, and he’s played longer and is a little bit older.”

Another difference was Wilson wasn’t a junior who projected as first-round draft pick in the next NFL draft. He was a freshman. And though Wilson might have been cleared the week of the Florida game in 2018, he didn’t play then. Wilson didn’t play until the last game of the season, against Texas in the Sugar Bowl. He actually took a redshirt that season. He also transferred to Central Florida after the 2019 season and played in four games last year.

Not exactly the same profile as Pickens, who was considered a top-three receiver in the SEC for the next season and a potential first-round selection in the 2022 NFL draft. That event commences in 13 months.

Indeed, there are many instances in which football players have recovered from an ACL tear in nine months or even less. So it is physically possible for Pickens to go through reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation and rejoin the Bulldogs for a postseason that may or may not include an SEC Championship game and/or the College

Football Playoff.

But would he? Would that be wise?

As much faith as UGA and Smart put in the abilities of renowned sports-medicine director Ron Courson to rehabilitate knee injuries, the fact is the Bulldogs currently have two players on their roster who had to rehab second ACL injuries within a year of suffering the first. For receiver Dominick Blaylock, it was the same knee. For running back Zamir White, it was different knees.

Both of them were underclassmen when the injuries occurred. One of them has made it back, and neither currently has the professional football profile of Pickens. College Football Hall of Fame member and retired NFL veteran Matt Stinchcomb, who played at Georgia, explains it best.

“Given what they’ve experienced with Dominick Blaylock, and given what they’ve seen with Zamir White, where we’re talking about multiple knee surgeries in near succession, it is impossible for me to even contemplate Georgia being aggressive with the rehabilitation of (Pickens’) injury,” said Stinchcomb, who covers college football as an analyst for ESPN and the SEC Network.

“Say they want to have him back by December. That ain’t happening. And, frankly, you look at (Pickens) and then you look at what’s about to transpire in April with (LSU receiver) Ja’marr Chase. He didn’t play at all last year but is going to be wide receiver 1. I don’t know that you can say that about Pickens, but I know that he projects well at the next level.”

Nevertheless, Smart maintains there’s a route for Pickens to play for Georgia again in 2021. “I’m very hopeful that George gets well and is able to come back,” he said.

A more pertinent question might be how long the Hoover, Alabama, native plans to remain in Athens. Neither Pickens nor his father has responded to requests for comment.

In the short term, Pickens plans to have the surgery done in Athens and will rehab at UGA while remaining in school. Smart’s comments Thursday seemed to indicate Pickens not only will stay through the summer but remain enrolled in the fall.

“I think George will embrace his role,” Smart said without elaboration. “George, he loves football. He will be around our players, coaching those guys, trying to help them in any way he can. I think that is huge.”

It will be, if it happens.