Ga. WR Pickens could be early steal

INDIANAPOLIS — If not for some bad luck — and maybe a few poor decisions — George Pickens likely wouldn’t even be in the conversation for the Indianapolis Colts with the 42nd overall pick in this year’s NFL draft.

The 6-foot-3 wide receiver was Georgia’s best player at the position the moment he stepped on the field as a true freshman in 2019, but he never was able to fulfill his true potential with the Bulldogs.

A torn ACL limited him to just four games last season, and he made just 10 career starts because of a mix of injuries and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Scouts still rave over his mix of size, speed and catching ability, and he’d likely be a high first-round pick if not for the injury concerns.

If he can return to his pre-injury form, Pickens could be a secondround steal.

“I’m very healthy right now,” he said during the NFL Scouting Combine in February. “With me coming back playing the last four games, trust (in the knee) and really preparing is no longer a problem.”

Pickens felt like himself again when he caught a deep ball against Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game, and he has no doubt he’ll be ready to go for whichever team drafts him later this month.

But with just five catches for 107 yards last year, teams are going to want to do their due diligence on the 21-year-old.

In addition to the injury, there are small concerns about Pickens’ technique and the consistency of his route running. There also are a handful of immature incidents from his early days at Georgia that NFL teams likely will have questions about.

As a freshman, Pickens was suspended for a half after trading punches with a Georgia Tech defender during the annual rivalry game. A year later in 2020, he drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for spraying water on a Tennessee player on the sideline.

But there are no major red flags or off-field incidents, and it’s been important to Pickens during the draft process for teams to get the chance to know him on a personal level.

“I really want teams to just see the person who I am because the type of play style I have and how I am on the field is two different people than the person I am right now,” Pickens said. “I play with a chip on my shoulder, and that’s how I’ve always been. That’s how I’m always gonna be.”

Pickens impressed with a 4.47-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, and he’s shown versatility by lining up at all three receiver spots for the Bulldogs.

That should add to the attraction for an Indianapolis team looking to add weapons around third-year wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. So will Pickens’ demonstrated willingness to block in Georgia’s balanced offense.

“Me just blocking has always been a part of the program, a part of the scheme of the team, and I’ve always been physical,” Pickens said. “That’s one of the things I can also add to my game besides pass catching and besides going deep. Blocking is, for sure, one of the things I pride myself on.”

Pickens was sensational as a true freshman at Georgia, catching 49 passes for 727 yards and eight touchdowns and being named the Sugar Bowl MVP while setting a school freshman receiving record.

He missed two games during his sophomore year because of an upper body injury but still led the Bulldogs with 36 catches and six touchdown receptions while adding 513 yards.

If he can retain his full skill set after the knee injury, there are those who believe Pickens can be a true No. 1 receiver in the NFL.

He understands the torn ACL raises concerns, but it hasn’t changed the way he thinks about his own game.

“I feel like it set me back in other teams’ minds because everybody knows how serious the ACL is,” Pickens said. “(Free agent receiver) Odell (Beckham Jr.) had it. It’s a really critical part of the body. But in terms of me personally, it didn’t set me back at all. I still have a first-round mentality.”