George Pickens
 

Why isn't this kid being talked about? Injury of course but man when healthy he looks like an explosive receiver who can catch anything thrown his way. Would love to have him but I'm honestly not sure where he should go.

He’s being talked about more than you know.

So much, that he could possibly go late 1st round early 2nd.

I don't think I'd want a 1st being used on him but I don't think he makes it to 50.

To me, his tape pops more than the other top WR's. I'd have zero issue with him as a late 1st for the Chiefs.

He’s a guy that will be on the radar if we trade back with a team wanting a QB and is willing to pony up.

He looks lanky to me? Like he can’t move or make breaks well enough?

I'd like him in the 2nd. He's similar to CeeDee Lamb in terms of build so I dont' see much issue there. Just GA receivers man... never pro-ready, thus no 1st for me.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Career drop rates<br><br>George Pickens: 2.1%<br>Skyy Moore: 3.3%<br><br>Chris Olave: 4.7%<br>Jahan Dotson: 5.1%<br>Drake London: 5.7<br><br>Alec Pierce: 6.4%<br>Garrett Wilson: 6.8%<br>Justyn Ross: 7.1%<br>Treylon Burks: 7.4%<br>Jameson Williams: 7.7%<br>Jalen Tolbert: 8.4%<br><br>Christian Watson: 12.7% <a href="https://t.co/QH1qlhHq2L">pic.twitter.com/QH1qlhHq2L</a></p>&mdash; Ben Linsey (@PFF_Linsey) <a href="https://twitter.com/PFF_Linsey/status/1512079564431761412?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Interesting. Huge differences.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Veach looking at top 50 cornerbacks <a href="https://t.co/NitCLVtqqp">pic.twitter.com/NitCLVtqqp</a></p>&mdash; Kristian Gumminger (@kgumminger) <a href="https://twitter.com/kgumminger/status/1511811727247220739?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Georgia WR George Pickens will be suspended for the first half of the SEC Championship after this fight today.<br><br>He leads the team in receiving yards and TD. <a href="https://t.co/etNgh746dc">pic.twitter.com/etNgh746dc</a></p>&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1200915409182109698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

For me, this stuff is better than the acrobatic catches. I don't know what's wrong with me but I absolutely love that he tried to ram Swilling's head into that wall.

Im with you man! I think this guy just moved way up my list of WRs.

He has the size, speed, drop rate and I LOVE that attitude! We need that on offense!!

More context:
Receptions/Targets (Catch Percentage) [Drop Rate]

Pickens - 90 rec/126 tar (71.4%) [2.1%]
Moore - 171 rec/258 tar (66.3%) [3.3%]
Olave - 175 rec/253 tar (69.2%) [4.7%]
Dotson - 183 rec/302 tar (60.6%) [5.1%]
London - 160 rec/224 tar (71.4%) [5.7%]
Pierce - 106 rec/173 tar (61.3%) [6.4%]
Wilson - 143 rec/207 tar (69.1%) [6.8%]
Ross - 158 rec/249 tar (63.5%) [7.1%]
Burks - 146 rec/227 tar (64.3%) [7.4%]
Williams - 94 rec/147 tar (63.9%) [7.7%]
Tolbert - 178 rec/321 tar (55.5%) [8.4%]
Watson - 104 rec/180 tar (57.8%) [12.7%]

These numbers are career. For instance, Tolbert and Watson did reach 60% catch rates in their final seasons but I think its good to look at the overall body of work too.

I will say, the numbers may change my stance on Tolbert a bit though. You definitely would like to see a combined high catch rate and low drop rate. Pickens, Olave, London, Wilson, and Moore look to be the relative cream of the crop.

Edit:

Here's a couple of other favorites out there:

Danny Gray - 82/121 (67.8%) [9.7%]
Calvin Austin III - 156/275 (56.7%) [5.9%]

I'm on board the George Pickens train now, that was a little badass.

After watching him push three different CBs into complete submission and humiliation, sign me up! I'm a big fan of whatever that was. :thumb:

I'm not sure how Valdes-Scantling is regarded as a blocker, but Smith-Schuster and Pickens would give KC some real nastiness and quality blocking.

Good for the run game, obviously. But also good for the screen game and YAC.

MVS is an excellent run blocker. I’m pretty sure having him and two other bigger receivers (Adams and Lazard) helped the GB run game in addition to a top notch OL

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just spoke w/a GM, who had this to say about <a href="https://twitter.com/GeorgiaFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GeorgiaFootball</a> WR George Pickens: &quot;I think he&#39;s one of the best receivers in the draft. Reminds me a bit of DeSean Jackson in that when the ball&#39;s in the air, he always finds a way to track it. But George is 6-3, pushing 200 pounds.&quot;</p>&mdash; Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) <a href="https://twitter.com/Schultz_Report/status/1513610539653603335?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I get a little more on board with the “**** it, take Pickens in the 1st” idea every day.

I was already his biggest fan from day 1, so it’s not difficult to talk me into it.

I would be ok with it.

I think Ideally i'd take 29 and 30 then trade up from 50 to the late 30's early 40's and take him.

Yea, that would be ideal.

Trade up for an EDGE, DT or CB (or double dip at EDGE) with the other 1st, and then trade up for Pickens, Dotson, or Moore.

The more I've read I'm not sure a pass rusher makes it down close enough to trade up for without having to pay quite a price.

I mean....I wouldn't be mad with Pickens and Travis Jones in the 1st. I know that's a high pick for what basically amounts to a NT but Jones is more than that. And have him next to Chris Jones is going to make that interior pressure even better. Plus I think you could leave him in for your nickel package and help the run defense out.

If the Jags end up taking a pass rusher, I'd try to see if they'd do an Orlando Brown type deal with Josh Allen. Say pick 30 and a 3rd for what....their 3rd?

What about K’Lavon Chaisson? You could probably get him for a 3rd or 4th.

Meh. He's ok.

They need dudes to get after the passer. Go find one.

He would add to that. You could trade for him and then draft another one in your first 4 picks.

Yeah he's become my favorite WR in the draft. I'd take him in the 1st idgaf

Def take him in the 1st, you know damn well some team would just snipe him right before the Chiefs pick in the 2nd if he was still even there. I want the guy that grabs DB's and slams their heads into the wall.

I used to be onboard with trading for an "established stud", but nah. Let's not trade for the right to pay someone a ton of money. It's almost a lose-lose scenario for a team like the Chiefs.

He has another 7-8 sack type season, then what?

Has 12-14 sacks, well, great, but he'll cost $150 million and there'll always be the risk of not living up to that.

Either way, Jags don't trade him IMO. Their whole goal should be to create a foundation around something, like a fierce DL, and they always have cap space to pay dudes.

Not excited by him. But still better than Christian Watson.

I like him a lot, really fits our new look WR room!

He'd be a great pick at #50 I think.

I also like Justyn Ross a lot, hoping both guys get healthy and play well in the nfl.

I'd love him in the 2nd round.

Ross is SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW

Off my board.

Me too. That ain't gonna play.

If we are even able to take Pickens in the first, we SHOULD!

This article has the top 5 WRs going very high. Might be gone before GB at 22.

GB has 22 AND 28 both before us, if this happens they will take Pickens for sure at either 22 or 28.

I dont want to trade up but we may have to. I would love to add Pickens and figured we had a real shot at him. Wouldnt mind him and then take a chance on Watson later. What an upgrade for our WR corp, BIG and FAST!

Read this, it may scare you...

https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2022/...round-receiver

EVERYONE IS GOING IN THE FIRST ROUND!!!!!!!!!

I know you love to say this but it isnt unrealistic to see the top WRs go earlier than we think.

Every team is watching that market explode. There are plenty of WR needy teams and all of them are thinking the same thing we are. Better start drafting WRs early and often, cant afford to keep them when they blow up.

If the top WRs go before our pick....it's not the end of the world. There are plenty of WRs in the late 1st...as well as the 2nd and 3rd rounds that could come in and help this offense.

True and it likely pushes other guys down the board for us.

However, I want a top WR and I believe the Chiefs do as well. If Pickens goes to GB, to me thats the last of them. Its a pretty good drop off after him.

Sure there are still WRs that "could help" but we need to aim higher for that position.

I don't think it's the end of the world either if we miss out on a top flight wr this year. We'll find one that can help us this year and we can take a big swing at WR next year

Yeah I've felt the same way. In fact, I could even see GB taking him at 28.

Georgia WR George Pickens has the best hands in the 2022 NFL Draft, according to Mike Renner.

This is a deep wide receiver class in store for teams ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft, and there's a lot to like about a host of different options. Pickens (6'3/200) is among the players who have been highly touted this offseason, and one of those reasons is for his hands. Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus recently said he believed Pickens had the best hands in this class, which will be something to watch as he transitions to the NFL and looks to further distinguish himself.

I like him but not in the first

If you want him it will have to be in the first. He wont be there at 50.

I don't know about that, honestly.

Last year this board when nuts over Terrace Marshall Jr. with a whole bunch of "we're going to have to get him in the 1st" chatter. The two are very similar players. Both are around 6'2"-6'3" 200 pounds, fast, good catch radius, lack some route polish, etc. Where'd Marshall go? 59th overall. I would not assume he's going to go as high as people think.

There's alot of talent on the board between 30 and 50, including some really good safeties and corners that probably eat up 10 of those 20 picks. Then you have a few good edge rushers and offensive lineman sitting out there too. You probably need to factor in Dotson, Moore, and Watson at WR in that range as well.

There's a good chance he's there at 50. I don't think you have to get him at 30. If you're nervous, maybe move up a handful of spots into the 40's. Otherwise, there are other options.

Pickens and marshall are no where near the same

You're right, Marshall was more productive and more athletic. Silly me.

Really good point. I hope you're right he has become one of my favorite WRs.

Pickens is one of the few WRs in this draft who actually has potential to be a true no.1 receiver. He doesn't have the sample size but I think he will go in the 1st round due to the need at the position for other teams and the general few top level talents at the WR position in this draft. He's only 21 years old. Someone will take a chance on him in the 1st. I personally hope its the Chiefs. I like him more than I like just about everyone except Jameson Williams and Garret Wilson at the position.

Per PFF's charting, Georgia WR George Pickens has the majority of targets on two routes.

Pickens (6'3/200) wasn't utilized very much at Georgia. The run-first approach for the Bulldogs worked in bringing a national championship to Athens but developing and utilizing a great prospect like Pickens was subpar at best. In the limited usage that Pickens did receive, he was targeted heavily on two routes. Per PFF, he was targeted 34% of the time on go routes and 33% on hitches. With the other 33%, the highest any other route had was 7% (out). When he gets to the NFL, route running will need to be a focus for the fringe first-round selection.

This concerns me.

^^^ This is why we need to trade for McLaurin

I said early on, typical GA WR. Not coached up very well. They suck at route running and understanding route concepts. He has a higher than normal learning curve. What puts him on the map is that he's big, he's fast, and has caught everything thrown his way so far. I say so far with a caveat that he didn't have too many catches in traffic like some other guys on the list. What's going to happen on those inside slants and digs?

There are question marks with Pickens I wouldn't have with other WRs. I'd love him at 50 but 30 is really pushing it for me.

Yeah, it's an issue.

I don't understand why any elite pass catching prospect would want to go to Georgia.

As I keep saying, if you're looking at the big/fast/outside WR types who could be there at 30 or 50, both Pickens and Watson have some question marks. They're roughly equivalent in my book as a result.

I don't see #1 potential.

He looks like he could be a Marvin Jones to me. Good player that will get play but not the alpha.

That's just nuts.

If you want to feel like there's a possibility of a low floor, yeah, okay, I'll grant you that. It's possible that he just can't learn an NFL route tree (although I don't really understand how that's possible, to be honest. I mean, it's a ****ing route. We have coaches, and mini-camps, and more coaching, and training camp, and lots of film. How the hell can you not learn to run a route?)

But to say that a 6'3" guy that's 200 pounds, with excellent body control, plus speed, a seriously aggressive attitude and fantastic hands doesn't have #1 potential is absurd.

He ABSOLUTELY has #1 potential.

He could also bust, and the likelihood of that can be debated.

Yea, not sure how you can watch Pickens and not come away at least seeing WR1 upside.

He’s bigger, stronger, and just as fast as Marvin Jones.

And he clearly has “alpha” qualities. Just look at how he bullies guys in the run game.

The attitude on display is what gets me. It tells me that the only way Pickens busts is due to injury. The dude walks on the field ready to kick ass. If he busts it won't be because he didn't care or didn't try.

We will have to disagree here. I think you are a very smart poster on football but we just see it differently on this player.

And that's OK.

I would love for us to draft him, I undersell him and he makes me look dumb

I like Pickens more than Watson who I hate.

But if we get him it's where. 1st round is meh where I see him. 2nd is fine.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/YS3Nibd2CY">https://t.co/YS3Nibd2CY</a> <a href="https://t.co/xA5j0s34Dg">pic.twitter.com/xA5j0s34Dg</a></p>&mdash; Willie Gay Jr. (@WillieG___) <a href="https://twitter.com/WillieG___/status/1517484678487363586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Also, a lot of the teams that will want a stud WR will have already taken one in the first half of the first round. Unlikely they'd double up, as they by definition are talent poor teams.

I don’t understand the love for pickens. Other wrs have been slammed for route running and injury history and pickens is terrible with both. He hasn’t played a lot bc of injuries. He does have great hands and good tracking on deep balls but his change of direction is awful. He’s got skinny legs which doesn’t bode well for staying healthy. And why is punching a guy in the helmet good? Getting suspended for part of the sec championship game is a good thing? That indicates that he’s not smart. Is he fast? In a straight line, yes but he doesn’t have football speed with change of direction so he’s slow in that regard. Don’t understand the love for him. Can someone explain the love for pickens?

yeah, so...basically....

I disagree with everything in your assessment. That's my explanation.

Other than the injury concerns. And THAT is why he's not a top 15 pick.

Route running is not just mental. Route running has to do with your physical gifts. Do you have the ability to sink your hips and change direction, make cuts, and explode in and out of breaks? Pickens is like a baby deer that’s too heavy up top with skinny legs. He can’t change direction. Get that baby deer (pickens) going fast in a straight line, the baby deer can do that. But change direction or run routes, no. Now watson, does he have the athletic traits to become a good route runner? absolutely, he has all of that ability. Watson is also a day one gadget guy. He’s electric with the ball in hands. His acceleration is crazy and his top end speed is eye popping, Hill like speed. Pickens can’t do any of that; he is a long strider with build up speed. Look at pickens athletic traits and you’ll like him less. That’s why pickens can’t run routes.

It's not as simple as "run a deep out" or "run a post".

Good lord man.

All of the same knocks on DK Metcalf coming out and yet...

Look, I like Watson too. I think that IF there is a generational talent WR that comes out of this draft (and I don't really think there is! But IF there's a guy that ends up a hall of famer, MVP type guy) it's Watson.

But that would require a lot of smoothing of rough edges. If there's a team and a coach that could get that out of him, it's Andy Reid.

But I like Pickens, I like his fight, I like his hands, I like his ball tracking. He's big, he's fast enough to be a problem especially with his size and ball tracking.

You're knocking George Pickens for skinny legs when you want Jameson Williams?

You guys act like George Pickens has no idea how to play football.

I'm well ****ing aware it's not that simple; and I also am not a potential NFL WR.

I also did not play at a top tier SEC football college.

Don't be dense.

You guys are over-exaggerating things to try to prove your emotionally biased opinion as fact, when it's clearly not.

You know what keeps DK from being able to run the entire route tree? Physics.

Seriously. Stop asking a guy like that to run a loose hips kind of route. He's not gonna be great change of direction and quickness guy, obviously. Look at the size of him. Physics won't allow him to be.

So ask guys to do what they excel at.

Problem solved.

I like Pickens. Has nothing to do with him.

Has to do with your "it's just a route tree how can they not learn it".

We aren't the ones being emotional here.

The point with pickens legs is emphasizing his athletic traits or profile. You think jameson is a baby deer?

No....I think you're so hard up for Williams that you're finding flaws in every other WR and trying to knock them down.

Well said. And comparing pickens to Dk isn’t fair either. Dk is thick all over. He’s almost 230 and still runs a 4.33. Pickens isn’t close to Dk. Take a look. I’m looking for athletic traits that show up on film. And watson is unreal. Watson has that short area quickness & top end speed that defies physics.

https://www.mockdraftable.com/player/dk-metcalf

Vs

https://www.mockdraftable.com/player/george-pickens

Vs

https://www.mockdraftable.com/player/christian-watson

Williams is an elite wr prospect. I’m looking for wrs with those type of traits. I don’t like the wrs that have low ceilings for us. So, yes, I’m picking those guys apart bc I don’t want one in the second round with all that defensive talent there. We have plenty of good wrs on the roster already. I’d rather swing for the fences on a special talent early and get developmental guys late that have those traits also. Here’s some others I like late.

Danny Gray https://youtu.be/N5CB6TvVkuI
Velus Jones https://youtu.be/Vy7tm0eTlxU
Bo Melton https://youtu.be/akSMA98r9Rg
Isaiah Weston https://youtu.be/8GTjD6UfYzU

Weston is a freak. https://www.mockdraftable.com/player/isaiah-weston

Elite? Williams is not Chase, Megatron or Julio Jones. He's not a sure thing like either of those guys and he's not worth blowing multiple picks to go get him.

I’m not debating this. Just making the point to look at athletic traits. What kind of wr do we want? No baby deers, please.

Pickens isn't really top on my list of WRs that I want in this draft. So don't think I'm arguing for him.

Exactly. I had him avail @ 50 in my "mock" yesterday for these exact reasons.

I don't know what you look for when you evaluate WR's. I question if you're actually evaluating or if you're reading other people's opinions and then seeking bias confirmation.

I like Watson too, he was one of the first guys i was really in on.

But wait one goddamn second now, that boy has some issues that are concerning to me too. There's some things that Pickens is simply better at than Watson.

And after reading your evaluation of Pickens i gotta say, most of that is simple not true.

I couldn't disagree more with your evaluation of Pickens.

Let me ask you this though, what do YOU think Watson needs to improve on?