Long before George Pickens became a Pittsburgh Steelers’ draft pick, Mike Tomlin had his eye on an unknown, lanky Georgia wideout. Probably watching him in some team hotel before a game, Tomlin joined Rich Eisen on the Rich Eisen Show to remember the first time he took notice of Pickens’ ability. It wasn’t at the Combine. It wasn’t at his Pro Day. It came during Pickens’ freshman year with the Bulldogs.
“Man, I was watching Georgia play his freshman year on TV,” Tomlin told Eisen. “And he made a freaky play and I just never forgot him. I watch a lot of college football. I’m a college football fan and so I get familiar with the really good players, the guys that have outstanding attributes. And most of the time, I see them pretty early on and I saw him early on. But you didn’t need a magnifying glass to see that talent.”
Tomlin didn’t specify the catch Pickens made. But it may have been this one against Murray State in 2019, one that Pickens has mentioned as one of his favorites. A frontward dive and tumbling grab down the left sideline for a huge gain midway through the second quarter.
Of course, because Pickens has made so many absurd catches over his career, it’s hard to know if this was actually *the* catch that caught Tomlin’s attention. Pickens made more than one great college play, enjoying a strong freshman season with over 700 yards and eight touchdowns in a run-heavy offense. In just eight games across the 2020 season, Pickens found the end zone six times and averaged over 14 yards per catch.
He suffered a torn ACL ahead of his final season but got back healthy as the Bulldogs went on their national championship run, catching a 52-yard pass in the title game against Alabama. Pittsburgh worked him out at his Pro Day, WRs Coach Frisman Jackson personally putting Pickens through drills, and he fell into the Steelers’ lap in the second round.
His rookie year was strong and he continued to wow with spectacular grabs, none better than his Week Three catch against the Cleveland Browns. Entering his sophomore season, Pickens has expanded his game and become a more complete receiver. That will take his game to the next level and will impress Tomlin and the NFL all the more.
