It didn’t take long last season for the Pittsburgh Steelers to find out that they had a physical specimen in WR George Pickens.
This narrative has been hit so many times since Pickens was drafted by Pittsburgh in the second round out of Georgia, but the fact remains that Pickens has the combination of size, athleticism, and skill that few receivers in the league can match. We have seen a highlight reel of catches from Pickens in his first NFL 22 games that most pass catchers would be happy with for a career. Spectacular grabs have become expected and rather routine for the second-year receiver.
Bill Barnwell seems to believe the same thing, stating in his most recent piece that Pickens would likely be in the NFL’s upper echelon of wide receivers, but two key variables are holding him back from becoming an alpha WR1.
“Pickens is one of several Day 2 and Day 3 picks in the 2022 draft who would move up into the first round (or command a first-round pick in trade) on what we’ve seen so far,” Barnwell wrote. “No regular wideout has been thrown less-catchable passes since the start of 2022 than Pickens, but he’s still managed to bring in just under 60% of his targets over that timeframe. Like Garrett Wilson, he has been saddled with subpar quarterback play and curious coordinator choices. Pickens might be A.J. Brown or DK Metcalf if the situation around him was better.”
Pickens is built in a similar mold as the names Barnwell mentioned as he, Brown, and Metcalf all possess good size, play speed, and strong hands at the catch point. Both Brown and Metcalf have surpassed the 1,000-yard mark multiple times in their NFL careers, being named to the Pro Bowl while being recognized as two of the best young wide receivers in the game.
Pickens is cut from a similar cloth, as mentioned above, but hasn’t had the same offensive environment around him to produce at that level. He came into the league last year and had to handle a quarterback change after Week Four. Pittsburgh went from Mitch Trubisky to Kenny Pickett, who is still trying to develop the consistency needed in franchise quarterback. The offensive scheme also hasn’t been the best. Pickens was extremely limited in YAC opportunities last season as well as opportunities to work the middle on the field, often being relied upon to run go routes to clear out coverage or back-shoulder fades along the sideline.
Make no mistake, Pickens must do his part to become a more well-rounded receiver by improving his route running to better separate from coverage. Still, neither Brown nor Metcalf are known for being elite route runners, but both excel due to their immense physical gifts. Having Pickett improve on a weekly basis as well as the offense utilizing Pickens more in advantageous matchups would go a long way in seeing Pittsburgh’s gifted wideout take that next step in maximizing his abilities on the field.
