Throughout the first two years of his career, Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens showed flashes of greatness. He made plays that seemed unreal. This year, he’s continued to do that, but with Russell Wilson as his quarterback, he’s hit another level. Since Wilson took over, Pickens has 14 catches for 276 yards and two touchdowns in three games and is clearly on the rise.
“His demeanor, his swagger, his persona, I would say he’s like top 15 in the league right now,” former NFL WR DeSean Jackson said on The 25/10 Show podcast. “I would put him up there at top 15.”
That’s quite the declaration by Jackson. Today’s NFL might have the deepest pool of talent at wide receiver ever. Players like Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tyreek Hill routinely break games wide open. Putting Pickens in a tier right below those players is an incredible compliment.
Pickens’ stats aren’t exactly mind-boggling, but when you watch him on a weekly basis, you realize how special he is. Pickens has this fantastic ability to easily makes the impossible possible. Every week, it feels like he makes a catch that adds to his highlight reel.
It still might be a little early to give him so much praise though. Earlier this year, Pickens did allow his frustrations to get the better of him when he wasn’t getting the ball.
During that same podcast, former NFL running back LeSean McCoy revealed a conversation he had with Pickens earlier this year about why he isn’t universally viewed as one of the best receivers in the league.
“I said, ‘Watched you from college, you was nice. You get to the league, everybody talks highly about you,'” McCoy said. “I went to watch one of his practices in summer camp, he was dominant. I said, ‘You think you’re a top-five receiver, but the world don’t because they don’t get to see it. Why they don’t see it?’
“He wouldn’t say the quarterback, this is when Justin Fields was slinging it. He was like, ‘I haven’t had a chance to display that yet.’ Now we see the real him.”
What Pickens said to McCoy wasn’t wrong. Over his first two years in the NFL, he didn’t really have a quarterback who could exploit his skill set. Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph aren’t exactly known as great passers.
Things did improve with Fields. Pickens had a strong start to the year, although a rough outing against the Dallas Cowboys slowed him down. Fields’ rocket arm paired well with Pickens’ downfield capabilities.
However, it’s clear now that Wilson and Pickens are a much better duo. Fields wasn’t bad, but he had issues as a passer. Specifically, he didn’t throw with as much touch as Wilson. That difference has helped unlock Pickens.
Wilson’s deep ball floats through the air, landing right above a receiver. That allows Pickens to go up and try to make contested catches. More often than not, he comes down with them too.
With Wilson, Pickens has the potential to be the player Jackson and McCoy think he is. All Pickens needs is a chance, and Wilson doesn’t hesitate to provide it. There have been bumps in the road, but Pickens might be finally reaching his potential.
