Rookie Spotlight: George Pickens, Georgia (photo via Georgia Athletics)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 195
Hands: 8 3/4″
Arm: 32 3/8″
40 yard dash: 4.47
NFL Comparison: Mike Williams, Corey Davis

College Production (2020 season – missed much of 2021)
20% team receptions
21% team receiving yards
32% team receiving TDs

Breakout Age: 18

Pros
Excellent play strength
Wide catch radius
Sinks hips at top of routes
Savvy ball skills
Good long speed
Tracks ball in air well
Aggressive blocker
Produced with not-great college QB play
Will only be 21 during rookie season
Broke out an extremely young age
Ran faster in Indy than expected, was more athletic as well

Cons
ACL injury in 2021 makes him a risky pick
Too many contested catches
Fairly unrefined
Small hands

Scouting Notes:
Pickens plays football relaxed but competitively, like he’s out on the schoolyard. Long and lean, he possesses an extremely wide catch radius, often winning at the point of catch by being able to grab the ball where his defender just can’t reach, which is also due in part to his adroit ball-tracking skill. Armed with deceptive play strength, Pickens can also out-muscle his defender at the catch point as well in blocking off the line of scrimmage. He has great timing as a blocker too, often catching the defender off guard to put him on his back. As a route runner, Pickens doesn’t have too many tools in the toolbag, but he sinks his hips well, and he’s solid on the few routes that he runs. He’s a consistent deep threat who can build up speed as he progresses downfield. That being said, he’s more quick and explosive than fast – I don’t expect him to run a very brisk 40 at the Combine. After the catch, Pickens is always willing to fight for the extra yard. He can cut and lunge, spin, dive or push his way to extra yardage, or at least he could. Pickens suffered an ACL injury in 2021 and missed all but the final regular season game for Georgia. It’s yet to be seen whether he’s fully recovered, so the Combine will play an integral part in showing that Pickens can still play with the same pop and elusiveness that he once did.

Fantasy Outlook:
Pickens will likely be a day 2 pick, due to his injury history, but he has a lot of upside. Conservatively, he’s your second option outside receiver who can create separation through his quickness and handwork but may struggle with the press occasionally. If he shows that he’s still the same player that he was before his injury though, Pickens has the potential to be a true X- receiver. A boom or bust prospect in every sense of the term, Pickens is an exciting addition to any dynasty roster, but his floor is as low as his ceiling is high. He’s likely to be a Top 5 WR taken in the NFL draft and the same will surely be true in dynasty rookie drafts. Ultimately, NFL landing spot and combine testing numbers will go a long way in cementing the consensus of the dynasty community in exactly where Pickens will fit in that pecking order.