2022 NFL draft scouting report: Georgia WR George Pickens

Georgia WR George Pickens

6-foot-3
195 pounds

Yahoo Sports' 2022 NFL draft grade

5.92 — possible second-rounder; starter potential

TL;DR scouting report

Wiry, competitive playmaker whose 2021 season was mostly wiped out by injury, but his freshman tape showed star potential

The skinny

A 5-star Rivals recruit (No. 7 nationally) in the Class of 2019, Pickens originally committed to Auburn before picking the Bulldogs. He played immediately as a true freshman, catching 49 passes for 727 yards and eight TD passes in 14 games (two starts), winning Sugar Bowl MVP and being named All-SEC Freshman team. In 2020, he started eight games (missing one with injury) and caught 36 passes for 513 yards and six scores.

After suffering a torn ACL in spring ball, Pickens missed most of the season, returning for the final four games (62 snaps) and catching five passes for 107 yards, including a 52-yarder in the national title game vs. Alabama. He declared early for the 2022 NFL draft.

Upside

• Showed enough at NFL combine workout to feel good about his physical condition

• Ideal length at 6-foot-3, with 32 3/8-inch arms

• Returned from torn ACL in spring 2021 to contribute to Georgia's championship run

• Sneaky vertical speed to stack corners and be downfield threat

• Beats press coverage with quick first step, strong hand swat

• Gains max mph pretty quickly — revs up acceleration off the line

• Natural separation ability — shows some late twitch to uncover

• Can carve up zones over the middle or on perimeter

• Terrific ball skills — great hands, body control and high-point ability

• Author of some phenomenal downfield grabs — great ball-tracking ability

• Acrobatic ability — several one-handed and diving catches first two years

• Drew a lot of penalties his first two seasons

• Averaged 15 yards per catch over his career

• 14 TD catches in his first 20 college games

• Absolutely looked like a future top-10 pick as true freshman

• Hauled in catches of 37 and 52 yards in games vs. Bama post-ACL

• Terrific hands — very few drops evident on tape

• Feisty, energetic play style

• Just turned 21 years old — sky-high potential if he can regain pre-injury form

Downside

• Just one year removed from ACL tear and might not reach full strength until 2023

• Lean frame that could use a healthy dose of musculature

• Surprisingly small hands (8 3/4 inches)

• Long speed isn't anything special

• Not a make-you-miss athlete — little wiggle after the catch

• Can get bumped off his route downfield too easily

• Seven penalties as freshman — will be a little too aggressive with DBs

• Wasn't used on screens or runs — harder to manufacture touches for him

• Very little exposure to work in the slot

• No evident special-teams value

• Signs of immaturity — penalized for squirting water at Tennessee player from sideline

• Ejected from 2019 game for fighting Georgia Tech player late in a blowout, causing himself to miss first half of SEC title game the next week

• Suspended as freshman for violating team rules

• Didn't interview well with some teams in pre-draft process

Best-suited destination

Pickens has the ability to develop into a lower-end WR1 in time, but more likely he profiles as an excellent No. 2 option who can win from the outside on jump balls, sideline routes, working the middle of the field and on occasional deep shots. His quickness and lateral movement might not return fully until late next season or int 2023. But his late-season performance and pre-draft workouts have shown enough for teams to be more willing to take a chance on him if he passes character muster.

Did you know

Pickens' scrap with Georgia Tech's Tre Swilling in 2019 happened as the Bulldogs took a 38-7 third-quarter lead over their rivals. Pickens threw two punches and grabbed Swilling's facemask, getting ejected from the game and being forced to miss the first half of the following week's SEC title game, a loss to LSU.

This came after Pickens had been suspended in the first half of the Tech game for breaking team rules. Coach Kirby Smart called Pickens' actions "stupid" and "selfish."

When Pickens returned to the field last season for the first time following his torn ACL, it happened against Tech on the same field two years later. Pickens sought out Swilling on the other side of the field and dapped him up.

Player comp

Marvin Jones Jr.

Expected draft range

Pickens could sneak into the top 40 picks, we believe.