With the 52nd overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers have selected Georgia wide receiver George Pickens.
It has been a crazy year for the now-former Georgia wide receiver George Pickens. This time last year, Pickens was dealing with a torn ACL he suffered during Georgia's spring practice. Just a few months later, the Hoover, Alabama product made a 52-yard catch in the national championship game against Alabama that jumpstarted a struggling Georgia Offense. Pickens then turned his attention to the NFL Combine. He ran a shocking 4.43 forty-yard dash time and boosted his stock even more.
Due to the injury suffered early on during Georgia's spring practice, Pickens only played in four games in 2021 and mainly served in a limited role as Georgia didn't have to rely on the former five-star receiver as much as they had in the past due to the emergence of young talent like Brock Bowers, Adonai Mitchell, and Ladd McConkey.
Despite the limited tape, Pickens still proved many doubters wrong as he didn't seem to lose a step from the ACL injury as he reeled in five receptions for 107 yards, averaging 21.4 yards per reception in the process. Considering the injury he suffered, combining the strong finish to his college career and the standout performance at the NFL Combine, Pickens rose up NFL Draft boards as he left little doubt about just how healthy he was following the knee injury.
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