ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark got some attention for a pretty bold take regarding George Pickens and Justin Jefferson.
Jefferson is widely regarded as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, having proven himself over his first three NFL seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Pickens is entering his second year in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. While he has flashed immense talent, Pickens is nowhere near as accomplished.
That did not stop Clark from declaring Pickens to be “much more talented” than Jefferson on Wednesday’s edition of “NFL Live.”
“George Pickens is much more talented than Justin Jefferson,” Clark said. “Justin Jefferson understands everything about playing the position. He’s a savant. But here’s the other thing. Coach Tomlin told me something that I thought was great. He said, ‘They didn’t even work to tolerate him and they certainly didn’t try to raise him at Georgia.’ They didn’t embrace who George Pickens is.”
Clark’s point seems to be that while Pickens has more raw talent than Jefferson, Jefferson has been coached better throughout his career. That in itself is debatable, but when you see the catches Pickens is capable of making, you can start to see where he is coming from.
On the other hand, Jefferson’s knowledge of playing the position has to count as talent in itself. Considering he has already accumulated 4,825 receiving yards in three seasons, it’s hard to back Clark up here.
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