Pickens at Steelers training camp in 2023
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| No. 14 – Pittsburgh Steelers | |||||||
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | (2001-03-04) March 4, 2001 (age 23) | ||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Hoover | ||||||
| College: | Georgia (2019–2021) | ||||||
| NFL draft: | 2022 / Round: 2 / Pick: 52 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of 2023 | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
George Malik Pickens Jr. (born March 4, 2001) is an American football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college footballatGeorgia and was drafted by the Steelers in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Pickens attended Hoover High SchoolinHoover, Alabama. As a senior, he had 69 receptions for 1,368 yards and 16 touchdowns.[1] He played in the 2019 Under Armour All-American Game.[2] A five star recruit, he originally committed to Auburn University to play college football before changing his commitment to the University of Georgia.[3][4]
Pickens earned immediate playing time his freshman year at Georgia in 2019, leading the team in receptions (49), receiving yards (727) and receiving touchdowns (8).[5][6][7] In the following season Pickens caught 36 passes for 513 yards and a team-leading six touchdowns in an eight-game season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] In the spring of 2021, Pickens tore his ACL causing him to miss most of his junior season.[9] He returned to play in the final four games of the year, catching just five passes, but made an important 52-yard reception in Georgia's win over Alabama in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship game.[10][11] Pickens declared for the 2022 NFL Draft following the season.[12]
| Georgia Bulldogs | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | GP | Rec | Yards | TDs | ||||||||||||||
| 2019 | 12 | 49 | 727 | 8 | ||||||||||||||
| 2020 | 8 | 36 | 513 | 6 | ||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 4 | 5 | 107 | 0 | ||||||||||||||
| Career | 24 | 90 | 1,347 | 14 | ||||||||||||||
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | Vertical jump | Broad jump | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft3+1⁄4 in (1.91 m) |
195 lb (88 kg) |
32+3⁄8 in (0.82 m) |
8+3⁄4 in (0.22 m) |
4.47 s | 1.50 s | 2.57 s | 34.5 in (0.88 m) |
10 ft 5 in (3.18 m) | ||||
| Sources:[13][14] | ||||||||||||
Pickens was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round (52nd overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft.[15]
In Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns, Pickens corralled a one-handed catch while fully extending his body in the air. It was called by some the "Catch of the Year."[16] In Week 4, against the New York Jets, he had six receptions for 102 yards in the 24–20 loss.[17] Pickens scored his first professional touchdown during primetime in Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins.[18] In Week 16, Pickens caught the game-winning touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders with less than a minute remaining.[19] He finished the 2022 season with 52 receptions for 801 yards and a team-high four receiving touchdowns.[20][21]
In Week 2 of the 2023 season, Pickens had four receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Browns.[22] In Week 5, agains the Ravens, he had six receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown in the 17–10 win.[23] In Week 16 against the Bengals, he had four receptions for 195 yards and two touchdowns, including a 86-yard reception for a score in the first quarter.[24] In the following game, against the Seahawks, he had seven receptions for 131 yards in the win.[25] He finished his second NFL season with 63 receptions for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns in 17 games and 16 starts.[26]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Y/R | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2022 | PIT | 17 | 12 | 52 | 801 | 15.4 | 42 | 4 | 3 | 24 | 8.0 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | PIT | 17 | 16 | 63 | 1,140 | 18.1 | 86 | 5 | 3 | 18 | 6.0 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Career | 34 | 28 | 115 | 1,941 | 16.9 | 86 | 9 | 6 | 42 | 7.0 | 22 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Y/R | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2023 | PIT | 1 | 1 | 5 | 50 | 10.0 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Career | 1 | 1 | 5 | 50 | 10.0 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
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Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 NFL draft selections
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