George Pickens Named Projected Superstar by Bleacher Report
A historic Sugar Bowl performance from George Pickens, 12 catches for 175 yards, finally confirmed to the nation what those following the Georgia football program knew long before that January 1st day.
George Pickens is going to a problem for SEC defenses.
As the 2019 season wore on, Pickens slowly emerged as the primary target in the offense. Mostly in part to Lawrence Cager struggling to remain healthy, only to ultimately go down for the season in the week leading up to the Georgia Tech contest.
He led the team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns, the first true freshman wide receiver at Georgia to accomplish such a feat since Terrence Edwards in 1999.
A freshman season like that in an otherwise middling Georgia offense has led the national media to show Pickens some offseason love headed into the 2020 season. Bleacher Report's Brad Shephard released his Top-10 projected superstars at the wide receiver position.
Pickens landed at No. 9 on the list, with Shephard saying:
"He's an elite force, and if he stays healthy and remains in the starting lineup, he's going to be a terror for SEC defensive backs the next two seasons. He and Newman will quickly develop a rapport, and a big season is sure to follow."
Full list: Projecting College Football's Top 10 Wide Receiver Superstars in 2020
WR, George Pickens
He also noted that Monken is "one of the best minds in the game." And certainly, Todd Monken's history has shown that he can revamp an offense, especially one that needs help in the passing game.
Another thing a little bit of research on Todd Monken would show you is that he's not exactly afraid to feed his best players the ball. At Oklahoma State in 2011, Justin Blackmon had 122 receptions for 1522 yards and 18 TDs. No Georgia player has ever eclipsed 76 receptions (Brice Hunter, 1993)
I do think after 49 receptions and 727 yards as a true freshman — a season in which he played just 7 of the last 12 quarters of play due to either suspension or ejection — combined with an offensive coordinator known for throwing the ball and feeding his top talents, there's reason to believe Pickens could chase and break some records.
The 1,000 receiving yards club is notoriously thin. Terrence Edwards is the lone member and he's ready for some company as well.
For however long George Pickens is in Athens, whether it's two or three more seasons, I'd bet on him more than likely joining Edwards on that list. Maybe more than
You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top righthand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @BulldogMaven & follow us on Twitter at @BulldogsSI.
