Georgia Football Breakout Players for 2020: No. 1 — George Pickens
Yes, George Pickens led Georgia in receiving in 2019 as a true freshman. He has already broken out, you say. Well, dear reader, prepare for a much bigger breakout from the rising sophomore in 2020.
The wide receiver out of Hoover, Alabama hauled in 49 receptions for 727 yards and eight touchdowns in his first season donning Silver Britches. Only one Power 5 freshman receiver posted more receiving yards: Purdue’s David Bell, who racked up 1035 yards and seven scores en route to earning the title of Big 10 Freshman of the Year.
The hype surrounding Pickens started out high even prior to his enrollment at the University of Georgia. The hype for the former five-star prospect grew in his first-ever game at Sanford Stadium’s Dooley Field, when he did this:
Within the 2019 season’s first few weeks, Georgia fans knew they were watching the closest thing to A.J. Green since, well, A.J. Green. And Pickens can only get better going forward.
Working under a new offensive coordinator in Todd Monken, Pickens has the opportunity to double his targets and approach 70 receptions as a result of playing in more space in Monken’s historically pass-heavy spread offense.
Only one Georgia receiver (Brice Hunter with 76 in 1993) has recorded 70 receptions in one season for the Bulldogs. Only one Georgia receiver (Terrence Edwards with 1,004 in 2002) has exceeded 1,000 yards receiving for a team that traditionally skews toward running the ball.
In this offense with this quarterback, Monken and Newman can aid Pickens in besting both school records.
He’s almost assuredly going to be Georgia’s most targeted receiver for the duration of his collegiate career and opposing defenses’ reads on obvious passing situations will lead to double teams. That said, it’s easy to anticipate a drop in yards per catch but an increase in yards after the catch for the young speedster next season. If and when he’s targeted more often, Pickens has the ability to eclipse 1200 yards in 2020.
We’ve seen how naturally he runs routes and finds separation with his speed and footwork, but his range in terms of a catch radius is otherworldly. If Jamie Newman can throw it to where only his best receiver can get it, that receiver will likely get it.
If the historically run-first Dawgs want to establish a true passing attack with a coordinator who brings a new offensive philosophy to Athens, the squad has the tools to do so. Pickens' surrounding talent and new playbook set him up for a promising sophomore campaign. Monken coached at Oklahoma State in 2011 when Justin Blackmon won the Biletnikoff Award in 2011, the same season Brandon Weeden set school records for passing yards (4,727), completions (408) and completion percentage (72.3).
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