Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro defensive end, Cam Heyward's sixth episode of his new podcast, Not Just Football with Cam Heyward is now available on YouTube. The five-time Pro Bowler recorded the podcast from Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA and shared his thoughts on how a certain rookie was doing in Steelers training camp. Hayden Walsh, the co-host of the podcast, asked Heyward if anyone who had popped off in practice had showed the Steelers captain something in the victory against the Seattle Seahawks.
Not Just Football with Cam Heyward | YouTube
“Everybody’s been talking about this guy since day one,” Heyward gushed. “When we drafted him, George Pickens, man you see him hitting DB’s, knocking them down. You see him catching really cool fade balls in the end zone. He is a player with a lot of upside that one day when he becomes a complete player, is going to be unstoppable”
The Steelers selected George Pickens in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft and he was the 11th receiver selected. The Pittsburgh wide receiver played his college football at the University of Georgia and developed a reputation as not just a talented receiver with a huge catch radius, but an enthusiastic run blocker. The Pittsburgh Steelers have an eye for wide receiver talent and they found the best blocking receiver in the history of the NFL at the University of Georgia two decades ago. Walsh asked Heyward if he was reminded of Hines Ward watching Pickens.
“Physicality is always big in our game. At the receiver position, I think it’s a little bit lost because you don’t get those blind side blocks that you used to get in the old days, but this dude is making sure every DB is strapped up and ready to go. If you think you’re getting a play off just by the runs going the other way, George is going to make you pay.”
NASHVILLE, TN - JANUARY 11: Hines Ward #86 of the Pittsburgh Steelers taunts the crowd after catching a touchdown pass against the Tennessee Titans during the AFC divisional playoff game at the Coliseum on January 11, 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Ward retired after the 2011 season, which was Heyward’s rookie campaign. The pair only played together one season, but the former Georgia Bulldog filled the role of elder team leader that number 97 now occupies. Pickens being compared to the Steelers all-time leading receiver is high praise and Heyward is not the first to be impressed by the rookie’s physical nature. Pickens' love of blocking defensive backs has always been part of his game. The Steelers offense is transitioning post Ben Roethlisberger and is likely to rely more heavily on the running game in 2022. Plays like this dating back to his freshman year in college are a big reason why he is the ideal Steelers receiver:
I see you George Pickens 😤
— Receiver School (@ReceiverSchool) June 17, 2020
Be a physical receiver. Make it seem like you’re running a route & then block.@geo_Thagoat pic.twitter.com/IrciMw9lgD
Pickens brought his physical play to Latrobe, PA and began impressing onlookers almost immediately. Dale Lolley, the host of The Drive on Steelers Nation Radio, noticed his physical play early in camp when he was matched up with two of the three starting Steelers cornerbacks.
George Pickens is really physical as a blocker. Team working WRs on DBs. He did good work against both Witherspoon and Sutton.
— Dale Lolley (@dlolley_pgh) August 2, 2022
Pickens is more than just an aggressive, willing blocker. He is a gifted combat catch receiver and a nightmare to bring down one on one. After losing a modified Oklahoma drill rep to the rookie, a DB asked Mike Tomlin for a rematch. He got one, and it was glorious. The confrontation provided one of the most spectacular highlights during the Steelers time at Saint Vincent College.
George Pickens is an ATHLETE
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) August 12, 2022
(via @steelers / @WesBanksMusic) pic.twitter.com/PgnQhEertj
The Pittsburgh defensive captain Heyward is not prone to hyperbole. His comparison to Ward and warning to opposing defenders about Pickens is a great sign for the new look Pittsburgh offense. His favorable comparison to a franchise legend should be cause for cautious optimism. The black and gold are less than three weeks away from unleashing the former Bulldog on the rest of the NFL. When he takes the field against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, we fill find out if his bite is as big as the hype.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Do you think Heyward’s comparing Ward and Pickens favorably is a hot take to boost his podcast? Or is it the first step towards a Rookie of the Year campaign? Please comment below or on my Twitter @thebubbasq.
