Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver George Pickens has received all of the attention in training camp. The University of Georgia product has put his unique size and speed combination on full display. While No. 1 wide receiver Diontae Johnson stole the show in Monday's practice, Pickens still had a few noteworthy moments. 93.7 The Fan's Jeff Hathhorn highlighted a specific play between Pickens, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, and other defenders.
Credit: Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
#Steelers rookie George Pickens intense in practice. After missing one route. He caught the next 4 including a couple of combat catches. He stared at Minkah and others who gave him grief & said ‘don’t say s$&:’ w serious face @937theFan
— Jeff Hathhorn (@jhathhorn) August 8, 2022
You've got to love that kind of fire out of a rookie wideout. Beyond his on-field production so far, Pickens' attitude and effort has been top-notch. Coming out of college, Pickens had a few issues that led to his fall in draft stock and ultimately, to the second round of the draft. It's unclear as to what Fitzpatrick and fellow defenders said to irritate him, but that kind of attitude should only lead to positive results come the regular season.
So far, he hasn't looked like a rookie in camp. The rookie is already looking like he will become a fan favorite, and he could be the next in line of the great Steelers wide receivers. Pickens has led the Steelers in catches in training camp so far, although Johnson's absence helped him garner more targets. On Saturday, we'll get to see his talent on full display in the team's opening preseason game.
Heading into the season, Pickens, Johnson, and Chase Claypool (and even Calvin Austin III) seem to form a very formidable trio at wide receiver. After signing a contract extension last week, Johnson was back to his usual self on Monday, dominating the corners on seemingly every rep. It'll be nice to see the young group of wideouts grow this season, as they have the potential to be one of the best in football.
Credit: Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
What are your guys' expectations for Pickens' rookie season? Can he have a Martavis Bryant-esque impact? What are you looking forward to in Saturday's preseason game? Yinz, let your thoughts and opinions be known in the comment section below, as well as on our SteelerNation social media pages!
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