The Steelers stuck with offense for their second-round pick, selecting Georgia wide receiver George Pickens with the 52nd pick overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Pickens said he was thrilled to get the call from the black and gold, not knowing where the future was going to lead him when the night began.
"With the draft you never know," said Pickens. "I am just glad to be a Steeler. I knew it was a possibility. But you never know.
"It's an honor. Everything right now is an honor to be a Steeler."
Pickens missed some playing time in the 2021 season after suffering a knee injury in the spring, playing in just four games and finishing with five receptions for 107 yards. In three seasons, though, he finished with 90 receptions for 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Take a look at photos of the Pittsburgh Steelers second-round pick WR George Pickens
WR George Pickens
WR George Pickens
WR George Pickens
WR George Pickens
WR George Pickens
WR George Pickens
WR George Pickens
WR George Pickens
WR George Pickens
WR George Pickens
"Obviously super excited about George and the draft pick we got," said offensive coordinator Matt Canada. "Coming out of last year, as we began early draft prep, we thought he was the best wideout coming out. He had a tough injury through the spring. Showed great battle to come back. Played late in the year for them. We were able to go to his Pro Day. He was impressive beyond belief at his Pro Day. He showed no signs of any injury or anything in that way. We are fired up about having him on our team.
"We had him coming out really, really high and again are really fired up to have him. His body of work prior to his injury we were very impressed with. I do think his Pro Day, and how explosive he was, that put him in a place where we felt good about getting him. We had him as a high guy coming out prior to his injury and he showed us at his Pro Day he was still that guy. So, we are really happy."
Canada said Pickens can play both inside and outside, providing an explosive threat for the offense.
"We see him as both. He's so explosive," said Canada. "You look at what he did in his career down there. He did a lot. They used him in multiple places with the talent that they had. We certainly have a couple of guys we feel good about at wideout. We'll see where he fits and the best place to put him. I think he can do both."
Career Highs
* 12 catches vs. Baylor, 2020 (2019 season)
* 175 receiving yards vs. Baylor, 2020 (2019 season)
* Long catch of 52 yards vs. Alabama2, 2021
* 2 TD catches vs. Missouri, 2019; vs. Missouri, 2020
2021: Saw his first action of the season in regular-season finale vs. Georgia Tech...caught one pass for five yards vs. the Jackets...caught two passes for 41 yards in SEC Championship Game vs. Alabama...one catch for nine yards vs. Michigan...caught a key first-quarter pass for 52 yards in CFP Championship Game vs. Alabama...pre-season All-America 2nd team pick by Walter Camp...second-team pre-season All-SEC, as voted by the league's 14 head coaches...missed much of spring practice after suffering right knee injury in late March.
2020: A starter in all eight games in which he played...tied with K. Jackson for team receiving honors with 36 catches for 513 yards and a team-high six TDs...caught seven passes for 135 yards, including a career-long 51-yarder, in Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl win over Cincinnati...season-high eight receptions for 87 yards and a TD vs. Mississippi State...caught a pair of TD passes in win at Missouri, including a key score with :37 left before halftime...team-high five receptions for 53 yards vs. Alabama...caught four passes for 47 yards and the team's first TD of 2020, a 19-yarder, in Georgia's win at Arkansas...caught two passes for 26 yards vs. Auburn, highlighted by a 21-yard TD catch in second quarter...caught two more passes in win over Tennessee...missed the Kentucky game because of injury...named to the pre-season watch list for the Fred Biletnikoff Award (nation's top WR)...also Pre-Season All-SEC Second Team, as selected by the media covering the league.
2019: Coaches' Freshman All-SEC Team...co-winner of Offensive Newcomer of the Year award, given at team's post-season awards gala...played in all 14 games, earning his first start vs. Kentucky...also started in Sugar Bowl win over Baylor...finished season with 49 catches for 727 yards, both team highs...also led the Bulldogs in TD catches with eight...had 12 catches for 175 yards and a TD in the Sugar Bowl, earning MVP honors...his 12 grabs tied a UGA bowl record and were the most by a Bulldog receiver in 17 seasons...two of his five catches vs. Missouri went for scores (25 & 18 yards)...first TD catch was a second-quarter score, from 15 yards out, vs. Murray State...one of his three catches vs. Tennessee was a 7-yard score...had five catches for 84 yards vs. Arkansas State...season highs of seven catches and 98 yards both came vs. South Carolina...team-high four catches for 35 yards vs. Kentucky...lone catch vs. Georgia Tech went for 41 yards and a TD.
High School: Hoover HS, coached by Josh Niblett...Selected to play for Team Flash at the 2019 Under Armour All-American Game, snagging four receptions for 55 yards...247sports.com five-star prospect, #24 prospect nationally, #4 wide receiver nationally, #1 prospect in Alabama...ESPN.com four-star prospect, #6 WR nationally, #54 prospect nationally, #5 prospect in Alabama...Rivals.com five-star prospect, #7 prospect nationally, #2 WR nationally, #1 prospect in Alabama...listed at No. 14 on the USA Today Chosen 25 for the nation's top overall prospects...honored as a finalist for the 2018 Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 7A Player of the Year Award...named to the 2018 All-USA Alabama First Team offense by the USA Today...helped the Buccaneers to a 9-4 record, the Region 3-7A title and the semifinals of the 2018 AHSAA Class 7A playoffs...finished his senior season with 69 catches for 1,368 yards and 16 TDs to go along with a KO return TD...named to AL.com's 2018 Super All-State Team and the All-Birmingham First Team offense...competed in the 2018 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game, earning Alabama MVP honors after catching nine passes for 155 yards and two TDs...named to the 2018 MaxPreps All-American Second Team offense...tabbed at No. 6 on AL.com's 2018 Preseason A-List...part of the Buccaneers' teams that won back-to-back AHSAA Class 7A State titles in 2017 (11-3) and 2016 (12-2)...as a junior in 2017, he caught 46 passes for 735 yards and five TDs, while adding two punt returns for scores...named to AL.com's 2017 All-Birmingham Team as an athlete, as well as Class 7A First Team All-State offense by the ASWA, All-USA Alabama First Team offense by the USA Today and AL.com All-State Team Honorable Mention...competed at the Nike's The Opening Regional camp in Atlanta in July 2017...younger brother Chris Humes played collegiately at Arkansas State and is currently on the CFL's Winnipeg Bombers roster.
Personal: Full name: GEORGE M. PICKENS...major: Housing Management & Policy...recipient of the A.J. Green Family Football Scholarship.
