NFL Coaches Get Candid on Potential Bears Draft Target: ‘I Wouldn’t Touch Him’

The Chicago Bears have two second-round selections in the upcoming NFL draft (No. 39 and No. 48 overall) and with wide receiver a significant need, it’s likely they’ll nab at least one in Round 2.

One name that has been floated a ton as a top potential target for Chicago in the second round is former Georgia wide receiver George Pickens.

NFL Network insider Stacey Dales listed Pickens one of the “buzz names” surrounding the Bears leading up to the draft. Dales also named wideouts Alec Pierce and Christian Watson as top potential targets for Chicago in Round 2.

But according to an April 25 report by Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, multiple position coaches and scouts think Pickens in particular could be a problematic pick.

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NFL WRs Coach on Pickens: ‘I Wouldn’t Touch Him’

Feldman spoke to multiple NFL scouts and coaches about some of the top talent entering the draft this year, and Pickens’ name came up — but not necessarily in a good way.

“There’s a lot of upside, but he can’t get out of his own way. He’s been enabled his whole life,” an NFL scout told The Athletic.

One wide receivers coach in the league said he would stay away from Pickens entirely: “You love his game, but there’s some issues. Do you want to work with him? He’s a top-6 talent-wise, but it’s impossible not to add those other things. He has the size, has really good range. He positions his body on deep throws. He consistently beats press coverage. … But I wouldn’t touch him.”

A different WRs coach had what may have been the most damning comments about the former Georgia wideout:

“On tape, he is probably a top-5 wide receiver but there’s just so many red flags, and they’re big red flags. He’s got a lot of growing up to do. If he goes to the right place with a room full of veterans that help him go the right way, I think he’ll have a chance.”

Considering the Bears’ receiving corps is led by 24-year-old Darnell Mooney and the oldest receiver on Chicago’s roster is 28-year-old Byron Pringle, the Windy City may not be the best landing spot for Pickens.

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Pickens Will Likely Be Taken in Round 2

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Pickens is a big-bodied wideout with solid ball skills and a fairly large catch radius. His injury history is a concern — he tore his ACL in a 2021 spring practice — but he fought hard to get back on the field by the time Georgia had meaningful games, and he succeeded.

Pickens returned to action late in November of 2021. He managed to play in five games (including the postseason), finishing with five catches for 107 yards (21.4 yards per catch) last season. He also had a memorable 52-yard catch in the National Championship against Alabama.

Pickens played 24 regular season games with the Bulldogs, netting 1,347 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns on 90 catches (that’s 15.0 yards per reception).

While his knee is a concern, he ran a 4.47 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, so he appears to be ready to go. He’s a big, physical specimen who shouldn’t last beyond Round 2 — but hearing what several other scouts and coaches are saying should give the Bears a tad more pause when looking Pickens’ way.

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