Getty Wideout George Pickens playing in a 2020 game with Georgia.
Offensively, the Detroit Lions want to find a way to be more explosive in 2022, but there is no substitute for sheer toughness, especially for a team that likes to be physical and run the football.
Dan Campbell has preached blocking and toughness early in his tenure, so it’s not a bad idea to think about which players fit that archetype best for the team when studying the NFL combine. A major fit could have emerged in the form of an SEC wideout that seems to have the mean streak the Lions are looking for.
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As the wide receivers were speaking in Indianapolis on Tuesday, March 2, Georgia’s George Pickens was speaking about his love for blocking. Those words seemed to resonate with folks who follow the Lions, and Detroit News writer Justin Rogers seemed particularly interested in Pickens and his love for blocking. As he explained, that could make him a very obvious fit in Detroit.
Listening to George Pickens talk about blocking attitude sure makes him sound like a Lions fit.
“Listening to George Pickens talk about blocking attitude sure makes him sound like a Lions fit,” Rogers tweeted after hearing Pickens speak during NFL Combine media sessions.
So what did Pickens say about blocking that managed to catch the attention of folks? For starters, he described it as natural in the scheme in which he plays. As ESPN’s Turron Davenport showed in a tweet, Pickens has no problem speaking on his love for blocking.
George Pickens embraces the blocking aspect of being a WR. Playing at Georgia helped him develop the mindset and appreciation for blocking.
“Me just blocking has always been a part of the program, a part of the scheme of the team. I’ve always been physical. So that’s just one of the things that I can also add to my game besides pass catching and besides going deep. Blocking is for sure one of the things I pride myself on,” Pickens explained.
Pickens showed that off in a game against Michigan this past year where he planted a pair of Wolverine defenders and then quieted the bench. That kind of edge is certainly one that would fit well in Detroit, making Rogers’ analysis here particularly astute.
Lions Wideouts Already Engaged With Blocking
A major mindset for the Detroit attack has been getting offensive players involved down the field in blocking in the run game. The Lions already have one player who loves to get after it like this in the form of Amon-Ra St. Brown. This season, St. Brown impressed quickly upon coming to the lions with his ability to make a difference in run support, and it helped coaches compare him favorably to the likes of Hall of Fame wideout Hines Ward. St. Brown showed off this ability to punish opposing defensive backs in some of his very first games in the league.
To this end, matching St. Brown with a player like Pickens would be intriguing, and would be a good way to help the Lions’ run game get even nastier next year. Detroit already has one of the better offensive lines in football, but if they can keep putting wideouts on the field that aren’t afraid to get dirty and mix it up, they will be an even tougher team for the future.
Pickens’ Stats & Highlights
In terms of catching the ball and getting downfield, Pickens excels at that, too. Playing for Georgia, he was one of the best and most consistent pass catchers in the tough SEC. With the Bulldogs, Pickens put up some phenomenal career statistics in the league, piling up 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns in his four-year career in Athens. Pickens also has the benefit of helping the Bulldogs claim the College Football Playoff National Championship for the 2021-22 season.
Here’s a look at some of his top highlights from college:
The highlights do show a tough kid that can make plenty of plays down the field to help an offense. He’s the kind of vertical threat the Lions could appreciate within their offense, and also seems to bring the right kind of mindset and attitude for the team as well, as the blocking angle could show.
If Pickens joins the team, folks might only need to reference this day in Indianapolis as the time when the Lions brass fell in love with another gritty wideout.
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