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Steelers Daily Links: George Pickens Breakout Season, HOF Photo

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Steelers WR George Pickens

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens is one of Jordan Schultz’s 10 breakout wide receivers to watch in 2023.

“Pickens checks every box. What really stands out is his elusiveness and body control – a pair of assets coveted by all receivers, but often hard to come by,” Schultz wrote. “Pickens shouldn’t be able to do what he does, in other words – not at 6-3, 200. Remember his video game-like catch against the Browns last season? Plus, I love the confidence in the young man. “Year two goals are Pro Bowl, and I feel like last year … I got snubbed, because there wasn’t a lot of guys in there at the Pro Bowl that excited me,” Pickens told college2pro.com.

“A big play waiting to happen, the 22-year-old averaged 15.4 yards per catch as a rookie, good enough for fifth in the AFC. Better yet, his 9.5 yards per target slotted him 13th in football. Perhaps most importantly, QBs Kenny Pickett and Mitchell Trubisky boasted a ridiculous 109.3 passer rating when they targeted the former Georgia Bulldog. With Pickett entering year two and now firmly entrenched as Pittsburgh’s starter, expect this offense to finally open up, and for the silky-smooth Pickens to reap the benefits.”

RELATED: George Pickens Wants to Be Elite in 2023

🏈  Pro Football Hall of Fame: The photo of George Pickens’ acrobatic one-handed grab against the Cleveland Browns in Week 3 of the 2022 season won second place in the Hall of Fame’s annual photo contest. The photo was captured by Dave Richard and the image was entitled “Finger Pickens Good.”

 

🏈 Bill Belichick apparently really wanted to stick it to the New York Jets, as a behind-the-scenes video from the Washington Commanders revealed that Washington tried to trade up with the New England Patriots on draft night, but the Patriots wanted a third-round pick back. That wasn’t the case with the Steelers, however, as the Patriots gave up a fourth-round pick so Pittsburgh could jump ahead of the Jets and pick Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones. Washington stayed put at 16th overall and got their guy in Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes anyway.

🏈 Patrick Peterson quoted Mike Tomlin’s “The Standard is the Standard” line on Twitter.

🏈 Pro Football Focus: Trevor Sikkema of PFF named T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward and Minkah Fitzpatrick as the three best players on the Steelers.

🏈 Friday marked 100 days until the Steelers’ season opener against the San Francisco 49ers at Acrisure Stadium.

🎂 Happy Birthday to Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, born on June 3, 1994 in Livingston, New Jersey, to Yoruba parents who had immigrated from Nigeria. Ogunjobi was a third-round pick by the Browns out of Charlotte in the  2017 NFL Draft. After four seasons with the Browns and one season in Cincinnati, Ogunjobi signed a one-year deal with the Steelers in March of 2022. The Steelers liked what they saw from Ogunjobi in 2022 and rewarded him with a three-year, $28.75 million contract extension on March 17.

🎥  A video has emerged of Bill Cowher speaking with Joey Porter Jr. at Mel Blount’s Youth Home All-Star Celebrity Roast back in May. Cowher was Joey Porter Sr’s head coach in Pittsburgh from 1999-2006.

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