Let’s Set Odds: Will George Pickens be Drafted in the First Round of 2022 NFL Draft?

One of my favorite players in the 2022 NFL Draft Class is Georgie wide receiver George Pickens. The 6'3", 200-pound junior from Hoover, Alabama showed an incredible knack for the big play with the Bulldogs. He's a physical deep threat that could instantly be one of the better run blockers in whatever wide receiver room he's drafted to.

Pickens is a projected Day 2 pick, but there's recent chatter he could move up to the first round as a group of teams that includes the Chiefs, Packers, Cardinals, and Lions could all use pass-catching help. With his penchant for blocking highlights and relentless style of play, Pickens has become a favorite of social media and has an edge that's easy to fall in love with.

As talk of his rising draft stock increases, it's time to play one of our favorite games: Let's Set Odds! In today's edition, let's dissect Pickens' game and evaluate where he's likely to be drafted.

George Pickens Odds to Go in the First Round (Top 32)

• YES: +180
• NO: -200

Will George Pickens be Drafted in the First Round?

Pickens burst onto the scene with an impressive freshman campaign in which he caught 49 passes for 727 yards and eight touchdowns. An injury cost him most of his senior season, but he still made an impact in the National Championship game with a 52-yard catch.

The first time I found out about Pickens, as is probably the case for most, it was from a clip of him absolutely manhandling a poor cornerback and tossing him to the sideline. Just look at the physicality he brings to the table:

I could watch him block all day. And that's before you get to the impact he makes when he actually catches the ball. For his career, he averaged just over 15 yards per catch and proved to be a machine in the red zone, routinely making contested catches over shorter defenders for touchdowns.

The dude can absolutely play, and I'm praying my Chiefs draft him. But there are certainly still some concerns. He's coming off a torn ACL, and his physical play needs to be harnessed, because he tends to get in fights on the field quite a bit. Last I checked, those aren't legal in the NFL.

But with the right coaching and support, Pickens will be a star. He's one of the better athletes in years at the position and plays fearlessly.

All in all, I think Pickens is most likely to be drafted in the second round. If there's a run on wide receivers in the first, then I'd be pretty surprised if a team like the Chiefs didn't take him. But this is a deep pass-catching class and there are certainly surer things than Pickens.

While I think he's likely to be a Day 2 pick, I still can't wait to cheer him on and think he's one of the best upside players in the class.

Follow all of Joe Summers' betting picks here.