Dominique Wilkins will ceaselessly be generally known as the human spotlight movie, however a Gen-Z model of that nickname must be invented for George Pickens. He dazzled in his first coaching camp, preseason, and in addition in the course of the common season. Pickens is selecting up proper the place he left off, drawing oohs and aahs from the followers on the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching camp web site. Some of the talked about performs of the summer time to date was his one-handed catch in opposition to rookie Joey Porter Jr. on Monday.

Pickens reached behind his again and over Porter Jr.’s head to make a spectacular one-handed seize. The rookie didn’t recognize Pickens handing the ball to him like a memento as the gang roared, however some further punctuation was comprehensible after a play like that. Additionally, the play was a great lesson for the younger Porter. Being in the best spot is of nice significance within the NFL, however it’s not all the time sufficient.

Whereas that play has been essentially the most talked about, Pickens continued to make massive performs at camp on Tuesday. No movies have gone viral but of the monster blocks that he threw final season, however hauling in contested catches doesn’t seem to even pressure Pickens to breathe laborious.

The Steelers’ offense was a multitude early within the 2022 season, nonetheless, they had been in a position to string collectively some constant performances later within the yr. They received their final 4 video games and 6 of their final seven. Kenny Pickett performed effectively down the stretch, however his workforce pulled out a kind of victories whereas he was sidelined.

Pickens’ spotlight performs weren’t restricted to the St. Vincent School discipline. He repeatedly snatched balls from the attain of NFL beginning defensive backs all through the common season. Whereas he completed with a good 52 receptions for 801 yards and 4 touchdowns throughout his rookie marketing campaign, throughout that late-season run that pushed the Steelers’ document over .500 he averaged higher than 25 yards per reception in three of these video games. Of the 4 that he didn’t, he averaged 19 yards per reception.

On the 2022 Combine, Pickens had the entire measurables of a big-play extensive receiver. He’s 6-foot-3, with a sub 4.5 40-yard-dash, and a 30-plus inch vertical leap. That’s the splendid template for a star at that place within the NFL. Then Pickens went on to point out that he’s greater than a Combine profile, he’s a dynamic soccer participant.

With him in midseason kind in early August, it seems that the one factor that may cease him from a breakout season is the remainder of the Steelers offense. The offensive line and Pickett started final season shaky. They each completed robust, and the Steelers made some additions alongside the road in the course of the offseason by signing Issac Seumalo away from the Philadelphia Eagles and drafting left sort out Broderick Jones within the first spherical of the draft.

The Steelers must do no matter is important to create the time and area for Pickens to make defensive backs appear to be a bunch of youth summer time campers. As a result of Gen-Z Dominique seems able to seize the entire footballs and likes that he presumably can.