Top returning CFB WRs: Where is George Pickens?

Georgia football WR George Pickens is ranked in the top 10 of ESPN’s latest returning college receiver rankings for the 2020 football season

Georgia’s sophomore wide receiver George Pickens made a splash in the college football world last season, leading the Bulldogs in receptions (49), yards (727), and touchdowns (8) as a freshman.

Pickens lived up to all the hype that was surrounding him and is now in the talks of being one of the best receivers in the NCAA next year.

On Friday, ESPN released who they believe are the top returning receivers for the 2020 college football season.

  1. Ja’Marr Chase, LSU
  2. DeVonta Smith, Alabama
  3. Rashod Bateman, Minnesota
  4. Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
  5. Rondale Moore, Purdue
  6. Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State
  7. Justyn Ross, Clemson
  8. Tutu Atwell, Louisville
  9. George Pickens, Georgia
  10. Chris Olave, Ohio State

Pickens was ranked as #9 on the list.  He helped the Dawgs secure the Sugar Bowl last year over Baylor, having 11 catches in one half, 175 receiving yards and a touchdown.

His catch radius was incredible and he had the third most catchable targets without a drop, making him one of the 20 most valuable receivers in college football at the end of the 2019 season.

Experts and fans expect even bigger things from Pickens for his sophomore season.  He will have a new quarterback throwing his balls which should be interesting and fun to see how the two mesh.

PFF says Georgia football ‘easily’ has SEC’s best QB-WR duo

According to metrics by Pro Football Focus, Georgia football has the SEC’s highest rated QB-WR duo for the upcoming 2020-2021 season.

Pro Football Focus released its top 10 players returning to the SEC in 2020 this Monday.

On the list were two Georgia players including sophomore wide receiver George Pickens at the number seven spot as well as incoming transfer QB Jamie Newman at the number three spot.

PFF evaluates all players at the professional and college level, which means their Newman rating is no joke. The Wake Forest transfer is being hyped up to hopefully have a Heisman caliber season with the Bulldogs and potentially a run at a national title.

PFF analyst Anthony Treash wrote in the article:

“With Jamie Newman now throwing Pickens the ball, the Bulldogs have easily the best quarterback-receiver duo in the SEC and one of the best in the country.”

Newman trailed only Joe Burrow on his passing grade of throws that were 20 yards or more last season, while Pickens had the third most catchable targets without a drop last season as a true freshman.  That right there is a scary sentence.

If the predictions are correct, Georgia is set to have one of the best offenses they’ve had in a while in 2020.  The QB-WR duo with Newman and Pickens along with a plethora of other offensive weapons can give Dawgs fans lots of confidence looking ahead.