Colts Take Georgia WR George Pickens in ESPN Todd McShay’s Latest NFL Mock Draft

The Colts are projected to take one of the best wideouts in this year’s draft class in a recent mock draft.

According to ESPN’s Todd McShay (subscription), the Indianapolis Colts will select Georgia wide receiver George Pickens with the 42nd overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft in his latest mock draft:

42. Indianapolis Colts (via WSH)

George Pickens, WR, Georgia

The Colts don’t have a first-rounder, but Pickens has first-round traits. A torn ACL last March pushed him into the Day 2 conversation, which means this could be a steal for Indy. He is really good at getting off press coverage, and his ability to track the deep ball might be his best skill.

The 6’3”, 195 pound junior wideout caught 5 receptions for 107 receiving yards (21.4 ypr. avg.) during 4 starts in 2021, as he made a late season return after tearing his ACL during Spring of 2021 practices—helping the Bulldogs win the National Championship in the process.

During his sophomore season, when fully healthy, Pickens recorded 36 receptions for 513 receiving yards (14.3 ypr. avg.) and 6 touchdown receptions during 8 starts.

Pickens ran a 4.47 forty time at the NFL Combine. He has an impressive RAS of 9.33 out of a potential 10.0, as he’s shown no lingering effects physically coming off of the ACL tear.

Pickens has been a popular pick among Colts fans at wideout along with North Dakota State’s Christian Watson and Cincinnati’s Alec Pierce respectively.

Pickens has tremendous ball skills, a huge catch radius, and is a big time deep threat, who looks collectively fluid as a route runner. However, he needs to improve his playing strength, as he can be stifled sometimes by opposing defensive backs in press coverage.

Here’s what they’re saying on George Pickens:

Pickens is a long wideout, who’s a willing perimeter blocker, that would provide a deep threat with some speed on the other side of Michael Pittman Jr.. As such, he would provide the Colts with a dynamic down the field threat, with his ability to effectively track the football and oftentimes, make spectacular diving catches for explosive passing plays.

From a skillset standpoint and given his past production (especially in the SEC), as long as the ACL checks out medically, Pickens makes a great deal of sense for the Colts at pick #42.