NFL player comparisons for Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens

The Pittsburgh Steelers got a talented receiver in the second round in George Pickens. Here are his high-end, low-end, and most likely NFL player comparisons.

One of my favorite pieces each year is finding high-end, low-end, and most likely NFL player comparisons for each of the Pittsburgh Steelers draft selections. This year, I’m particularly intrigued by second-round wide receiver, George Pickens.

The decision to draft Pickens was one that most Steelers fans saw coming a mile away, as the team showed great interest in him during the pre-draft process. The Georgia product doesn’t come without a few injury and maturity concerns, but he’s extremely natural with excellent body control. Here are my NFL player comparisons for George Pickens:

High-end NFL comparison: Mike Williams

At 6’4” and 218 pounds entering the NFL, Mike Williams is heavier than Pickens (6’3 1/4”, 195 lbs.), but it’s very easy to draw similarities between their play styles.

Neither receiver is remarkably nuanced as route-runners, but they still have some smoothness to their games as big receivers. However, their best trait is their natural ability to win down the field in traffic — something that Pickens should excel at in the NFL as well.

Williams is a reasonable high-end comparison as the Chargers receiver already has two 1,000-yard seasons despite playing in every game just one time during his first five years. Williams has averaged over 16 yards per reception during his NFL career and is considered one of the best downfield possession threats in the league right now.