When the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to select George Pickens with the 52nd overall pick in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the fanbase erupted. The wide receiver had untapped potential just waiting to be unlocked.
Unfortunately, Pickens wasn't the cleanest prospect. He sustained numerous injuries in college that kept him off the field, including an ACL tear as a junior before entering the NFL. Pickens also had issues keeping his emotions in check. He was ejected from a game in 2019 and suspended for the first half of the SEC Championship game against LSU for violating team rules.
These injuries and personality traits led some teams to take Pickens off their draft board in 2022. Despite his immaturity and lack of effort at times, Pickens has grossly outperformed his draft status. The same cannot be said for every wide receiver selected ahead of him in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Pickens was the 11th receiver taken in his draft class, and many of the teams who took a wide receiver early would make a different choice if they could do it over again. Here's a look at each of the ten wide receivers selected ahead of George Pickens in the 2022 draft.
Every WR picked before the Pittsburgh Steelers selected George Pickens in the 2022 NFL Draft
1. Drake London
Draft Position: 8th Overall
Drafted By: Atlanta Falcons
Career Stats (in 33 games): 141 catches, 1,771 yards, 6 touchdowns
Though Drake London has been productive early in his NFL, the big wide receiver has not been the most efficient. The USC product reeled in just 141 of 227 targets in his first 33 NFL games -- good for a catch rate of just 53.7 percent. When he has raked in the football, his average catch has gone for a modest 12.6 yards per reception.
London also has just 6 touchdown receptions on 227 targets in his first two seasons. At nearly 6'4'' and 219 pounds, London is a huge weapon with a big catch radius and sure hands, but he doesn't offer much after the catch, and creating routine separation has been an issue.
Still, the Falcons don't regret this decision. London has emerged as the team's top wide-out early in his career and was at the mercy of arguably the league's worst quarterback play in 2023.
2. Garrett Wilson
Draft Position: 10th Overall
Drafted By: New York Jets
Career Stats (in 34 games): 178 catches, 2,145 yards, 7 touchdowns
The New York Jets have no buyer's remorse when it comes to Garrett Wilson. Just two years into their NFL careers, Wilson is widely regarded as the best wide receiver from the 2022 draft class.
Wilson earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors after racking up 1,103 yards and four touchdowns in his first season. Once he gets better quarterback play, he could jump into the discussion among the league's best receivers.
3. Chris Olave
Draft Position: 11th Overall
Drafted By: New Orleans Saints
Career Stats (in 31 games): 159 catches, 2,165 yards, 9 touchdowns
Early in his career, Chris Olave has been as productive and efficient as nearly any receiver from the 2022 NFL Draft. His excellent start included back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to open his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints.
While Olave may not have the upside to be a true WR1 in the NFL, he could be one of the best WR2 options in the league thanks to his speed, smooth movements, and ability to win down the field. Drops have been an issue early on (13 in 31 games), but Olave has made up for it with 8.4 yards per target and 9 touchdowns in his first two seasons.
4. Jameson Williams
Draft Position: 12th Overall
Drafted By: Detroit Lions
Career Stats (in 18 games): 25 catches, 395 yards, 3 touchdowns
Here's where things start to go south for opposing teams. Jameson Williams was the 12th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft but is already looking like a disaster. Williams has been suspended, and when he has seen the field, he's been a non-factor.
Williams caught just 49 percent of passes thrown his direction in his first two seasons despite efficient players all around him on Ben Johnson's offense in Detroit. George Pickens would have been a much better choice with the 12th overall pick.
5. Jahan Dotson
Draft Position: 16th Overall
Drafted By: Washington Commanders
Career Stats (in 29 games): 84 catches, 1,041 yards, 11 touchdowns
Jahan Dotson showed ample promise when he recorded seven touchdown receptions on just 61 targets as a rookie. Unfortunately, his performance took a big step in the wrong direction in year two.
In his second season, Dotson managed just 518 yards in 17 games (16 starts) while earning a mere 6.2 yards per target. Despite being the 16th overall pick in 2022, Dotson lacks the skillset to develop into a WR1 in the NFL.
6. Treylon Burks
Draft Position: 18th Overall
Drafted By: Tennessee Titans
Career Stats (in 22 games): 49 catches, 665 yards, 1 touchdown
It's never good when a former first-round pick is buried on the wide receiver depth after just two seasons. Treylon Burks finds himself falling out of favor with the Titans entering his third season.
Burks logged 11 games in each of his first two seasons, and he's coming off a disastrous performance in 2023 -- catching just 16 of 30 passes for 221 yards and zero touchdowns. Burks is a big-bodied weapon with some long speed, but he hasn't come close to living up to expectations early in his NFL career.
7. Christian Watson
Draft Position: 34th Overall
Drafted By: Green Bay Packers
Career Stats (in 23 games): 69 catches, 1,033 yards, 12 touchdowns
After a promising rookie season that included an electrifying stretch late in the year, Christian Watson fell back down to earth in 2023. The talented Packers receiver has shown just how raw he was coming out of North Dakota State. This resulted in just 28 catches on 53 targets from Jordan Love last year.
On top of this, Watson can't seem to stay healthy and he has been banged up often early in his career. Watson could be a splashy WR2 if he can continue to develop and avoid the injury bug.
8. Wan'Dale Robinson
Draft Position: 43rd Overall
Drafted By: New York Giants
Career Stats (in 21 games): 83 catches, 752 yards, 2 touchdowns
This move was bizarre at the time and isn't looking much better now. Though Wan'Dale Robinson was a good player at Kentucky, many believed the Giants overdrafted the 5'8'', 178-pound receiver in 2022.
Robinson struggled to stay on the field as a rookie. With a chance for a breakout campaign in year two, Robinson strung together just 525 yards on 78 targets in 15 games. Despite a high catch rate, Robinson has averaged only 9.1 yards per reception in his first two seasons and has been a non-factor for a pedestrian passing attack.
9. John Metchie
Draft Position: 44th Overall
Drafted By: Houston Texans
Career Stats (in 16 games): 16 catches, 158 yards, 0 touchdowns
John Metchie missed his entire rookie season as he battled leukemia. Thankfully, the second-round pick was able to fight his way back. In year two, he appeared in 16 games -- recording 16 catches for 158 yards.
The Texans handed a huge contract extension to Nico Collins and traded for Stefon Diggs during the 2024 offseason. Meanwhile, Tank Dell was having an excellent rookie season before an injury knocked him out of action. Metchie is already buried on the wide receiver depth chart in Houston.
10. Tyquan Thornton
Draft Position: 8th Overall
Drafted By: Atlanta Falcons
Career Stats (in 22 games): 35 catches, 338 yards, 2 touchdowns
Tyquan Thornton was a comically bad selection by the New England Patriots in 2022. Selected two picks ahead of George Pickens, Thornton was viewed as a fourth or fifth-round prospect by many NFL Draft analysts.
Thornton is a tall receiver with speed, but not much else going for him. He earned just 35 receptions on 68 targets in his first two seasons. In 2023, Thornton managed a dismal 4.0 yards per target while catching just 13 passes in 9 games. The second-round pick has already been replaced and is listed as a third-string receiver on New England's depth chart.
All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference.