George Pickens is set to be the next great wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A team that has boasted spectacular talent at that position now turns over to the 22-year-old out of Georgia, who had a very solid rookie season and projects to be even better in 2023.

Pickens has made a name for himself because he plays the game so differently. From putting hard blocks on cornerbacks at the line of scrimmage to making atypical moves in his routes, he stresses defenses. He told Kevin Clark of the Ringer that cornerbacks that overthink things are the type of players he always beats. He even names a pair of Pro Bowlers to illustrate the type of player he's talking about.

“I always kill DBs who are overthinkers,” Pickens said, via the Ringer. “And what’s crazy is the overthinkers are Xavien Howard or Jalen [Ramsey], and those are the best guys. And that’s why I think most DBs can’t really check me.”

Those are some big words for Pickens to be throwing around as he names two of football's best cornerbacks. But it’s that level of confidence and preparation that makes the Steelers wideout one of the brightest starts at his position. Putting cornerbacks on their rear ends is a legitimate part of his game that takes advantage of the low stances of guys that line up across from him.

“That’s part of my game, the absurdness,” George Pickens said, via the Ringer. “Nobody ever thought to do this. Cornerbacks are worried about their feet, their hand placement, and they don’t realize they are on their heels in a seated chair position. All I have to do is push. And that was a shock to everybody because people are like, ‘It’s not illegal, but I never thought to do it.’ So it’s become one of my go-tos.”

In 17 games as a rookie, Pickens totaled 801 receiving yards, 52 catches and four receiving touchdowns. He even added 24 yards on the ground and a rushing touchdown. The Steelers have big plans for him as he and Kenny Pickett look to establish themselves as the centerpieces of the offense for the foreseeable future.