Pickens went to Hoover, Alabama’s Hoover High School. He caught 69 passes for 1,368 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior.He participated in the Under Armour All-American Game in 2019.[2] A five-star recruit, he had committed to play collegiate football at Auburn University before switching to the University of Georgia.
In 2019, Pickens had an early impact on the Georgia football team as a freshman, setting team records with receptions (49), receiving yards (727), and receiving touchdowns (8).[5][6][7] The following season, an eight-game season cut short by the COVID-19 epidemic, saw Pickens catch 36 catches for 513 yards and a team-high six touchdowns.[8] Pickens missed the most of his junior season after tearing his ACL in the spring of 2021.[9] In the final four games of the season, he made a comeback and caught five passes. However, one of his key receptions, a 52-yarder, helped Georgia defeat Alabama in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship game.[10][11] After the season, Pickens declared for the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Pickens 52nd overall in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.[15]
Pickens successfully caught a one-handed pass in Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns while extending his body fully upward. Some dubbed it the “Catch of the Year.”[16] He caught six passes for 102 yards in Week 4’s 24–20 loss to the New York Jets.[17] In Week 7, Pickens scored his first touchdown as a professional against the Miami Dolphins in primetime.[18] With less than a minute remaining in Week 16, Pickens scored the game-winning touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders.[19With 52 receptions for 801 yards and a team-high four receiving touchdowns at the end of the 2022 campaign.
Pickens went to Hoover, Alabama’s Hoover High School. He caught 69 passes for 1,368 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior.He participated in the Under Armour All-American Game in 2019.[2] A five-star recruit, he had committed to play collegiate football at Auburn University before switching to the University of Georgia