Georgia Football: 6 important leaders who must return next year

A prolonged injury should keep George Pickens in Athens

George Pickens tore his ACL during spring practice and since then has made great strides in his recovery, but the Dawgs are through seven games, and it doesn’t seem like he will return any time soon.

ACL injuries take a long time to recover, with most of them taking over a year to fully heal and allow the athlete to feel comfortable playing again.

Pickens plays a position that puts a lot of stress on his knee, so prematurely putting him on the field would only hurt his future.

He is another guy that had high draft predictions circling him before he got hurt. Pickens is a monstrous wideout that Georgia hadn’t had on their roster since AJ Green suited up in the Red and Black.

In the two seasons, he did play in, Pickens had 85 catches for 1,240 yards and 14 touchdowns.

He was a favorite among the quarterbacks, and rightfully so, whatever they threw at him, Pickens caught it.

Granted, he does have a bit of a hot streak and punched a Georgia Tech football player, but that is just how passionate he is.

At this point, it would be wise to redshirt him and let him return next season fully healthy and ready to play.

Instead of pushing anything this season, take the safe route and know that first-round grade will be there when he is ready for it.