George Pickens names his top five wide receivers of all time

George Pickens is trying to put an end to the “all-time” debate. Recently speaking with the All Things Covered podcast, the second-year receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers named his top-five receivers in NFL history.

Pickens rattled off a list of his favorite receivers all-time, throwing in a personal favorite at the end: himself. However, he quickly replaced himself with another former NFL star:

1. Calvin Johnson
2. Randy Moss
3. Jerry Rice
4. Julio Jones
5. Michael Crabtree

We’ll agree with Pickens that he’s put together a pretty solid list. Although, there is a little recency bias. That’s to be expected from a young player, though, right?

Who would make your top-five of all-time NFL receivers?

George Pickens believes he’s the top NFL WR right now

So, Pickens might’ve mentioned his own name in jest during his interview, but he might also actually believe it. It’s a pretty small sample size, but the former Georgia star already believes he’s the best receiver in the league.

The second-year player says his unique skill-set separates him from other guys playing the position.

“The stuff that I do, bro, I feel like I’m the best in the whole world,” Pickens told The Ringer’s Kevin Clark. “I’m big, I’m fast, low 4.4 [speed]. Catch radius is crazy. So every time I get out on the field, I do kind of play angry because I should get the ball on every play if you just look at the size and the frame. If I was a coach, I’d just throw to him every time. But that’s not how the NFL works. So every time I’m out there, that’s why I throw the blocks. I love getting the ball, and when I’m not getting the ball, I play angry so the attention is back on me. I basically draw attention to myself.”

Maybe Pickens will put himself back in that No. 5 spot, after all.

As a rookie Pickens hauled in 52 receptions for 801 yards last season. He also caught four touchdown passes for the Steelers, which finished the season at 9-8.

Those are pretty solid numbers for a first-year player. But if Pickens really wants to emerge as the top receiver in the NFL, he’s going to have to put up even bigger numbers in 2023.

He’s already showcased his incredible talent and athleticism in training camp this year. We can’t wait to see if it translates to the regular season.