10-23-2016, 09:52 AM
(10-22-2016, 07:01 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Not at the time he wore a Bengals uniform.
Most raw talent was Carl Pickens. Neither AJ nor Chad ever had a 95 yard punt return for the Bengals, and neither of them ever had 17 tds in one season.
Pickens freshman year at the University of Tennessee a rash of injuries forced them to move him to DB with just 4 games left in the season. All he did was intercept a pass in 4 straight games (to take the team lead), return one for a td, and win the DEFENSIVE MVP of the Cotton Bowl while helping the Vols finish #5 in the country. He went on to become an All-American WR. During his college career he scored tds on receptions, punt returns, kick off returns, and interceptions.
100 reception seasons are pretty common now, but when Pickens posted one in '96 only 15 other players had ever done it. And his 17 td receptions that year was the fourth highest in NFL history
I couldn't stand Pickens the man, but as a pure talent at WR, he was unbelievable. What he did with very little talent around him, and this was the era where DBs could mug a WR all the way down the field, he was unstoppable.
Again, not from a leadership or team-first standpoint, but can you imagine a team with Pickens and AJ outside and Chad in the slot? Whoa.