Bears select Zacch Pickens - Rd. 3, #64 overall

[Bowler1215]

We got a solid run defender that we desperately needed.  Likely a rotational guy but fills a need. 

[beardown3231]

 

[JibjeResearch]

From some tape samples, Pickens can't handle 0,1 very well.  If they keep him as the 2 and mostly 3T, I think he can take over next year or late into the season if not sooner.  He has the quickness and power as the 3T.

Bears did good, we got 4 potential starters in year 1.

[blkwdw13]

2 hours ago, JibjeResearch said:

From some tape samples, Pickens can't handle 0,1 very well.  If they keep him as the 2 and mostly 3T, I think he can take over next year or late into the season if not sooner.  He has the quickness and power as the 3T.

Bears did good, we got 4 potential starters in year 1.

I like your very optimistic view. Hopefully it works out that way. 

[HuskieBear]

9. ZACCH PICKENS | South Carolina 6037 | 291 lbs. | 4SR Anderson, S.C. (T.L. Hanna) 3/6/2000 (age 23.14) #6

BACKGROUND: Zacchaeus “Zacch” Pickens, who has an older brother, grew up in Anderson in western part of the state, only a few miles from the Georgia border. He developed his love for football in elementary school. Pickens continued playing through middle school with the same group of friends and they continued at T.L. Hanna High School. He became a varsity starter as a freshman and lettered all four seasons, primarily as a defensive end and tight end. As a senior, Pickens led T.L. Hanna to a 14-1 record with their only loss coming in the 2018 5A state championship game, which was the school’s first appearance in the title game since 1974. He finished his senior season with 87 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, six sacks and an interception in the title game, which he returned for a touchdown. Pickens also moved to running back as a senior and led the team with 889 rushing yards (8.5 average) and 21 touchdowns, adding one receiving touchdown. He became the first from his school to win South Carolina’s Mr. Football and also took home the Gatorade South Carolina player of the year, South Carolina lineman of the year and Under Armour All-American honors. A five-star recruit out of high school, Pickens was the No. 1 defensive tackle in the 2019 recruiting class (ahead of DeMarvin Leal and Travon Walker) and the No. 1 recruit in South Carolina (one spot ahead of Gamecocks’ teammate Cam Smith). He finished as the No. 8 recruit in the country. His recruitment took off during his freshman year of high school, first by Florida State and then by South Carolina, Clemson, Penn State, North Carolina, Tennessee and Michigan. Despite growing up 20 miles down the road from Clemson, Pickens committed to the Gamecocks in May 2018 and graduated early to enroll at South Carolina in January 2019. His older brother (Kevin) played defensive back at Mars Hill University (2015) before walking on at South Carolina for the 2018 season. Pickens graduated with his degree in sport and entertainment management (December 2022). He opted out of the 2022 bowl game and accepted his invitation to the 2023 Senior Bowl (voted the American team’s defensive line practice player of the week).

YEAR (GP/GS) TKLS TFL SACK FF PD INT 

2019: (12/0) 16 0.0 0.0 0 0 0 Freshman All-SEC; Enrolled in January 2019

2020: (10/7) 35 2.5 1.0 0 0 0 Started final seven games

2021: (13/13) 38 5.0 4.0 0 1 0

2022: (12/12) 42 4.0 2.5 0 3 0 Second team All-SEC; Team MVP; Team captain; Bowl opt-out

Total: (47/32) 131 11.5 7.5 0 4 0 

STRENGTHS: Good-sized athlete and passes the eye test with flying colors … extends his long arms into the chest of blockers to create initial knockback … transfers power from low hips to work his target backward into the pocket … stays square to hold the point, find the ball and work laterally to mirror … moves with outstanding control of his body to knife through gaps … uses natural bend and short-area quicks to avoid latching hands … plays flat-backed with consistent hustle to chase plays away from the line of scrimmage … named a captain and team MVP as a senior … competes with a team-centric mindset and experienced working from various alignments up front … durable and started 32 straight games over the last three seasons.

WEAKNESSES: Pass rush arsenal lacks variety … occasionally uses a quick swim or arm over, but his rush moves are generally power-based … must develop his hand usage for quicker sheds … late to access his secondary moves once locked up … the first to jump the snap on some plays and the last to move on others … leaves tackle production on the field with his tendency to play hot … his anchor strength is OK, but he can be flattened out by double teams … looks like “just a guy” when he plays with tall pad level … unimpressive career production (only 8.7 percent of his tackles in college came in the backfield).

SUMMARY: A three-year starter at South Carolina, Pickens lined up primarily near the A-gap in defensive coordinator Clayton White’s even-based front. The thirdranked recruit to ever sign with the Gamecocks (behind Jadeveon Clowney and Marcus Lattimore), his statistical resume didn’t live up to that hype, but he was a dependable interior lineman the last four seasons. With his initial movements at the snap, Pickens has the quickness to shoot gaps and the strength to control them. While he has pass rush tools, his move transitions and shed skills are underdeveloped. Pickens must continue to hone his hand techniques as a rusher and anchor in the run game, but he plays on his feet with the agility, balance and length to instinctively react to blockers. He projects as a rotational tackle as a rookie with starting upside.

GRADE: 3rd Round (No. 83 overall)

[AZBearsFan]

I thought he’d go a bit lower, but Pickens is a guy I continually found myself mocking to us. He’s a fit with upside at a position where we not only needed starters, but bodies in general. 

[TankWilliams]

I watched Brett Kohlman's DT rankings and he really doesn't seem to like Pickens, his analysis was that he's a pretty good pass rusher but that he should never ever be in on first down because he's downright terrible against the run.  Luckily with the Gervon Dexter pick and signing Andrew Billings, I don't think he will need to get in on early downs immediately

[AZBearsFan]

53 minutes ago, TankWilliams said:

I watched Brett Kohlman's DT rankings and he really doesn't seem to like Pickens, his analysis was that he's a pretty good pass rusher but that he should never ever be in on first down because he's downright terrible against the run.  Luckily with the Gervon Dexter pick and signing Andrew Billings, I don't think he will need to get in on early downs immediately

Would getting a guy who can possibly come in right away as a situational pass rusher at 3T in R3 with room for growth in other areas be… a bad thing? 

[TankWilliams]

13 minutes ago, AZBearsFan said:

Would getting a guy who can possibly come in right away as a situational pass rusher at 3T in R3 with room for growth in other areas be… a bad thing? 

Wasn't trying to imply that there isn't a fit for him on the team, just that we should absolutely expect him to be situational

[JibjeResearch]

3 hours ago, TankWilliams said:

I watched Brett Kohlman's DT rankings and he really doesn't seem to like Pickens, his analysis was that he's a pretty good pass rusher but that he should never ever be in on first down because he's downright terrible against the run.  Luckily with the Gervon Dexter pick and signing Andrew Billings, I don't think he will need to get in on early downs immediately

I mocked Pickens to Bears in 4(103), so at 3(64) is not too early because opinions are subjective.  Pickens was so bad as a 0 or 1Tech, some 2i.  He was getting destroyed for the lack of size/strength to take on double teaming.  But as a 2 or 3Tech, he's very good.  I think he just needs the experience as the 3T.

[dll2000]

Not a lot to love in Arkansas game.   I like Arkansas C.

 

[dll2000]

He made a nice play against GA on a run.  A lot of nothing burgers.  About 4 loafs.  Doesn't like run hard for long if a play gets extended.

Brock Bowers is ridiculous.  

 

 

[Madmike90]

 

This is interesting from Marinelli...Pickens much like Dexter is just a big ball of clay who have never had consistent or good coaching...if only Marinelli could get his hands on these two.

[HuskieBear]

16 hours ago, Madmike90 said:

 

This is interesting from Marinelli...Pickens much like Dexter is just a big ball of clay who have never had consistent or good coaching...if only Marinelli could get his hands on these two.

I'm cautiously optimistic. It's clear that Poles focused on attributes and got big/fast/long athletes, most of whom where the top recruits in their high school class. Now the focus is can these athletes good enough coaching to turn them into proper football players. we'll see

[Madmike90]