Zacch

Pickens

Sweat popped up on the injury report with the ankle issue on Wednesday but was a full participant in practice by Friday. Fellow defensive lineman Zacch Pickens and defensive back Terell Smith are out this week.

Jones headlines the Bears’ offensive inactives as a healthy scratch for the third straight week. Keenan Allen and Kevin Byard are active despite entering the day questionable while Zacch Pickens (groin) is the most notable defensive inactive for Week 4 against the Rams.

Pickens signed on as a five-star recruit and impressed during the summer of 2019, but he was stuck behind first-round pick Javon Kinlaw as well as Kobe Smith on the depth chart, as VanHaaren notes. He was still able to pick up 16 tackles as a rotation player, and now he should really get a chance to shine as a presumed starter for the Gamecocks. It would be a borderline upset if Pickens didn’t have a massive jump in production for South Carolina this fall.

Pickens (6'5"/268) is the best recruit to attend South Carolina since Jadaveon Clowney. Pickens has played well but he hasn’t been receiving a ton of hype for two reasons. South Carolina doesn’t allow the media to talk to freshman, and he has two NFL-bound starters in front of him. There’s a chance Pickens doesn’t see a ton of time in his first year and is simply a rotational player. DL coach John Scott has been impressed and said, “Coming into fall camp mentally, he’s doing a really nice job. And he’s playing faster.” Pickens is undoubtedly a player to watch for the upcoming season.

Pickens (6'5/268) has all the potential in the world to contribute early as a traditional defensive lineman, but just imagine that big ol’ boy coming right at you and you can see the appeal in putting him out there in a few offensive sets near the goal-line. What makes this feel like even more of a realistic possibility, the fact that Pickens actually played running back in high school. He is coming off a strong spring practice showing and is tracking toward impact freshman work regardless of whether or not he gets a carry or two on offense. ESPN ranked him as the No. 25 overall prospect in the 2019 class.

Pickens (6'5/268) was an early enrollee at South Carolina this spring after signing on with the program as a five-star recruit in the 2019 class. His initial role with the team and exact placement on the depth chart won’t be finalized until preseason camp, but at the very least, Pickens should see work in rotation. If things break right for him, he has the upside for a big freshman year. Coming out of high school, ESPN ranked him as the No. 25 overall prospect for the 2020 cycle.

“A big body that can get off the ball and be a powerful and active presence in the trenches,” Haubert writes of the similarities between Pickens and Wynn (who is just now embarking on his first year of college ball). The analyst additionally notes that the 6-foot-5, 268-pound Pickens “can not only anchor against the run but can also be an active presence in the trenches as well.” On the ESPN 300, the South Carolina pledge ranks as the No. 25 overall prospect in the 2019 class.

Pickens ranks as the top strong-side defensive end in the country in 247 Sports composite rankings, and 14th overall among all players regardless of position. He had offers from your usual list of big-name school, and was seriously considering Auburn, Alabama, Georgia and LSU; just to name a select few. Reports call Pickens (6'5/268) a force on the defensive line who can impact the game as a run-stuffer and also get to the quarterback. A tremendous get for the Gamecocks already impressive class.