Explosiveness: Pickens displays adequate explosion off the line of scrimmage however this is not the strongest part of his game. In certain reps he’s able to get into the face of his opponents with quickness and with a low pad level to establish leverage. Despite this, Pickens can struggle with consistency in regards to his quickness.
Pad Level/Leverage: Pickens plays with good pad level overall but can struggle to maintain a preferred height while pass-rushing due to his tall frame. He does a great job creating leverage through arm extension and hand placement that allows him to get great push and pull on his opponents.
Pass Rush Plan: This is an area where Pickens needs the most work as his pass rush plan is not quite refined as of now. He wins right now with power but lacks a variety with his hands in order to be an elite pass rusher. Coming from a 2i look, Pickens gets a lot of one on one matchups with either the center or guard. As such he tends to deploy a lot of power behind his rush but fails to capitalize on the initial leverage he creates.
Run Defense: Pickens strength and power from his lower half allow him to stand pat at the line of scrimmage but his inconsistent vision and pad level hurts his effectiveness. He tends to over pursue upfield and is often out of place, while also struggling against double teams. He has plenty of flexibility to bend around his opponents needs to work on maintaining his pad level as he does it.
Versatility: Pickens plays a lot of 2i defensive tackle but based on his body type and flashes of quickness, he profiles as a three-technique going forward. He does play with enough leverage to be a true nose tackle but lacks the elite pass rush skills needed to play three-technique.
Strength/Power: Pickens plays with plenty of natural power and strength at the point of attack. He does a great job using this natural strength to supplant his opponents and can generally hold his own against top competition.
Block Shedding: Pickens is relatively consistent as a block shedder but lacks a well-refined counter arsenal to be elite in this category. He has a lot of power behind his punches that allow him to stun opponents and shed them, however, he is very one-note when offensive linemen try to counter.
Hand Usage: Pickens has above-average hand usage due to punch force and good hand placement. He can get good positioning on the pads of his opponents and the strength in his hands allows him to control opponents at the line of scrimmage. Pickens struggles to form fit-to-reach blocks which cause him to be double-over at the line of scrimmage.
Flexibility: Pickens is surprisingly flexible when moving through gaps. When he gets free of the lineman in front of him, he can bend well enough in his hips and ankles to loop to the quarterback. He can struggle to readjust to blocks when engaged but this is largely due to technique rather than athleticism.
Gap Shooting: Pickens length and flexibility allow him to be a solid gap penetrator. When he frames his blocks correctly, he can quickly disengage with hand force and slip through the A gap. He’s a bigger player so his lateral agility isn’t elite however Pickens looks solid on his feet.