Though George Pickens is a freshman, his first time playing in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry marks a return to familiar territory.

Pickens, rated the No. 2 receiver in the nation in last year's class, spurned his 565-day commitment to Gus Malzahn and the Tigers in February, flipping to Georgia in one of the more surprising moves of National Signing Day.

Pickens had developed a close relationship with fellow 5-star Bo Nix, as the two were committed to the same school for months. Pickens (Hoover, Ala.) caught passes from his in-state comrade Nix (Pinson Valley, Ala.) at camps, showcases and high school All-Star games.

But Nix knows decommitments and flips aren't uncommon in the recruiting game, and Pickens wasn't the only big fish he tried to lure to the Plains and failed.

"I helped try to recruit a lot of guys that have been on other teams, and so he’s just another guy," Nix said of Pickens. "And so I feel like that our defense will play really good. [Auburn's defense] will worry about George Pickens and I’ll worry about their defense."

Pickens has played with an edge this season. He routinely jaws at defensive backs and carries with him a swagger on the gridiron. Georgia knows a return to Auburn for Pickens will be an emotional ride, and the Bulldogs want their freshman phenom to be laser-focused.

“I know his emotions are going to be going wild," Georgia receiver Tyler Simmons said this week of Pickens. "I know we’re going to need him to make some big plays so I’m just telling him to stay level-headed, just hone in on the details and just do what you know how to do."

Pickens, who became the top-rated receiver commit for Georgia in a decade when he signed, has been an important fixture in the Bulldogs' offense this season after they lost their top five pass-catchers from last year to graduation or the NFL.

He's the second-leading receiver on the team in both receptions (29) and receiving yards (389), and he currently ties Miami grad transfer Lawrence Cager for the team lead in receiving touchdowns with four, including two in Georgia's 27-0 win over Missouri last week.

Theoretically, Pickens is positioned to be Georgia's top dog at receiver for the next two-to-three years.

"He saw the ability to throw the ball at our place," Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said this week of Pickens' flip from Auburn to the Bulldogs. "... It cleared things up for him that he thought he was going to be able to have an impact and decided to come.”

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