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Tennessee football’s top 10 NFL WRs of all time

By Caleb Calhoun

14 Oct 1979: Wide receiver Stanley Morgan of the New England Patriots runs down the field during a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago Illinois. The Patriots won the game 27 - 7.
14 Oct 1979: Wide receiver Stanley Morgan of the New England Patriots runs down the field during a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago Illinois. The Patriots won the game 27 - 7. /
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Photo by Mark Lyons /Allsport
Photo by Mark Lyons /Allsport /

Years in NFL: 9. Carl Pickens. Scouting Report. 3. player. 839. Pick Analysis. 1989-1991

Teams played for:

  • Cincinnati Bengals, 1992-1999
  • Tennessee Titans, 2000

Carl Pickens was probably Johnny Majors’ most talented receiver with Tennessee football. He played both sides of the ball as a freshman in 1989, but he turned into an All-American when he solely focused on playing receiver in 1990. In three years, he had nearly 1,900 yards and 13 touchdowns plus a punt return touchdown and kickoff return touchdown.

Immediately, he became a star wideout with his speed and size as a 6’2″ 206-pound second-round draft pick by the Cincinnati Bengals. That year, Pickens hadn’t taken off as a receiver yet, but he was a star punt returner, averaging 12.7 yards per return and running one back for a touchdown. As he became more valuable on offense, his special teams play phased out.

By 1994, Pickens was a star. He had over 1,000 yards receiving three times in five years from 1994 to 1998, including three straight years when he had over 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns. In 1995, he had career highs with 1,234 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns, the latter of which led the league, and he made two Pro Bowl appearances in 1995 and 1996.

Simply put, Pickens was a star. After eight years in Cincy, he actually returned to Tennessee to play for the Titans in Nashville in 2000, helping them to the best record in the pros. He never played after that, but he finished his career with 540 receptions for 7,129 yards and 63 touchdowns to go along with a punt return touchdown.

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