Nathan Pickering is one of the top defensive ends in the nation for the 2019 class. Pickering is listed as Top 4 at the DE position and a Top 50 recruit overall. The UA All-American trimmed his list of schools down to just 10. Here are the schools that made the cut: Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas, and USC.
Top 10….. pic.twitter.com/0cKKLhYXxU
— Nathan Pickering (@therealnathan22) April 23, 2018
Not only does Pickering have the laundry list of offers to backup his high ranking, he also has the measurables. Nathan checks in at 6’5′ and 270 pounds. With his combination of size and speed, Pickering is able to man-handle his competition. He plays with a mean-streak and it’s scary to see him on the other side of the line of scrimmage. Also, he is very “football smart” for a kid his age. He seems to always be hungry whether it be in the film room or the weight room.
Mike’s Take
The team that receives a commitment from Pickering will most likely be getting a kid that will break the two-deep as soon as he steps on campus. The talented defensive end could break the starting lineup of some of the programs that are listed in his Top 10. This is what makes Mississippi State so interesting in this recruitment. The Bulldogs had done a great job in developing a relationship with the in-state talent. Will the loss of Pickering’s primary recruiter affect their chances? Unfortunately for Bulldog fans, we think it might.
Offensive assistant, PJ Looney, was the man handling Pickering’s recruitment for MSU. He left for UL-Lafayette to coach the offensive line. I don’t believe that this takes the Bulldogs out of the race, but it certainly opens up doors for other programs. Alabama, Florida, and LSU seem to have built a strong relationship with Pickering as well. However, I believe Auburn might be the team to watch. Pickering has the looks of an Auburn defensive lineman. He is tough and rough around the edges. It is too early to know for certain, so we will have to wait to find out. We can’t wait to find out which hat Nathan puts on.
