Zacch Pickens Scouting Report and NFL Draft Profile

Zacch Pickens Scouting Report: South Carolina, DT

2023 NFL Draft Measureables

40-yard dash: 4.89
6’4″ / 291 lbs

NFL Draft Profile

Zacchaeus L. Pickens graduated early from T.L. Hanna High School in Anderson, South Carolina. He did so, while earning plenty of accolades on his way out. As a senior, he record 87 tackles (15 tackles for loss) and six sacks. He also ran the ball 104 times for 889 yards rushing. That’s a crazy 8.5 yards per carry!! Those numbers helped lead the Yellow Jackets to a 14-1 record and a spot in the South Carolina 5A state championship game.

With those crazy numbers, the awards (as I mentioned earlier piled up). Zacch was invited to play in the Under Armour All-American Game and the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas (named Defensive MVP). He was also named both the South Carolina Gatorade Football Athlete of the Year and South Carolina’s Mr. Football. Finally, he was named the state’s top lineman by the South Carolina Football Coaches Association.

Not suprisingly, Pickens was considered South Carolina’s top high school prospect by 247Sports. Not only that, he was rated as their top defensive tackle, and #8 overall prospect in the nation. Even though he had interest from other top programs like Alabama, Clemson, and Georgia, Pickens stayed in-state and enrolled at South Carolina.

South Carolina Career

Thanks to graduating early from high school, Zacch was able to enroll at South Carolina in the spring and take part in the team’s spring practices. Because of his early start, he was able to see some solid playing time as a freshman. Pickens would play in all 12 of the Gamecock’s games that season, finishing the year with 16 tackles (including six in one game). While he didn’t fill up the stat sheet, he still earned Freshman All-SEC honors, as well an honorable mention Freshman All-American selection.

He would move into the starting role after three games the following season, a spot he would never give up. In the end, Zacch would play in 47 games, making a total of 32 starts. For his career, he was credited with 131 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks. While he was never named to another All-SEC or All-American team, Pickens was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll all four years at South Carolina. He’s also already graduated with a degree in sport and entertainment management.

Strengths

Reading the Play

I came away really impressed with Zacch’s ability to follow where the ball was after the snap. I feel like most interior lineman just hold there spot on the field. If they’re lucky enough to have the ball come in their area, then they do something. But Pickens is the opposite. He has the ability to read the play, even when engaged with a blocker. Then he positions himself to be able to best make a play on the ball carrier if he gets within range.

Getting off Blocks

Being able to read the play and getting himself into a better position alone doesn’t do Pickens much good. Thankfully, he showed great ability to be able to disengage, or shed, his blocker. Active hands, and a solid punch or rip move would usually do the trick. Suddenly, he was not only in position to make a play, but also free to do so. It’s all part of the reason why he was able to finish with 42 tackles in 2022.

Stopping the Run

I’ve got a question. You have a big bodied lineman, that’s able to read the play and then disengage his blocker. What do you think that equals up to? Yeah (I know the heading gave it away), a player that is really good at stopping the run. While Zacch has the tools to develop into an every down player, his run stopping skills are what will get him onto the field as a rookie.

Weaknesses

Inconsistent

Honestly, consistency is the only thing holding Pickens back at this point. On one play, he’d flash that explosiveness and strength I mentioned above. He would fire off the ball and drive the opposing lineman five yards back into the backfield. But then the very next play, he was just as likely to be driven back three or four yards himself. I know that you can’t expect a player to win their position on every play, but it was just to noticeable not to mention. There’s a lot of his game that I honestly feel is comparable to one of the top DT’s in the draft, Bryan Bresee. But Bresee is far and away more consisent than what Pickens has shown.

Zacch Pickens Draft Stock

According to NFL Mock Draft Database, Zacch Pickens ranks as the 113th prospect in this year’s draft class. I feel like that’s about right in line with what should be expected. I feel like there could be a chance that if a team likes his upside, that they could sneak him in at the end of the 3rd round.

Final Thoughts on Zacch Pickens

Pickens was a player that caught my attention during the first day of play drills at the NFL Combine. I hadn’t really heard anything about him at that point. But after his performance during the drills I felt like I needed to check him out more. I will say that I think he’s a great example of why you have to be careful of the combine. Honestly, if it was based on just that day, I would have thought he was a easy 2nd or 3rd round pick.

Sadly, some of the speed/skills that he showed during those drills didn’t transfer over to what you saw with pads on. Still, I think that he’s got more than enough to offer teams to allow him to see decent playing time as a rookie. If he can work on being more consistent, and improve his play strength, eventually he could become and every down player.