Kirby Smart isn’t ready to close the 2021 season for George Pickens just yet.

This week’s news that Pickens tore his ACL during Tuesday’s practice was certainly a downer for the program, with Smart noting how his star receiver will be “dearly missed” while he’s out. But citing a previous player who tore his ACL in the spring before being cleared midyear, Smart is willing to wait and see about Pickens before making a final ruling.

"Obviously, I think there's a chance he's back in 2021,” Smart said. “We've had kids that have had ACL injuries—I liken it to Divaad (Wilson), he got his when he first got here, it was the third day of spring practice. He didn't know our defense, but he was going to help us, and he came back.”

Smart said that if Pickens is able to earn clearance at any point during the regular or postseason, he could be inserted into the lineup immediately due to his familiarity with the Georgia offense. The reason Wilson didn't play until the Sugar Bowl against Texas was that he was still learning the defensive playbook.

Smart said Wilson was cleared for contact midyear and could have played if Georgia needed him.

Before his injury, Pickens was slated to enter the 2021 season as the top receiver on what figures to be a high-octane offense. With Pickens gone for an extended period of time, a slew of receivers will be expected to step up in his absence. Jermaine Burton, Kearis Jackson, and Arian Smith are among those who should have even bigger roles as a result.

Another receiver to watch could be Justin Robinson, who redshirted in 2020.

“Justin’s come a long way since getting here,” Smart said. “He got here last year, and the pandemic hit. He didn’t really get to go through a spring that would have helped him from a competitive standpoint. And then he was dinged up in the fall. He had a couple of different injuries. And he got hurt late in the year, didn’t get to do some things. And then he’s had some knee stuff. He didn’t get to do all the offseason workouts, and I always like for the young guys to get the mental toughness of the offseason workouts, and he started to get some of that towards the end. And it really pushed him and challenged him."

Smart added that Robinson has had some impressive practices this spring.

“He’s shown some flashes in the last couple of days," Smart said. "If he can sustain, keep that same energy, juice and level—there are times he really practices hard, and there are other times that I think he’s trying to save and condition himself. When he really goes, he’s been a good factor for us. He’s a big guy that’s hard to match up with, and so he’s different than some of our other guys because of the size.”

In addition, Smart sees Pickens’ injury as a means for other position groups to have a bigger role in the passing game. He mentioned the tight end trio of Brock Bowers, Darnell Washington and John FitzPatrick, as well as the running back corps, as those who may be relied upon even more as receivers.

“I don't look at it as receiver pressure,” he said. “I look at it as an opportunity for other guys to step up and do some special things.”

Two other receivers who Georgia expects to have by the fall are Dominick Blaylock and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint. Blaylock tore his ACL last preseason and Rosemy-Jacksaint suffered an ankle injury in Georgia’s loss to Florida.

"Rosemy is rehabbing,” Smart said. “He has been out there doing walkthroughs, coaching the young receivers, he's really into it. Dom is really smart, understands it, and he's rehabbing as well. So both of those guys are running and doing things but they're not cleared to practice yet."

Speaking of Washington

With Smart noting the tight ends should expect a bigger role with Pickens out, Washington becomes an even more intriguing option, especially now that he's going through his first spring practice with the Bulldogs.

He was unable to do so a year ago thanks to the spring season being canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But having gone through a full season of practice and games, Smart likes what he’s seen from the 6-foot-7 tight end, who has apparently added even more weight to the 265-pound frame at which he played the 2020 season.

“He’s grown a lot. He’s a lot smarter. He’s in better condition,” Smart said. “He’s in a better mental toughness state. Part of being a good player is pushing through practice and being able to sustain. He struggled to sustain through tough practices last year. He’s done that this year. He’s practiced a little harder. He’s doing some good things. He’s still really big. He’s 275, 280 pounds. He’s a different kind of matchup guy.”

Offense still leads

A week ago, Smart said the offense was getting the best of the defense at practice.

Asked where things stood at this point, Smart was short and direct.

“Offense is winning,” Smart said.

Smart was then asked what the deal was with the defense.

“Gotta get better. Gotta grow up,” Smart said. “I don’t think it’s a lack of effort. They’re just ahead right now. It’s not like it’s us and them. It’s we. We will get better. Who better to get you better than a team with a talented, experienced quarterback and pretty good skill players. Hey, it’s a lot of guys to replace when you got five and six guys on the back end, all new. The drills are not set up to be an advantage for the offense. We don’t really know much until you have the first scrimmage and you have to go out and tackle. I would say they’re definitely ahead in terms of execution and doing it right.”