Georgia football receiver George Pickens’ return on tap

Georgia football could get receiver Georgia Pickens back on the football field against Georgia Tech, a source with direct knowledge confirmed to DawgNation on Friday night.

Pickens suffered a torn ACL on March 23 at the start of the Bulldogs’ spring football drills, but he has been running routes with a knee brace since October and was recently promoted to work with the second team in practices.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart said on Tuesday that Pickens was working with the second and third teams, even though he was still wearing a black no-contact jersey.

Pickens has been practicing in a knee brace, but in media observation periods, he has looke quick and decisive coming out of his breaks’re still waiting to get him cleared, but we didn’t have him with the scouts -- we had him working with the offense, trying to integrate him back to get the calls and know the assignments.

“But he’s still in a black jersey with no contact today.”

RELATED: What Kirby said about George Pickens practicing with team

Smart had indicated last Saturday that part of Pickens’ clearance involved strength testing that was controlled by Ron Courson, the executive associate athletic director for sports medicine.

“He’s got to his percentages on his knee, on his testing,” Smart said. “He’s got jumps, he’s got Cybex, he’s got about 15, 16 tests he does, and when he hits a certain percentage, we think he’ll be able to get cleared.”

Pickens has been practicing in a knee brace, but in media observation periods he has appeared quick and decisive coming out of his breaks and catching the ball in stride.

The No. 1-ranked Bulldogs (11-0) play No. 3 Alabama (10-1) at 4 p.m. on Dec. 4 in the SEC Championship Game.